Tampopo (1985) [Film Review]

Tampopo; or, Food, Ramen Girl, and Franz Liszt

     Wait. Wait, please... Please... Please be my teacher. I'll be a good student! Meeting you makes me want to be a real noodle cook!

This week’s review will be about Juzo Itami’s greatest classic and, probably, one of the best films about food of all time. Tampopo is a wonderful tale about passion, self-confidence, love, death, social etiquette and their inextricable connection with the essential basics of our survival: food.

Release Info 

Directed by: Juzo Itami Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken Watanabe, Hideji Otaki 

Language: Japanese Original Title: タンポポ Runtime: 115 min

 

Synopsis

When discussing Tampopo’s narrative, we have to bear in mind that it involves several storylines. The main one focuses on a pair of truck drivers, Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and his co-worker Gun (young Ken Watanabe!), who stop to eat at a ramen noodle shop. Unfortunately, unpleasant customers harass the owner of the place, Tampopo (Nobuki Miyamoto) and Goro stands in her defence. The next day, grateful Tampopo cooks breakfast for Goro, but he politely tells her that her ramen is not particularly good. After giving her several tips, Goro prepares to leave, but Tampopo begs him to become her teacher. The truck driver eventually agrees and resolves to turn her noodle shop into the greatest ramen place. That’s how the quest of our heroes in search for perfect ramen begins.

Food, Food, and More Food

First of all, I have to point out that you should not watch this movie on an empty stomach. Seriously, there should be a disclaimer like that at the very beginning, because the film is filled with various dishes from Japanese cuisine, not just ramen. Well, I would even dare to say that food is not only the main theme, but the main hero of Tampopo. We follow Goro and Tampopo as they try to discover the essence of ramen by, for instance, observing other chefs at work, learning the right balance of ingredients, proper serving of the incoming customers, and relentlessly training in the kitchen almost in Rocky style.

However, not only Goro lends Tampopo a hand. Goro’s “old master” (Yoshi Kato) also helps as well as a certain wealthy businessman (Hideji Otaki), whom Tampopo saved from choking, and his chauffeur Shohei (Kinzo Sakura), and Tampopo’s old customer Pisken (Rikiya Yasuoka). It is the unity of these strangers that ultimately leads to the formation of “Tampopo Noodles” restaurant and the creation of the finest ramen ever made.

Nevertheless, Tampopo is not only about the main heroine and her ramen. In fact, the movie begins in a very strange, metanarrative-like way with a macho gangster and his girlfriend sitting in a cinema and watching a movie about truck drivers (Goro and Gun) who are reading a book about ramen... Tampopo’s story is cross-cut with a few short skits which are in no way connected with the main plot, but... all involve food in one way or the other. Thus, for example, we get to see such hilarious situations as a corporate subordinate shaming his superiors when ordering a sophisticated dish, a hopeless etiquette lesson (with the legendary Mariko Okada) on how to eat spaghetti, a man sharing an ice cream with a kid, a housewife rising from deathbed to cook the final meal for her family, and a store manager chasing a woman who manically squeezes food...

Yet perhaps, the weirdest short story of all is the one about a gangster and his girlfriend who are... physically celebrating each other with quite ingenious usage of food. Pleasure of consumption is equalled here with pleasure of sex, but at this point the film almost crosses the line between being an innocent comedy and a porn flick. Nevertheless, the egg scene should be included somewhere on the list of 100 best cinematic kisses.

In consequence, Itami constantly winks at the viewers by placing food at the core of these bizarre situations. The way I understand these scenes is that food seems not only as a necessity to survive, but as a way to live through life. Dishes become commodities, sources of pleasure, irreversibly combined with our senses, emotions, and important memories. In other words, food is the source of happiness. Quite rightly so, this is also the case with Tampopo. Yet, she achieves happiness not from eating ramen, but by making it for other people who enjoy it. Itami points to this materialistic way of life which governs our existence and underlines that we also should appreciate the things which we usually take for granted. Our family, job, and nourishment.

