"SHOCHIKU PRESENTS" "Hear ye!" "We bring you now for your viewing pleasure" "Ballad of the Narayama," "Based on the ancient legend of Obasute." "BALLAD OF THE NARAYAMA" "Based on the novel by Shichiro Fukazawa" "Director of photography Hiroyuki Kusuda" "Art direction by Kisaku Ito" ""Nagauto" composed by Rokuzaemon Kineya" "Film editing by Yoshi Sugihara" "Players" "Kinuyo Tanaka Teiji Takahashi" "Yuko Mochizuki Danko Ichikawa" "Written for the screen and directed by Keisuke Kinoshita" "A midst towering peaks In the land of Shinano," "Where a brooklet winds through" "The valley of the forgotten" "Cicadas sing the mournful tale" "Of this secluded mountain village" "Hello!" "Does Orin of the tree-stump live here?" "Ah... you are Orin?" "Who might you be?" "Why..." "I have come from yonder village." "Yes.. bearing tidings for you." "Most gratifying!" "Please, come inside." "The climb must have tasked you sorely" "Inviting in the weary courier," "Impatient for the news he bears" "My tidings... concern a new widow in our village." "Her man's funeral was held 3 days ago." "And her age?" "Forty-five" "Why... the same age as my Tatsuhei!" "A most favorable match." "True.." "True!" "Things could not have been more favorable" "When can this one come to live with us?" "Ere the other can reply, Grandson Kesakichi enters." "I'm hungry!" "What is there to eat?" "There's some boiled beans there." "Who wants belly-turning beans!" "Oh, yes.. old man Amaya was saying " "Your grandma's teeth let her eat anything" "Pine cones, beans or what you have" "Nonsense!" "After all you have good teeth" "I have no more than 28!" "You can't count beyond 28." "You have more teeth." "Kesakichi!" "Old granny has 33 teeth!" "Kesa!" "Granny hid herself in the shack;" "Now she has 33 devil's teeth." "How frail and fickle this life of mortals." "It will soon be a full year since your mother died." "Remember!" "You musn't play where it is dangerous" "Or you'll fall over the cliff like your mother." "Let's go!" "Tatsuhei... rejoice!" "You'll soon have a new bride." "Whe the strange look?" "A messenger has come from the next village." "A widow of only the past two days and she's called Tama-yan" "I see!" "But how old is she?" "Your age... 45!" "And she can come after her 49 days of mourning." "Come... show some sings of rejoicing!" "Why?" "I've already passed that stage." "The festival of the Dead approaches." "Which means the same old song..." "Three years pass: one is 3 years older." "When the New Year comes, I'll be 70.." "I must make my pilgrimage to Narayama." "Such was the custom among the village elders." "The summit of Narayama beckons all of such age." "Even songs of the festival count off the years;" "Reminding all mortals their time also nears." "Tatsuhei!" "Such timidity makes you ill company for my sacred ascent." "Your new bride will soon be here." "Show some life!" "Mother, shall I carry you down?" "Yes!" "It will be wist to try it once." "How is it?" "Am I heavy.. or light?" "You've grown lighter, mother." "Narayama is steep." "It will tax all your strength to carry me up." "What ails you?" "No.. no!" "Your time hasn't come yet." "Nonsense!" "I go to Narayama." "with the advent of the New Year." "Your bride is chosen..." "I'm ready now." "That's right.. there's still my teeth!" "What are you doing?" "My teeth shame me!" "As if one still eats like the young and hardy." "I would go to the mountain as a senile, toothless woman." "Tree-stump Orin hid in the shack;" "Now she has 33 devil's teeth." "Amaya!" "Come with me!" "Count for yourself how many teeth she has." "I meant no harm!" "I learned it from your son, Kesakichi." "I'm sorry." "Kesakichi!" "Festival time comes once a year;" "Bringing rice to our humble table." "Granny hid herself in the shack;" "Now she has 33 devil's teeth." "Kesa!" "After all she's gone through to raise you.." "Scum!" "You say she has devil's teeth?" "Granny has devil's teeth!" "Foolish one!" "You'll not get any food." "The Seventh Month" "Brings the mist and rains." "As one dines on his simple fare." "One's heart grows heavy and the soul grows damp;" "As one's dream each night." "Becomes another stepping-stone." "Oh, yes!" "We must also tell Kesakichi." "Your new mother will be here soon." "A bit early... but she might come for the Festival." "With her here, it'll make things easier for you." "Just a minute!" "We don't need a mother!" "I'll take a bride and we won't need a mother." "My bride will cook." "Fool!" "No more food for you." "Elder brother wants to marry Matsu-yan" "You fool... shut up!" "Even at thirty it's not too late:" "one newcomer means another mouth." "Ere the Festival thrice has come." "Chestnut