Food: a necessity obligatory for our livelihood, yet its composition as well as its diverse and customary preparations has a prominence whether it is used for comfort, a curated passion such as cooking or occupied as a food critic, or if it is just something utilized to cure boredom. Regarding food and cinema, Itami Juzo’s Tampopo is one of the handfuls of motion pictures created towards the infrequent “noodle western” genre of filmography contributing to the multiple food films seen in cinema. Released in 1985, Tampopo explores the journey of two truck drivers named Goro and Gun who one night— filled with a torrential downpour – stumble upon a mediocre noodle eatery owned and operated by a single mother named Tampopo. Throughout the film,
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Itami also employs food in a manner of showcasing sex through romantic relationships and sexual interests. An example of this is the side narrative involving a white-suited gangster and his mistress who both share a passion for an indulgence of food. There are several prominent anecdotes of this couple embracing, but one notable one is the egg yolk interchange scene. During this, both are passing an egg yolk between each other’s mouths which is a symbolization for sexual activity. Moreover, we can observe another part featuring this couple towards the end when the gangster is wounded and is reminiscing to his mistress on how to cook sausages before he passes away. To expound, this part showcases a rather romantic relationship with our couple rather than the Eros love they displayed in the preceding encounters during …show more content…
For instance, we once again encounter the white-suited gangster, but this time he is seducing a young oyster harvester on the sandy shore. They exchange an oyster with one another with the gangster injuring his lip on the oyster. Successively, the young harvester initiates to tend to his wound by oddly kissing and sucking on it as the two then exchange a kiss. Touching more on food as sexual props, Itami explores food as a sort of obsessive fetish for one. This is represented in the anecdote of the elderly lady who has an interest in squeezing food, especially ones that are soft. She is chased around the store by the clerk as she squeezes a multitude of items ranging from peaches to bread. By her pressing this objects, it helps to unveil the sensation and satisfaction associated with those who are keen towards this. Even the nature of the food being squished is objectified as a sexual object such as peaches in Japanese
Itami also employs food in a manner of showcasing sex through romantic relationships and sexual interests. An example of this is the side narrative involving a white-suited gangster and his mistress who both share a passion for an indulgence of food. There are several prominent anecdotes of this couple embracing, but one notable one is the egg yolk interchange scene. During this, both are passing an egg yolk between each other’s mouths which is a symbolization for sexual activity. Moreover, we can observe another part featuring this couple towards the end when the gangster is wounded and is reminiscing to his mistress on how to cook sausages before he passes away. To expound, this part showcases a rather romantic relationship with our couple rather than the Eros love they displayed in the preceding encounters during …show more content…
For instance, we once again encounter the white-suited gangster, but this time he is seducing a young oyster harvester on the sandy shore. They exchange an oyster with one another with the gangster injuring his lip on the oyster. Successively, the young harvester initiates to tend to his wound by oddly kissing and sucking on it as the two then exchange a kiss. Touching more on food as sexual props, Itami explores food as a sort of obsessive fetish for one. This is represented in the anecdote of the elderly lady who has an interest in squeezing food, especially ones that are soft. She is chased around the store by the clerk as she squeezes a multitude of items ranging from peaches to bread. By her pressing this objects, it helps to unveil the sensation and satisfaction associated with those who are keen towards this. Even the nature of the food being squished is objectified as a sexual object such as peaches in Japanese