This 1985 Japanese comedy is a beautiful and hilarious meditation on human desire and a great satire of American pop culture.
The Big Picture Many films have tackled the complex topic of human desire, but none have done so in such a strange and unique way as 1985's Tampopo. The satiric Japanese Western, directed by Juzo Itami, explores the many roles that food plays across cultures, while simultaneously poking fun at the many tropes of American cinema. The movie draws a parallel between food and cinema as both are communal art forms that cross the boundaries of class and culture.
In addition to the main storyline, the movie is often interrupted by quirky vignettes that depict the wide-ranging social utility of food in Japanese society. The most prominent and memorable of these vignettes sees a couple using food in the bedroom in various inventive ways to enhance their sex lives. The details of their identities are not given, nor are the circumstances of their love affair, further emphasizing the importance of food in the film and in their story.
In a scene that is a clear nod to Rocky, Gorō has Tampopo run to build her endurance. The score is triumphant, alluding to the iconic score from the Sylvester Stallone classic. Tampopo's training montage is shot and orchestrated similarly to those found in many American sports movies. The film lovingly pokes fun at the melodrama found in these films by applying the same tone and energy to scenes of Tampopo flipping noodles into bowls and repeatedly lifting heavy pots of hot water.
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