In terms of performances, Tsutomu Yamazaki and Nobuko Miyamoto were flawless once again, as in The Funeral (1984) and A Taxing Woman (1987). I even think that Miyamoto gave the most energetic performance in her career as Tampopo. On the other hand, Yamazaki was so cool as a tough truck driver that, for some reason, he reminded me of Gregory Peck! But maybe it was just because of the hat...

Ken Watanabe has only a supporting role and a very limited screen time, but still, it is great to see him at the very beginning of his career. Masahiko Tsugawa deserves an honourable mention as a supermarket manager. Even though he has no dialogue, it is hilarious to see him pursuing a crazy old woman. In addition, the music score is epic and I don’t mean the incidental music, but the usage of Franz Liszt’s epic finale from “Les Preludes”, especially in the scene when Tampopo finally makes the perfect ramen. Awesome!

Recommendations

I recommend this film to anyone who likes a good comedy, Japanese cuisine, and existential matters explored in a quirky way. Tampopo delivers on all fronts, becoming a little masterpiece which, for some unknown reason, happens to be frequently omitted on “all-time best” lists. All things considered, Tampopo is a great ramen western.

Overall score: 9/10

The Funeral (1984) [Film Review]

The Funeral; or, The Art of Japanese Send Off

     This was my home when I lived in Izu. Now, since I moved to Tokyo, I call it my country place. But really, it's my in laws’ retirement home.

This week I would like to discuss yet another of Itami’s classics. The Funeral, which initiated his filmmaking career by winning five Japanese Academy Awards, is a careful study of a family organising the traditional ceremony of final farewell to their deceased relative.

Release Info 

Directed by: Jûzô Itami Starring: Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kin Sugai, Hideji Otaki

Language: Japanese Original Title: Osōshiki Runtime: 124 min 

 

Plot

The story begins with an elderly man known as Shokichi Amamiya. After receiving a clean bill of health, Shokichi outrageously mocks his wife, Kikue (Kin Sugai), when saying that he wants to live to the age of 120 and with a young mistress by his side. However, Amamiya suffers from a massive heart attack after this statement and dies in a hospital. Back in Tokyo, his daughter Chizuko (Nobuko Miyamoto) and son-in-law Wabisuke Inoue (Tsutomu Yamazaki) receive a phone call with tragic news. It is up to them to organise the funeral and Chizuko tells her husband that the service should be held in Izu. Wabisuko is not too keen on the ceremony taking place in his childhood home but eventually agrees. All family members gather in Izu and the three days of preparations begin. During that time the relatives have to deal with various personal issues and mutual resentments.

Handle with care

Similarly to other Itami’s films, The Funeral can’t be exclusively labelled as a comedy. Certainly, there some noticeable light undertones in the story, but what makes this movie unique is a considerable distance from the events it focuses on. If the film had been shot entirely with a handheld camera, I would have thought that I was watching an actual documentary. The plot is virtually non-existent. You won’t find here any conflict, rising action, and climax. Yet, even though everything on the screen is shown very subtlety and cautiously, you get the feeling that there’s a lot of going on in the Amamiya family.

On the surface, we observe the family’s preparations for the funeral. Wabisuko and Chizuko have to face with such daunting tasks as choosing a coffin, learning formal etiquette, preparing a speech, holding a wake for the neighbours, and hiring a priest. Nevertheless, there are certain little things which make watching Amamiyas’ preparations disturbing. It is, for instance, Chizuko’s cousin who cheats Wabisuko on money when paying the hospital bill, Shokichi’s brother who is resented due to his wealth, and Wabisuko who has an affair with a younger woman. None of these issues are out of the ordinary in modern times, but perhaps this is the harsh message that Itami tried to convey: death in the family does not really matter.

The scene which made the greatest impression on me is the black and white sequence shot by one of the relatives. It’s naturally beautiful in its simplicity and innocence. In my opinion, it resonates even stronger when contrasted with the scene of Wabisuko’s unexpected sexual intercourse in a forest. In addition, Kikue’s speech towards the end of the film is also interesting as the widow expresses her regret that the hospital staff would not let her be with the husband in his last moments.

