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“The Ballad of Narayama is Imamura's masterpiece.” - Senses of Cinema No holds barred in its depiction of a harsh village existence 100 years ago, The Ballad of Narayama is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name. On entering her 69th year, family matriarch Orin faces the certainty that, despite her robust constitution, she must climb Mount Narayama on her 70th birthday and prepare to die. Such is the cycle of life and death in this primitive community - with one less mouth, there is more food for the young to survive. A multiple award-winner, including the Palme d'Or at 1983's Cannes Film Festival. “The movie is wholly characteristic of Imamura in its ribaldry, its celebration of sex and survival, and its unsentimental view of nature.” - Senses of Cinema
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D/S Shohei Imamura P Goro Kusakabe, Jiro Tomoda WS Shochiku Co. Ltd L Japanese w/English subtitles TD 35mm/1983/130mins