Movies/Films with Food-Related Themes

[chiffonade]

Babette's Feast

Eat, Drink, Man, Woman

American Cuisine

Eat This New York

Chocolat

Big Night

Tortilla Soup (Hispanic remake of Eat, Drink, Man, Woman)

Woman On Top

Like Water For Chocolate

Pieces of April

Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?

[scordelia]

Scorsese's "The Age of Innocence" has an incredible opening scene, part of which lingers over a late 19th-century New York society buffet table that's heaped with food.  Just one of the film's many beautiful production details.

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Absolutely, Age of Innocence! If you read the book and then see the film, you see how Scorcese paid attention to detail. Wharton will mention certain dinner services and menus at particular events at different houses, and there they are in the film--the correct china, flatware, centerpiece and courses.

But I have to add Upstairs, Downstairs, while technically not a movie, it is fun to watch Mrs. Bridges (Angela Baddely) cook! Her mother actually was cook to the Duke of Marlborough, so Angela grew up in that era in a grand home. She used her mother's recipes in the show to create authentic, turn of the century, English dishes. She also insisted on having a working kitchen for her set and to really cook the dishes in her scenes. She was not going to just pretend to prepare sole with parsley sauce!

Edited June 12, 2005 by scordelia (log)

[SuzySushi]

We just saw (last night, on DVD) a weird Korean film called 301/302. Anyone else see this one? It's a mystery/black comedy about two women who are food-obsessed -- in opposite ways, one is a gourmand, the other anorexic/bulemic -- who live next door to each other in ultramodern apartments.

[coquus]

Saw Dinner Rush today, great movie. I also was wondering if anyone was thinking about Do The Right Thing, NY City Pizza still is underexploited in my mind, and that english movie about the Indian/Pakistani? taxi driver in England who's friend owns a restaurant, that was also a pretty good movie featuring food. Of course Big Night is my all time favorite one I've seen, great ideas everybody.

[Genny]

I'll second the vote for 9 1/2 Weeks: it doesn't really make you hungry for FOOD though

A sweet movie that food is the focus of is "Simply Irrisitable" starring Sarah Michelle Gellar & Sean Patrick Flannery. She has inherited the family restaurant and has to learn how to cook to run it. A sort of *magic* happens and she becomes a great chef whose eclaires make people swoon and do crazy things. Its been a while since I've seen it but there is mention of a crab napoleon that had me wanting some of that!

[Soup]

Wife and I were talking about renting movies and I was thinking about some of my favorite movies where food plays a significant role...

My favorite food movie of all time (under this topic) is Big Night. I've also like Tampopo, Eat Drink Man Woman, Diner and Babette's Feast. Love to hear about your favorite food themed movies and why.

Soup

[Tonyy13]

I took a course in college at Johnson and Wales called Food in Film and Literature. The objective of the class was to determine the significance of food in movies and books.

The criteria that we used were if food (or anything that had to do with food or the consumption of food, i.e. burping, stomach aches, using the restroom) was removed from teh film, did that have a significant impact on the outcome or plot of the movie? Were any characters directly linked to food or eating? When food was present, what events happened, and what effect did the food have on the scene?

My final project was on the movie Dumb and Dumber. It was my job to determine whether or not it was a food film according to the criteria above. After watchign the movie 6 times in a row with my group (a feat, let me tell you, all in a row, all at once, all day on a Saturday), we found that there were over 400 references to food in the movie. Food was used to set the tone for the two main characters idiocy (think back to the movie: "Let's throw another shrimp on the Barbie" and "Footlong, who's got the footlong?"). We determined that the movie was in fact, a food film based upon the fact that when the thug Joe Mentalino ("Mental") catches up to Lloyd and Harry, he intends to kill them and retrieve his breifcase full of money, but they feed him a burger filled with hot peppers, enflaming his ulcer, and finally, feeding him rat poison which they believe is his medicine. If the man had not eaten the burger, he would have killed them, and consequently, the movie would have ended, and therefore, drastically changed the plot of the movie. And who can forget the other great food scenes in the movie? Think back once again; the laxative scene, the benefit dinner, "Kick his ass, Seabass", boilermakers, and the beer bottle incident.

