Tampopo (1985)
(Juzo Itami, Japan 1985, 114 min., DCP)
Tampopo is a mouth-watering, oddball comedy about the similarities between sex and eating. What little plot there is centers on two truckdrivers who reveal to Tampopo, the mousy proprietress of a rundown noodle shop, the secrets behind making and serving the best noodles. This joyous film is filled with tips on such topics as the perils of eating noisy food in a crowded movie theater, the zen of eating ramen ("while slurping the noodles, look at the pork; eye it affectionately"), how to make great soup in three minutes flat, and some unbelievably erotic things to be done with the yolk of an egg.
Introduction by Joanne Bernardi, professor at University of Rochester. Followed by a Q&A with Bernardi and Jared Case, Curator of Film Exhibitions.