seeds into flowers bloom." "Granny hid herself in the shack;" "Now she has 33 devil's teeth." "Rice!" "I smell cooked rice!" "Foolish one!" "If you are so starved, I will feed you." "Disgraceful!" "Like a starving devil..." "Mata-yan, as a neigbor and old friend, let me tell you what people are saying." "Mata-yan... they say you're so miserly." "you've set nothing aside to celebrate your ascent of narayama." "You're one year older than I am and should have gone long ago." "Rumors were that you'd go this spring but spring has come and gone... and it is already summer." "Yes... you are an ill-starred one." "Because you refuse to go to Narayama," "your son denies you food and you've fallen to scounging." "Miserable... wretched creature!" "Rice... rice!" "Go ahead... eat!" "One may partake of white rice but once a year." "For the Narayama Festival tonight," "I've cooked a plentiful supply." "Begging food from the neighbors, eh?" "You're a disgrace!" "All right... come along!" "It's the son's shame!" "Why not at least feed him at Festival time?" "Strange one.. have you come to join our festival?" "Is this the home of Tatsuhei?" "Yes!" "Then you must be from the next village..." "You're Tama-yan?" "Yes, I am." "They insisted at home that I'd come here in time." "So..." "I came today." "Come... enter your new home!" "With a hearty welcome for her son's bride;" "Though death waits in the mountains," "There can be no regrets." "Now... eat all you can." "But... it is so much!" "I go now to hurry my son home." "They insisted that I should eat here instead of at home." "so I left this morning without eating." "Just eat your fill." "No need to be shy." "They hurried me off saying that" "Granny was a kind-hearted woman." "Why didn't you come earlier?" "I expected you yesterday." "The messenger who came was my brother." "He told me how wonderful you were." "and I wanted to come right away." "Why were you sitting on that stump?" "Why didn't you come right in?" "I was all alone... and it was rather embarrassing." "My brother promised to come with me" "But he drank too much festive wine last night - and all he could do was encourage me by saying how nice you were." "If I had known, I would have gone for you myself." "I wish you had." "I would have carried you back here." "Tama-yan!" "Oh... mother!" "Has it caught in your throat?" "Eat slowly... and as much as you wish." "My... that was painful!" "When the New Year comes, I go up the mountain." "My brother mentioned that, too." "but he says that there's no hurry." "He's wrong!" "The quicker I go, the more the Gods will favor me." "Go on... eat everything you have there." "After all.." "I caught the fish myself." "What?" "You mean you can catch fish?" "Yes, Tatsuhei, Kesakichi and the other villagers aren't too skilful." "Suhe..." "They never catch as many as I do." "Oh?" "It's almost a pity to eat them." "I know where the fish hide." "I'll show you the place some day." "Go ahead... eat!" "I still have many dried fishes set aside." "I'll go call Tatsuhei." "Pleased with her son's new bride," "She departs in search of him." "As a blushing bride in days gone by," "None could match her beauty." "In her days of widowhood, no scandal marred her honor." "During those painful years, never an accusing finger" "Why ruin a faultless life for a mere set of teeth, which is but an outward sign of a drooling appetite?" "With such shame cast on my name," "I dare not face the mountain Gods." "Granny... is something wrong?" "Eat without haste and dine well." "I'll soon bring Tatsuhei home." "I'll go soon to my meet myDestiny on the mountain-top..." "My teeth are gone." "Festival time comes once a year;" "Bringing rice to our humble table." "In our deaf and shivering dotage" "All our human bonds are severed." "Tatsuhei!" "Tatsuhei..." "Tatsuhei!" "Where is Tatsuhei?" "Mother!" "Tatsuhei... your bride..." "This is Tama-yan... your new bride." "Go... join her and dine together!" "White polished rice!" "Our annual festive dinner!" "Just once a year!" "Curses on it!" "Mother.. gorge yourself!" "I'll eat, too." "If you can't chew, just swallow it." "And more for you." "This miserable wretched life!" "A thousand curses!" "Old hag of the tree-stump!" "You brats!" "The glowing crimson of the autumn maple" "Brightens the pathway of young ones in love." "You should help harvest the rice." "Nonsense!" "Without food, it's wiser not to develop an appetite." "I'm hungry too, but my belly keeps growing larger and larger." "I eat and eat but it's never enough." "Have some of these beans." "My folks want me to move in with you." "Can I go eat from tonight?" "Sure!" "Your belly will send Granny into the