The Ballad of Narayama (1983): cast, story & where to watch
1983 · Film · ★ 7.4
Released in 1983, The Ballad of Narayama is a drama film directed by Shōhei Imamura, running about 130 minutes. “Only Time Could Change the Cruelty of Tradition… Only Their Love Could Survive It…” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. In a small village in a valley everyone who reaches the age of 70 must leave the village and go to a certain mountain top to die. If anyone should refuse he/she would disgrace their family. Old Orin is 69. This winter it is her turn to go to the mountain. But first she must make sure that her eldest son Tatsuhei finds a wife.
Who’s in it. The Ballad of Narayama stars Ken Ogata as Tatsuhei, Sumiko Sakamoto as Orin, Tonpei Hidari as Risuke and Aki Takejo as Tamayan, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.4/10, The Ballad of Narayama has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on ARROW and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Ballad of Narayama page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Ballad of Narayama tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Ballad of Narayama (1983)?
- In US, The Ballad of Narayama is available to stream on ARROW, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Ballad of Narayama worth watching?
- The Ballad of Narayama holds an audience score of 7.4 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Ballad of Narayama?
- The Ballad of Narayama stars Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto, Tonpei Hidari, Aki Takejo and Shoichi Ozawa.
- When was The Ballad of Narayama released?
- The Ballad of Narayama was released in 1983, with a runtime of about 130 minutes.