In terms of performances, Tsutomu Yamazaki and Nobuko Miyamoto are flawless as always. It is not surprising that Yamazaki and Miyamoto starred together in three other films (Tampopo (1985), A Taxing Woman (1987), and A Quiet Life (1995)). There is very little of music score, but its absence only reinforces the authenticity of the picture. In addition, the movie has excellent framing, very much in style of Akira Kurosawa, with action often going on the background rather than in the foreground.

Recommendations

Recommended to anyone who is into human interest stories or would like to know something more about the Japanese funeral rituals. It is also a great movie to start with when checking out Itami’s filmography. As mentioned previously, Yamazaki and Miyamoto give great performances and it is worth seeing the film just for them. The Funeral also has a whole new dimension of meaning for people grieving over their relatives who passed away. Watch the film and it will leave you thinking for a few good weeks.

Overall score: 8/10

A Taxing Woman (1987) [Film Review]

A Taxing Woman; or, Extreme Auditing

     A tax officer shall take all steps necessary for prosecution when he discovers that an offense has been committed.

National Tax Offenses Act, Article 12, Clause 2

Continuing my binge-watch of Jūzō Itami’s films from the last week, I would like to focus on his third directional hit (after The Funeral (1984) and Tampopo (1985)) simply called A Taxing Woman, starring Nobuko Miyamoto and Tsutomu Yamazaki in the leading roles.

Release Info

Directed by: Jûzô Itami Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Masahiko Tsugawa, Mariko Okada

Language: Japanese Original Title:マルサの女 Runtime: 127 min

 

Synopsis

Ryōko Itakura (Miyamoto) is a tax auditor who is extremely devoted to her profession. Even though she usually chases after small-time offenders, Ryōko is determined to go against the big shots. One day, she investigates Hideki Gondō (Yamazaki), the owner of a string of love hotels, who allegedly avoids tax, but his books are clean. After meeting the bizarre entrepreneur, Ryōko gets a promotion to Inspector at Tokyo Regional Tax Administration, a place where things get serious in terms of taking down extreme tax offenders. Eventually, the inspectors begin a meticulous investigation of Gondō and his business.

How not to hide your income

A Taxing Woman was a major financial and critical success upon its original release in Japan. However, I think that it’s mistakenly labelled as a comedy. Rather than throwing jokes and slapstick, the movie attempts to document a genuine work of a Japanese tax auditor, but in a very light manner. As a result, Nobuko Miyamoto makes the character of Ryōko believable as a single mother and workaholic. Having to deal with restaurant owners, casino managers, and gangsters raiding the office, she demonstrates disturbing determination which can only be equalled to that of a police officer.

On the other hand, the character of Hideki Gondō serves as the release of dramatic tension in the story. Tsutomu Yamazaki’s relaxed performance makes Gondō seem eccentric, yet cool and swell at the same time. Watching this “gentleman thief” embezzling money is sheer enjoyment (love that victory dance!). As the focus of the narrative shifts from Ryōko to Gondō, he ceases to be the anti-hero and becomes the story’s true protagonist. He is not presented as a two-dimensional greedy bastard, but a caring parent (similarly to Ryōko) who has lost his way. Even towards the end of the film, I caught myself cheering for Gondō and hoping that the tax inspectors won’t catch him. Nevertheless, A Taxing Woman had to respond to the economic boom of its times, and thus ended with a message that nobody can escape the long arm of the law.

Interestingly, Jūzō Itami came up with the idea of making a movie about tax evasion after entering a high tax bracket following the success of The Funeral (1984). Also, the original title is intriguing. Apparently, the word Marusa is not a technical term for a tax inspector, but slang. Full explanation of the term is available on wikipedia.

Additionally, apart from the dynamic performances of the two leads, other merits of the film include: engaging story (I was really afraid before watching that a movie about tax evasion may be boring), great music score (catchy theme improves the light tone of the story), and touching ending (I will never look at a handkerchief the same way again).

Recommendations

I recommend A Taxing Woman to anyone who would like to spend a quiet evening with a rare Japanese gem from the 1980s. It’s interesting, funny, entertaining, and easily palatable. If you liked Tsutomu Yamazaki in Departures (2008), you will surely like his performance in this picture. I can also add that I enjoyed this film a little bit more than The Funeral (1984) and Minbo (1992).

Overall score: 8/10