I have a summer cold right now, so food adventures of late have consisted of mango juice, soup and toast. So since I’ve been resting at home watching videos- it looks like a good time to write something about food films.
I have four favorites, the first three are definitely food films, the last one has some great food elements but perhaps not everyone would classify it as a food flick.
The first and by far the best is the film Big Night, made in 1996 directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci. This movie was amazing, and the last 10 minutes never fail to make me crave a simple omelet. This is a fantastic homage to the chef as artist. And it is funny, sad, and beautiful.
The second favorite on my list is considered the penultimate food film Babette’s Feast.
This is a small story, and one of the most gorgeous food movies ever made. Made in 1987 in denmark. It is simple, deep and rich.
Number 3 is another foreign film- Eat Drink Man Woman (Yin shi nan nu in Chinese) This is about romance, family and yes food. It cannot be described in simple terms but just the opening credit sequence is one of the best pieces of food film footage I have ever seen. This one is a must see if you have not yet seen it. Directed and written by Ang Lee.
And the fourth is a small Canadian film Double Happiness- starring Sandra Oh. This is not technically a food film, but the sweet buns for Dad Li are one of the most memorable parts of this film to me and comes to represent the relationship between father and daughter, between generations and across cultures.
This is the top four for me… And then tonight I watched Super Size Me – which is a food film that does NOT celebrate food- love of life- and happiness. It documents a man eating nothing but MacDonald’s for 30 days… everything that is not about a celebration of food… We need to come back from this kind of insanity… food should be a part of Life’s celebration and we are instead becoming a part/product of a culture of fast food that is killing us, and our kids.
The best thing about food films – good ones- is that it reminds us that food can feed our souls, bring us together, share love and kindness with our families and friends. And a socially conscious film like Super Size Me Can remind us that we have the power as consumers to make choices… food that brings us together, Slow Food that supports local communities and traditions and makes us happy and healthy or …. ????? I know what my choice is.
I would love to hear comments and reccomendations of other food films... share anyone?
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
A friend has recommended to me the Korean movie "Royal Cuisine - Jewel in the Palace." It is a hugely popular tele-series in asia. Reserve plenty of time to watch it as it runs a hefty 70 episodes! It is available on dvd last time I checked.
Food movies! Food movies! Yum! I've heard of Big Night but haven't seen it. Thanks for the reminder. Recently I saw what immediately became one of my all-time favorite movies. It is called Mostly Martha. It's a German film; I saw it with English subtitles. The orignal German release is called Bella Martha. Don't read anything about it--just go find a copy of it right now. Wonderful, wonderful food movie!
Like water for chocolate is an AMAZING book, and so I was never that happy about the movie. too fantastical to make the screen jump i believe... so much richer in text.
*Lauren
derbis,
i thought you were a fan of like water for chocolate. i certainly was. i like the way the film maker found a way to bring the hightly imaginative text to life on the screen.
yes the big night is all that and
a big "primero" bag-o-chips. i am still waiting for minnie driver to reply to my marriage proposal.
mostly martha is on the way. thanx for the 411.
nice work derbis.
peace out
by the way, there are films that we have all seen featuring food in some manner that are likely too numerous to mention. however, there are 3 that came immediately to mind for me.
few have consumed a meal with such relish or in such rapt reverie as sean connery - marko ramius in hunt for red october. if he was employing the technique of method acting, i suspect he had not eaten for perhaps 5 days before they shot the scene.
juliette binoche in chocolat. there is little else to say.
for all of its smarmy preachiness, guess who's coming to dinner spends an entire film sort of cleverly pointing towards a dinner that may or may not happen. in recent years when i have seen the film i have been more interested in what may have been on the menu.
que ne dici?
wow, great points on the food angles on all those films! Thanks Bagnold. Chocolat though--- again the book was way better than the movie.
juliette and johnny dep aside.
*Lauren
Post a Comment