In fact, with these criteria, there aren't many movies that aren't considered food movies. We discussed Pulp Fiction ("Royalle with Cheese" talk) and determined that it too, was a food movie becuase whenever something of impact or killing was to happen, someone in teh scene was eating or at a restaurant. We discussed that Brad Pitt is almost ALWAYS eating in every scene he is in, in almost every movie he has made in the last 10 years (Oceans 11 and 12 were not out at the time, but those are definately food films if you ask me).

So, while not food themed, in fact, by definition according to a handfull of professors out there who are way smarter than me, they are food films.

As for me, I hate the movie dumb and dumber now. Too bad, it was pretty funny a long time ago....

[Epernay]

the cook the thief the wife and the lover

[Gifted Gourmet]

recent thread on food and films

Admin: merged threads

Edited June 29, 2005 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[mizducky]

I took a course in college at Johnson and Wales called Food in Film and Literature.  The objective of the class was to determine the significance of food in movies and books. 

The criteria that we used were if food (or anything that had to do with food or the consumption of food, i.e. burping, stomach aches, using the restroom) was removed from teh film, did that have a significant impact on the outcome or plot of the movie?  Were any characters directly linked to food or eating?  When food was present, what events happened, and what effect did the food have on the scene?

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By that criterion, "Silence of the Lambs" qualifies as a food film.

I don't deliberately seek out food-themed films as such, but of those films I have loved, I'd submit that "The Wedding Banquet" is definitely food-themed.

[mizducky]

Oops ... I see "Wedding Banquet" has been mentioned already.

But "Fried Green Tomatoes" hasn't yet. (One of the few movies I've seen that was actually a slight improvement over the book--at least IMO.)

[NulloModo]

OK, can't believe no one has mentioned this yet (maybe because it is a miniseries and not a movie) but the 1998 Gérard Depardieu (French) version of "The Count of Monte Cristo" was absolutely packed with opulent food scenes. Some of the meals he has prepared for Camille, or that she prepares for him (can't really remember which way it went now) are just... well, drool-worthy. I have never been particularly tempted by swanky French restaurants, but this mini had me wanting to fly to Paris.

Now, as for another issue: apparently the movie I have always thought was "Big Night" is anything but. The movie I know as "Big Night" involves a guy meeting some blonde girl, getting a blind date at a coffee shop, her mysteriously dying in her apartment, him being hit on by her scultpor-roomate, cheech and chong stealing the sculpture, and ice-cream/snack truck (food tie-in) driving woman chasing him around time thinking he is some kind of thief, and some really retro 60s girl with a complete 60s kitchen. For my own sanity does anyone have any clue what this movie is actually called?

[*Deborah*]

Now, as for another issue:  apparently the movie I have always thought was "Big Night" is anything but.  The movie I know as "Big Night" involves a guy meeting some blonde girl, getting a blind date at a coffee shop, her mysteriously dying in her apartment, him being hit on by her scultpor-roomate, cheech and chong stealing the sculpture, and ice-cream/snack truck (food tie-in) driving woman chasing him around time thinking he is some kind of thief, and some really retro 60s girl with a complete 60s kitchen.  For my own sanity does anyone have any clue what this movie is actually called?

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After Hours, with Griffin Dunne.

[Andrew Fenton]

I took a course in college at Johnson and Wales called Food in Film and Literature.  The objective of the class was to determine the significance of food in movies and books. 

The criteria that we used were if food (or anything that had to do with food or the consumption of food, i.e. burping, stomach aches, using the restroom) was removed from teh film, did that have a significant impact on the outcome or plot of the movie?  Were any characters directly linked to food or eating?  When food was present, what events happened, and what effect did the food have on the scene?

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By that criterion, "Silence of the Lambs" qualifies as a food film.

As does "Land of the Dead", now playing in a theater near you. Mmm, zombie food...

[Pontormo]

Heads up, especially to those of you who contribute frequently to the Baking & Pastry thread...or the regional forum for France.

Criterion has just released Eric Rohmer's BAKERY GIRL OF MONCEAU (1963).

A law student (played by producer and future director Barbet Schroeder) with a roving eye and a large appetite stuffs himself full of sugar cookies and pastries daily in order to garner the attentions of the pretty brunette who works in a quaint Paris bakery. But is he truly interested, or is she just a sweet diversion?

--Synopsis from the company's web site.

[carpetbagger, esq.]

