Ballad of Orin (1977)

August 18, 2023 9:57 AM

A blind traveling musician is abused and oppressed while she tours the country, even though the modern world imposes changes on people's behavior.

Starring Shima Iwashita, Yoshio Harada, Tomoko Naraoka.

Directed by Masahiro Shinoda. Screenplay by Keiji Hasebe, Masahiro Shinoda.

Alternate titles: Hanare goze Orin, Melody in Gray, Banished Orin, Symphony in Gray.

An average rating of 3.7 on Letterboxd.

Currently streaming in the US on Criterion. JustWatch.

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posted by DirtyOldTown (3 comments total)

Anyone entering into this one should be aware that it is bleak (though beautiful) and the main character would be best described as a "blind traveling musician / sex worker." Saying that, I think it is a fine late 70s work by the sometimes unsung Japanese New Wave director Masahiro Shinoda probably best known for Pale Flower and Double Suicide. He sometimes gets compared with Yasujirō Ozu as he worked as an assistant director under him (though I think they are very dissimilar).
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:51 AM on August 18, 2023 [2 favorites]

Thanks for that caveat! I haven't seen this one since [does math on fingers] before current college students were born. I am hoping my recollection of it is mostly accurate and it as good (and not overly problematic) as I dimly remember.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:00 AM on August 18, 2023

I've been working on Shinoda this year, after discovering him via the extraordinary Himiko, so the film is fresh in my mind. Generally I'm not one to warn people about a movie before watching it but the ending of this film is remarkably bleak and unsentimental - anyone coming into this for a feel good movie should be prepared. To be clear, I think it is is good film just not a happy one.
posted by Ashwagandha at 11:14 AM on August 18, 2023 [1 favorite]