You’ve heard of Spaghetti Westerns, now get ready for Ramen Westerns–and food porn.
Intricately decorated with various themes, Juzo Itami’s Tampopo is by far the most bizarre film Ginny and I have watched. This Japanese Western is about a ramen dream team that learns about the ins and outs of the art of ramen. We classify this film as a West
ern because the main character, Goro, is a wandering but resourceful masculine character (with a cowboy hat) that helps a damsel in distress while sharing some romance, only to leave her after he ‘saves’ her and she no longer needs his help.
But what makes this film so special is its extraordinary vignettes. These vignettes randomly branch out of the main plot to often a different time and location with seemingly unrelated characters and plots. Throughout the film, these vignettes display interesting ideas such as food in the context of social relations, cultural ‘sound,’ satire of contemporary Japan, and sexuality. Join us as we discuss the many interpretations of mind-boggling scenes that will leave you delighted, uncomfortable, and curious.
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