Hamburger... The Motion Picture. a horrible b-movie from 1986.

[mamagotcha]

We just watched "Eat Drink Man Woman" last night, and it inspired me to come search for this thread. You folks did not disappoint! I've added quite a number of your recommendations to my Netflix queue... thanks!

I've read this whole thread, and you all have come up with pretty much all the cool food-related films I've seen and loved ("Like Water for Chocolate," "Mostly Martha," "Chocolat," "Tampopo" chief amongst them). "Big Night" is sitting on the DVD player, waiting its turn!

Sadly, I cannot find "La Grande Bouffe" or "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover" on Netflix... will try to track them down at the vintage VHS rental store here.

So I had a question about "EDMW"... that scene that panned over his (HOME!) collection of knives... would a chef seriously need that many? I have about four that I use constantly, but then again I'm not butchering my own meat. Has anyone seen a real Chinese chef's kitchen? Was this for real?

Thanks... my first post here, so please be gentle!

[Carolyn Tillie]

We just watched "Eat Drink Man Woman" last night, and it inspired me to come search for this thread. You folks did not disappoint! I've added quite a number of your recommendations to my Netflix queue... thanks!

I've read this whole thread, and you all have come up with pretty much all the cool food-related films I've seen and loved ("Like Water for Chocolate," "Mostly Martha," "Chocolat," "Tampopo" chief amongst them). "Big Night" is sitting on the DVD player, waiting its turn!

Sadly, I cannot find "La Grande Bouffe" or "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover" on Netflix... will try to track them down at the vintage VHS rental store here.

So I had a question about "EDMW"... that scene that panned over his (HOME!) collection of knives... would a chef seriously need that many? I have about four that I use constantly, but then again I'm not butchering my own meat. Has anyone seen a real Chinese chef's kitchen? Was this for real?

Thanks... my first post here, so please be gentle! 

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Welcome to eG. Regarding The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and La Grande Bouffe; both are on DVD (I own both, so I know), they are simply not part of the Netflix line-up so a good local rental shop might carry them, or at least the Greenaway film which is slightly more mainstream and contemporary. You might want to look for them on eBay as well -- I'm pretty obsessive about wanting to own food movies and have acquired a number of them in that fashion.

[mamagotcha]

hee hee... I've already put in an eBay bid for a VHS copy of "Grande Bouffe!" Great minds and all that... Thanks!

[Sneakeater]

Has anyone mentioned Prime Cut?

[jsmeeker]

Not a movie, so maybe that's why no one has mentioned it. (at least not that I saw).

But how about "The Sopranos"? (the TV series on HBO). It's *loaded* with food references, scenes, etc. Many scenes occur in restaurants, butcher shops, bakeries, etc. Lots of eating and cooking going on at the homes as well.

[kristin_71]

Yea I have to agree about The Sopranos. They are like many ethnic families, their lives are centered around the food. That is something that is nice to see. Nobody mentioned Spanglish.

[esowchek]

I would like to add two films that have a lot of food in them, but are not exactly food movies.

The first is Delicatessen (1991), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (the director of Amelie and A Very Long Engagement). This is a truly black comedy in which it really is better not to ask what kind of meat was used to make the saucisson.

The second is The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), directed by Luis Bunuel. This is a surrealistic film without much plot, but a main thread involves six people who just want to sit down to dinner and enjoy their leg of lamb. One of the six is played by Stephane Audran, who later went on to play Babette in Babette's Feast.

Both of these films are available on DVD.

Ellen

[cyen]

I absolutely loved Eat Drink Man Woman. Everytime I see that movie, it always made me so hungry. It also brings back a lot of fond memories of Taiwan. When my grandfather had his 90th birthday art exhibition in 1991, the organization threw a huge banquet at the Grand Hotel (Yuan-san). I still remember the roasted pork with very crispy skin and the frog soup that were served at that banquet. Another interesting note about Yuan-san is at very close to the hotel is the huge mosaic made by my grandfather back in 1969 (Taipei's first large outdoor art work).

What I found interesting that Ang Lee's first couple of films before Eat Drink Man Woman (Pushing Hands and The Wedding Banquet), food featured quite prominently as well.

[Susie Q]

Wow, My first post.

My favorites...Babette's Feast, Big Night, Tampopo .

Delicatessen was so funny.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Susie Q (log)