Tampopo

Truck driver Gorô and his young sidekick Gun (Ken Watanabe) stop at a rather sad looking noodle shop. They rescue a boy outside from bullies who turns out to be the son of the widowed shop owner Tampopo. Her noodles are not good and she begs Gorô to be her teacher. In desperation, she even tries to buy and steal a soup recipe. They find homeless people who are cooks. With other experts' help, they refine the noodle shop to greater heights. Meanwhile, there is a gangster in a white suit and his girlfriend testing the boundaries of food erotica. Others vignettes also show people with food.

This is a strange and wonderful celebration of food. The characters are lovely. Gorô is a cowboy of sorts and even has the hat. It treats the noodle with reverence. Not all of the minor vignettes work but they add to the quirkiness. The old lady who squeezes is odd as hell although I wouldn't call it funny. It's an unusual movie wrapped around a sweet noodle story.

There are any number of very funny scenes in this lightly plotted and highly episodic romantic comedy from acclaimed Japanese director Juzo Itami. You may recall him as the guy who got in trouble with the Yakuza, the Japanese "mafia," because they didn't like the way he made fun of them in Minbo no onna (1992). You may also know that he committed suicide at the age of 64 in 1997 after being accused of adultery. He is the son of samurai film maker Mansaku Itami. I mention this since one of the things satirized here are samurai films.

But--and perhaps this is the secret of Itami's success both in Japan and elsewhere--the satire is done with a light, almost loving touch. Even though he also takes dead aim at spaghetti westerns and the Japanese love affair with food, especially their predilection for fast food noodle soup, at no time is there any rancor or ugliness in his treatment.

If you've seen any Itami film you will be familiar with his star, his widow, Nobuko Miyamoto, she of the very expressive face, who is perhaps best known for her role as the spirited tax collector in Itami's The Taxing Woman (1987) and The Taxing Woman Returns (1988). She has appeared in all of his films. Here she is Tampopo ("Dandelion"), a not entirely successful proprietor of a noodle restaurant. Along comes not Jones but Tsutmu Yamazaki as Goro, a kind of true grit, but big-hearted Japanese urban cowboy. He ambles up to the noodle bar and before long establishes himself as a kind of John Wayne hero intent on teaching Tampopo how the good stuff is made. Along the way Itami makes fun of stuffy bureaucrats, macho Japanese males, heroic death scenes, Japanese princesses attempting to acquire a European eating style, movie fight scenes, and God knows what else.

The comedy is bizarre at times. The sexual exchange of an egg yoke between the man in the white suit (Koji Yakusho) and his mistress (Fukumi Kuroda) might make you laugh or it might just gross you out. The enthusiastic description of the "yam sausages" from inside a wild boar is strange. Surely one is not salivating at such an entre, but one can imagine that such a "delicacy" might surely exist and have its devotees.

Indeed an Itami film has a kind of logic all its own. An exemplary scene is that of the stressed and dying mother of two young children, who is ordered by her husband to "Get up and cook!" This (reasonably relevant) scene is juxtaposed with the one with the college professor which is about being and getting ripped off--which seems to have little to do with the rest of the movie, yet somehow seems appropriate, perhaps only because they are at a restaurant. Another typical Itami scene is the businessmen at supper. They hem and haw until their chief orders and then they all pretend to debate and consider, and then order exactly the same thing except for one brash young guy who dazzles (and embarrasses) the old sycophantic guys by order a massive meal in French with all the trimmings.

The climax of the film comes with plenty of musical fanfare. As Goro and others sit down at the counter, they are served Tampopo's final culinary creation, the noodle soup now hopefully honed to perfection. As the tension mounts, a musical accompaniment, reminiscent of something like the clock ticking in High Noon (1952), rises to a crescendo. All the while Tampopo sweats and frets and prays that she will triumph, which will be in evidence if, and only if, they drain their soup bowls! (Do they?)

The final credits roll (after some further misdirections and some further burlesque) over a most endearing and ultimately touching shot of a young mother with a beautiful and contented infant feeding at her breast.

Perhaps this was Itami's best film.

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)

Not a film to watch if you're hungry but one to satisfy any cinephiles appetite. Intricately woven and nested tales of food and love and Japan make it a joy to consume during these 'Boil in the Bag' days. No need for appetisers, aperitifs or digestives - everything perfectly prepared, blended and presented to complement, savour, absorb and relish. The healthiest meal your eyes will devour with the utmost passion and joy.