hills." "Nobody wants a great grandchild." "Even the autumn harvest of the gold-tinted grain" "Serves only to remind one of the passing time." "The peaks of Narayama seem so close." "Stop dreaming!" "Finish reaping the rice." "The golden heads droop; wet with tear-like dew." "With only this tiny plot of land." "why need one reap in such haste?" "Mother... would you mind going ahead?" "What troubles you?" "An odd feeling that I was carrying her on my back." "What ails you now?" "You've injured your leg!" "That son of yours refuses your food but forces such a load on you?" "Come!" "It's not far now." "Hold on to me and walk slowly." "You are a foolish one!" "Instead of suffering so, go to Narayama." "Narayama is the abode of the Gods." "A place of bliss and blessing." "I plan to go at the turn of the New Year." "Never!" "I won't go to Narayama." "They can't send me!" "when do you go to the hills?" "I plan my ascent for next year." "Next year?" "Winter may bring early snow." "Would it not be wiser to go sooner?" "The path up winds through 7 gorges." "Snow will make it impossible." "I have always been lucky." "It will surely snow after I arrive as it did for Otori of Shioya." "My grandpa went up in mid-summer." "That's stupid!" "One live on too long." "It is wisest to go when snow is expected but before it becomes too deep." "The sooner the better!" "The later the better!" "The sooner the better!" "It's better not to rush it." "Thief... thief!" "Prowler!" "Make the culprit do penance to our sacred Narayama!" "Tatsuhei!" "Kesakichi!" "Act calmly!" "Matsu-yan, get up!" "Make the culprit do penance!" "Leave your sandals at home!" "The thief must do penance!" "Carry off all the food!" "Amaya was the thief?" "The curl making off with my bale." "It's in his blood!" "His father also did penance." "We'll divide this up." "Line up here!" "We'll divide this up." "Line up here!" "Come on!" "Hand it out." "Look!" "This one dared to wear sandals." "Wretched dotard!" "My leg.. it is injured!" "You mountain-evading dotard!" "Come, give him a beating!" "Wait.. withhold your ire!" "This one has come prepared to do battle despite a lame leg." "Take his share and let him go." "After land-taxes, even we won't have enough food for this winter." "Amaya has 12 dependents..." "I have 8." "But we've more adults with healthier appetites." "For one thing, we are too careless about how we eat." "Unless we ration the food," "Matsu-yan's appetite will be our ruin." "She didn't come to be Kesakichi's wife." "The way she eats, her family probably drove her out." "The villagers are saying stealing is in the Amaya blood." "They want to wipe out the whole family." "When Amaya's father did penance in the wilds of Narayama, he survived the winter by eating roots." "They claim he hid food up there for such emergencies." "Beans... again?" "Why... they're boiled about right!" "Why not show some reserve?" "No loss!" "The volume increases... if one just adds water." "But if one doesn't eat.. it disappears?" "Really?" "Is that true?" "Kesakichi!" "Slap the girl's face." "I was first in line and deserve the biggest share." "Eat all you want... here!" "All the potatoes we divided up last night were tiny!" "I thought my crops were rather poor but I was being robbed." "Everyone claims he lost more than he got." "Not given us.. it was just returned!" "We must take our revenge for this!" "After dark, they'll come sneaking out to steal more." "Unless we do something, we'll never sleep well again." "We must wipe them out!" "But... how?" "There are 12 of them." "Dig a big hole and bury them all." "Nonsense!" "Where could one bury so many?" "It's no laughing matters!" "The villagers are serious." "Such ill-omened chatter!" "Even the crow crics ominously." "I've a feeling Death will be out stalking tonight." "I wonder if the Amayas will begin disappearing... one after another?" "Granny... perhaps we should go to the hills next year." "I'm glad you now begin to understand." "I feel greatly relieved." "My mother in the next village made the ascent." "My mother-in-law also went that way." "It is only natural that I should go." "One's infamy sung by posterity in return for this sad existence..." "Ginyan of the reeds; a shameless hag." "She lived to see her great grandchild." "I'll not be humiliated like this." "Don't be concerned!" "I'll abandon the new-born child in the hills." "They'll not sing such songs about you." "Nonsense!" "I'll desert the brat myself." "Didn't I promise I would?" "Yes, and I wish you would." "Father dear, the day now nears" "For you to make the fateful trip." "Hear!" "That's the spirit!" "To bear old Granny into the hills" "Where land-crabs crawl