tampopo

Ever see a couple engage in some extra-level food fetish where methods of kissing resort to playing oral ping-pong with an egg yolk? Juzo Itami’s 1985 sophmore feature, Tampopo, certainly doesn’t beat around the bush with its kinetic wall-to-wall energy and flourish. The film frequently traverses through a myriad of characters and side stories, interludes on which the film heartily foundates, touching on exploits that are dramatic and harrowing, romantic, tragic and even sexual. Koji Yakusho’s enigmatic performance as an unnamed gangster-type in a white suit exudes enough simplicity to welcome into the narrative as he recurs throughout the film. He’s a man of fine taste in moviegoing, atmosphere, food and etiqutte, and lavishes in culinary fetishes with his mistress, played by actress Fukumi Kuroda. Following their entrance, Tampopo formally introduces trucking duo Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki) and Gun (Ken Watanabe) who stop at a low key ramen shop to have […]

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