Help the Trylon afford a 4K projector! https://trylon.org/4K

The Trylon’s series on Kinuyo Tanaka’s acting roles ends with a bang: Keisuke Kinoshita’s THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA (no, not the 1983 version that won the Palme d’Or). It’s a dire tale: Tanaka plays an old woman on the cusp of 70, at which point she’ll be taken to the top of a mountain to die alone so her village can conserve food. And Bleak Week isn’t even here yet!

The story itself is only ALMOST as interesting as how it’s told. A mix of traditional Japanese dramatic styles are filmed with a colorful expressiveness and visual dynamism that seems to undercut the stoic, passionless ritual at its heart.

In this Harry-less episode, we discuss the subversive literary origins of this story, the way its cinematography helps you keep time and dread its passing, and the possibility that THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA is at war with itself. Then, we unwind with a lyrics guessing game based on peak millennial ballads.

We also get into it about Werther’s® Originals®. Or is it Werther’s® Original®?

Give to these causes in need during ICE’s occupation of Minnesota:

Support Minnesotans defending their communities from ICE: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
@sanctuarysupplydepot: Mutual aid group in Mpls getting basic necessities to our houseless neighbors https://linktr.ee/sanctuarysupplydepot
@mplsmutualaid: Clearinghouse of mutual aid for our neighbors: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid
ISAIAH, an interfaith group fighting for racial and economic justice in MN: https://secure.everyaction.com/G8TCnxFlE0qd9zlUEYjjeg2
Show love to North Minneapolis families in crisis: https://www.gofundme.com/f/show-love-to-north-minneapolis-families-in-crisis

References:

Find film critic and Trylove guest Matt Clark’s new zines on his blog, Kino Ventura, at https://kino-ventura.blogspot.com/
“The Astonishing Theatrical Style in The Ballad of Narayama (1958)“ by Zach Staads for Perisphere, the Trylon blog
“Ballad of Narayama” by Darragh O’Donoghue for Senses of Cinema (February 2013)
“Japan Twang: Tsugaru-jamisen with Sato Michiyoshi” (Kalamazoo Public Library, 2018)
Trylove Episode 190: FOREVER A WOMAN (1955) (aka THE ETERNAL BREASTS)
Trylove Episode 192: LOVE LETTER (1953)
Trylove Episode 193: GIRLS OF THE NIGHT (1961)
Check the calendar, preview upcoming series, and buy tickets
Contribute to Perisphere, the Trylon blog

#TheBalladOfKinuyoTanaka #DCP

Follow us on Twitter at @trylovepodcast, Bluesky at @trylovepodca.st, and email us at trylovepodcast@gmail.com to get in touch!

Show art by Emily Csuy. Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. Outro music by Chūji Kinoshita and Matsunosuke Nozawa from THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA soundtrack.

Timestamps

0:00 - Episode 384: THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA (1958)

1:41 - Whadja Watch This Week?

16:38 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary

18:24 - We had no expectations and that’s a good way to go in

22:06 - An arresting musicality and framing

40:46 - Where the style and heart of the movie diverge

48:52 - What ubasute means to the characters in this movie

1:04:52 - Why Westerners maybe can't relate to the "elder care" thing as much

1:10:26 - The narrative you expect vs the narrative you get

1:20:58 - The Junk Drawer

1:31:40 - To All the Loves We’ve Tried Before: 1958

1:32:34 - Cody’s Noteys: The Ballad of Millennial (lyrics trivia from late ‘90s and early ‘00s songs)