amuck." "Only birds that sing at night." "Only birds that sing at night." "Tatsuhei..." "let me gaze upon you while it is still possible." "Does the thought still disturb you?" "But you will take me up next year?" "Tama-yan.. you are a better wife than the one who is now dead." "Tonight I shall teach you where one may catch the river fish." "This is it.. reach into this hole and you can snatch the fish." "Don't tell anyone!" "Right under that boulder.. don't forget!" "Kesachi is out, too." "It will be wise not to speak of the Amayas any more." "Like unto a bright spring day." "The pleasant glow of one's abode." "Where one's dreams live on" "Throughout the fleeting years." "Mayhap this daily life we lead" "Is naught but a passing dream." "This night I invite the elders who have been to Narayama." "The New Year is yet 4 days away but I wish it over with." "Wait until the New Year." "What's a few days?" "And I would go before my great grandchild comes." "Go inform the elders." "Hurry... ere they go to their daily tasks." "See!" "The snow flakes already begin their wintry dance." "It will surely snow on the day" "I ascend the mountainous heights." "Go, now!" "Or tomorrow I shall go to the mountains by myself." "Go!" "The climb will be a bitter one and we are greatly obliged to you." "During the ascent." "one shall abide by the formalities set forth:" "Upon arrival at the mountain, no words shall pass between you." "During the ascent, one shall abide by the formalities set forth:" "When setting forth on your journey, no eye must watch you depart." "During the ascent, one shall abide by the formalities set forth:" "When returning from the mountain, one must not turn to look back." "The path to the mountain skirts the foot of the rear hills, passes the holy tree and winds on." "As one ascend the third mountain, a lake will appear." "Pass the lake and climb the fourth mountain, beyond the stone stairs." "From the top thereof," "Narayama may be seen beyond the gorge." "Proceed onward with the gorge to your right and hill to the left." "The distance thereto is 5 miles." "The path then winds upward past the Gorge of the Seven Bends." "The path which passes this gorge" "will lead you on to Narayama." "Proceed upward among the oaks and the Gods will be awaiting you." "If one wishes, one may turn back at the Gorge of the Seven Bends." "I'm just telling you this as it is customary to do so." "Simple as such duties seem," "A companion's lot is no easy one." "The heavy burden on one's back;" "A leaden weight upon one's heart." "What are you up to?" "You would escape you dotard?" "Filthy dotard!" "What goes on here?" "What is it?" "Cut his bonds and ran off!" "Mata-yan.. know you not this song?" "In our deaf and shivering dotage," "All our human bonds are severed." "Do you wish all ties with the Gods and with you son cut off now?" "No..." "I won't go!" "Put it off tonight." "Come!" "I'll take you home." "Shut up!" "Why all the fuss?" "Send all the old ones into the hills!" "Kesakichi!" "I plan to go tomorrow night without your telling me." "Cold the moon of a dying year" "Overlooks this anguished parting." "Plucked into ragged shreds, the clouds above float by." "Torn now all human heartstrings," "Between love and filial affection." "Bonds linking a mother and son" "Are inter-woven like fine spun yarn." "With the fleetly passing months," "Comes this fateful parting day." "Hoisted high upon his shoulder." "A son bears of his loving parent." " You must be Tama-yan!" "Come.. enter your new home." " No need to be shy!" " Eat slowly.. and as much as you wish." " When the New Year comes, I shall go up the mountain." "For this kind and loving mother" "Comes the day of fated parting." "Mother... are you not chilled?" "Where could be a mother's son" "Who writhes not on such a day?" "Mother.. the moon now hides behind the clouds." "Nearby looms the Narayama;" "Above the cold and whistling winds." "Mother.. it becomes colder!" "It will probably bring the snow." "Mother.. why will you not speak to me?" "This is not Narayama." "One may speak without offense." "Mother.." "this must be the so-called Gorge of the Seven Bends." "We will soon be there." "Mother.. speak to me!" "Just one more word.." "We now ascend Narayama..." "speak to me just once more!" "Help.. save me!" "You'd do this to your sire?" "Mother!" "Mother!" "It actually begins to snow!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "You must be so cold!" "Mother.. you have been fortunate!" "The snow did come, after all..." "On the day of your ascent!" "Mother... the snow came.. after all..." "When we become seventy, we'll be going to the mountain too." "subtitles by mNstr"