The Ballad of Narayama (1958)

 Keisuke Kinoshita's "The Ballad of Narayama"


There are some films that I am completely enthralled by as I am watching them. Then, there are films that I am frustrated, befuddled by, or bored by during the film and then my reflection of the film afterwards completely changes. Keisuke Kinoshita's 1958 film "The Ballad of Narayama" is one of these types of films. 

I wasn't really bored during the film, more uncertain and befuddled, specifically. I think the reason for this sentiment can be explained with A.H. Weiler's 1961 review in the New York Times, which says that the film was "stylized and occasionally graphic fare in the manner of the Kabuki Theater" and that, because of this notion, the film is "decidedly strange to Western tastes." I think this point is valid, not because I was turned off by the Kabuki elements or Kinoshita's unique visual setup, but because I could not get as good of a thematic read on the film as something with more Western sensibilities. 

The plot of the film focuses on Orin, a 70-year-old woman living in a small village. It is the village's practice that people who reach the age of 70 must be carried to the top of Narayama Mountain to die. As Orin prepares her family for her eventual departure, she is met with disdain and dismissal from the other people in the village. Only her widowed son and his new fiancé treat her with respect and kindness. 

I feel that the themes of "The Ballad of Narayama" are bountiful due to the stylistic and tonal way Kinoshita addresses them. How society treats the elderly, the contentious traditions of Japan's past, and the big-picture conceptions of time and aging are all addressed. I felt these themes far more deeply after the film was over. 

During the film, I was far more transfixed by the visual elements. I don't think I've ever seen a film do what this film does visually. Kinoshita does not fool the viewer into thinking the story takes place outside of the scope of a piece of art or performance. All of the characters are acting on a sound stage, constructed beautifully to look like a small Japanese village on the outskirts of society. Scene transitions are seen via physical opening and closings of soundstage walls. And the color palette of the film is so stark, it appears surreal. It is clear that this is theater, and not a subjective experience.

Because of the uniqueness of this set-up, the film has a very dreamlike quality to it. The visual style, the environment, and even the characters' physical movements and dialogue are all reminiscent of Kabuki styles that render images of an ancient past. "The Ballad of Narayama" is such a unique experience that is sure to cause a divided reaction from viewers. For this viewer, it was sublime.



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