Tampopo is a widow struggling to run a noodle shop called Lai Lai. Though she cooks with sincerity, her food lacks depth and flavour. After a chance encounter with a truck driver named Goro, Tampopo realizes that she must learn more about the culinary arts if her business is to succeed. Taking her under his wing, Goro goes about teaching Tampopo the intricacies of noodle soup making, determined to transform her restaurant into a paragon of culinary excellence. Meanwhile, a white-suited gangster and his moll discover new, erotic ways to express their love for one another through food; despite his enemies lurking ever-close.

Written and directed by Juzo Itami, 'Tampopo' is a beautifully constructed testament to the power of food that leaves the viewer hungry for more. Showing in great detail how food can be a source of pleasure, joy and love, the film is both heart-warming and life-affirming. A sharply written, richly humorous story about a quest for culinary perfection, 'Tampopo' is structured like a western, and can be seen as a homage to same. With its cowboyesque hero and narrative beats parodying conventions of the genre- such as the showdown and the saloon brawl- 'Tampopo' is a marvellous 'ramen western' packed full of flavour.

All of Itami's characters- from the titular chef to an ailing housewife- are ones of depth, crafted with intelligence, wit and warmth. His sub-plots, varying in length, explore how food brings people together, both emotionally and physically. Be it the vignette involving a spaghetti eating etiquette class or the aforementioned ailing housewife, these individual stories reinforce the film's overall message. Sensual and erotic in places, 'Tampopo' offers viewers a delicious blend of comedy and drama that goes down smoothly. Itami's second film, it is arguably his masterpiece; and one whose universal story resonates still.

'Tampopo' features striking cinematography from Masaki Tamura, whose expressionistic work in films like 'Lady Snowblood' and 'The Assassination of Ryoma' helped cement his reputation as one of Japan's finest cinematographers. His work for 'Tampopo' is undeniably powerful and dynamic, heightening the film's themes, tone and narrative impact. Utilising a variety of camera angles, movements and transitions- such as zooms, tracking shots, fades and pans- he helps foster the film's lively and humorous tone, as well as its connection to the western genre.

Furthermore, Tamura's work helps maintain a sense of realism throughout 'Tampopo', with his use of natural lighting, locations and colours creating an authentic depiction of 1980's Japan. His usage of visual metaphors and contrasts- be it of a Japanese flag on a rice omelette symbolising pride and identity, or an egg yolk referencing fertility-serves to bolster the films themes, while also remaining visually beguiling. Throughout the film, his work impresses and enthrals; leaving an indelible impression on the viewer.

As do the performances from the cast. There could be no one better for the titular role than Itami's muse and spouse Nobuko Miyamoto, who imbues the character with an infectious energy and lust for life. Itami and Miyamoto created many rich characters in the ten films they made together, from 'A Taxing Woman' to the 'Supermarket Woman'; and Tampopo may be the most compelling of them all. Alongside her, Tsutomu Yamazaki delivers a masterclass in understatement as Goro, playing him with a wry charm and subtle strength- almost like an Eastern Clint Eastwood. Koji Yakusho also shines in the role of the white-suited gangster, stealing every scene he's in with his charisma and magnetic screen presence.

An energetic, enthralling motion picture, Juzo Itami's 'Tampopo' is almost certainly the director's magnum opus. An affecting meditation on the importance and power of food, the film can make one cry and laugh in equal measure. Featuring an engrossing narrative, beautiful cinematography from Masaki Tamura and power-house performances from all in the cast, 'Tampopo' is delicious, delightful and a real cinematic treat.

I first saw this film on TV around 1990 and loved it. Its one of those films that you put on your mental list of films to see again. My girlfriend managed to buy an Japanese import subtitled version for Xmas and we sat down to watch. Tampopo is a film that starts interesting and slowly draws you in until you realise you sat for an hour and a half mesmerised. Its one of those films that when the lights go up you're not sure what you just watched but somehow it all made sense and you know it was very special. This is a film for life. I won't watch it every week but everyone I loaned it to came back with the same comments as myself. There are moments of sheer beauty that make your eyes fill up with joy. Several times I had to hold back a sniff, Damn I wanna cook noodles now. If Tampopo doesn't capture your heart then maybe you miss the point of film making as an art.