Do Food Movies Make You Hungry?
by HELEN GEIB
November’s discussion topic is in honor of Thanksgiving, the holiday of family and food. Because I dearly love the traditional Thanksgiving feast I want to talk about movies that put good food front and center. Those movies where food is the crux of the plot- or the characters’ lives.
The accompanying still is from my favorite food movie, The Chinese Feast (1995). A Hong Kong comedy by Tsui Hark starring Leslie Cheung, Anita Yuen, and Kenny Bee, it’s a celebration of cooking, eating, love, and love of life.
Do you have a favorite food movie? What movies would you say best represent the art and spirit of the kitchen and the table? And not to forget: Do food movies make you hungry?
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Yes they can. As evidence I present “Julie & Julia”. On a similar tack, I recently finished listening to the book on cd “Cod: The biography of the fish that changed the world”. Scattered between the history, biology, economic, and other points, the author worked in delicious recipes for all manner of cod dishes. It drove me to pulling off the highway to get a McDonalds Filet O’ Fish. Yeah, I know there’s no cod there, but you take what you can get.
Alright, I have hands down the ultimate food movie, which still holds the record in Italy for the highest grossing movie of all time. It is called ‘Grande Bouffe’ and stars Marcello Mastroianni. It deals with four middle-aged men who get together at a secluded country cabin and decided to commit mass suicide by eating themselves to death. The meals that they eat are sumptious.
You cannot go wrong with “Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?” Robert Morley is always fun, and the dangers of fast food have never been better realized. I hunger for a dvd.
My favorite food movie (which I haven’t watched in a long time) is Babette’s Feast, and yes, food movies in general make me hungry. It doesn’t take much!
Hey Doc, ‘Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?’ IS available on DVD. You can obtain a print-on-demand copy from Warner Archives at their site. They specialize in transferring obscure and forgotten films to DVD that are otherwise unavailable. You can’t rent it at Netflix, or Blockbuster. You can only purchase it because they are not mass produced and are printed simply on a order by order basis. I have purchased several other titles from them and so far their transfer quality has been excellent. It costs about $25, but you can purchase it from some resellers at Amazon for about $15.
Also, a couple of other food movies that have not been mentioned yet are the Twainese classic from 1994 entitled ‘Eat Drink Man Woman’ as well as Henry Jaglom’s 1990 ‘Eating’, which is a documentary that interviews woman and their relationship with food and includes a captivating interview with actress Candice Bergen’s mother.
Yes, I was waiting for somebody to mention that one. I know it was the darling of the critics, but I found it to be incriedbly slow and boring. Maybe I should watch it again as I do have friends who liked it.
There’s a recent documentary that I’d greatly enjoyed called The Kings of Pastry. It follows the 16 conetstants who are competing in the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France contest. Basically, the best of the best of pastry chefs in all of France. It follows the few weeks of preperations for the contest and then it showcases the grueling three days of the contest itself.
One critic called it The Hurt Locker of culinary films and with that statement I agree.
I’m not a pastry lover so the flm hadn’t made me want to go to France and sample every sweet that’s available.
The Kings of Pastry was going to be my suggestion, too, having just seen and enjoyed it. Some of their creations weren’t really about food as food – and none of it was about nourishment! – as about art. Thinking French, though, brought Ratatouille to mind. That’s a movie that’s all about the food. Staying continental, Mostly Martha is a German movie of a few years ago that’s well worth looking for.
Forget watching the movies, just reading this comment thread is making me hungry!
@Ken: That is a powerful testimonial. Good thing fish is nutritious. I’d be afraid to read a book on the history of chocolate.
@Richard and Doc: Two strong contenders for ultimate foodie movie. I’m excited to learn WIKTGCOE? is available from the Warner Archive.
@Michelle: One for my Netflix queue. :-)
@Nir: “The ‘Hurt Locker’ of culinary films” is an apt assessment, I agree. I’m not sure I could bring myself to eat one of those creations if it was put in front of me- unlike the judges who destroyed them without remorse! I never realized before what it’s possible to do with sugar.
@Miriam: Great call on (the not as well known as it should be) “Mostly Martha”. You should check out “Soul Kitchen”, Fatih Akin’s most recent film.
Sadly, Mostly Martha was remade into the dreadfully boring No Reservations, with Catherine Zeta Jones and Aaron Eckhart.
And Ratatouille is a terrific film about food and about how awesome Paris is. :O)
It’s definitely not action-packed. :) When I saw this, I was quite young and international films were new to me. I think I was just impressed that it was thoughtful and beautifully shot. I remember thinking that just about any still could be framed and displayed as art, and whenever I see a film that’s beautiful in that way (and it’s rare!) I think of Babette’s Feast.
But no, I won’t argue with the slowness. You’re right. :)
I remember at the time of it’s release, people were giving Ratatouille a hard time, but I really loved the last big review within the movie: “Not everyone can be great, but greatness can come from anywhere.” :)
I second Ratatoille. I don’t care if it’s animated, I want that food! I also recently saw a really good Australian film called BURNING MAN about a Sydney chef (played by Matthew Goode from WATCHMEN) which had some pretty decadent food porn in it as well.
If you like Matthew Goode, you need to watch The Lookout. He’s really good in it but it’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s show all the way. And it’s a rather perfect film. …sorry to be off topic…
Excellent choices, I especially like Ratatouille, which is my favorite of the Pixar movies, and Kings Of Pastry. I saw The Trip recently, a really good mockumentary with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, where the two go on a restaurant tour of northern England and engage in dueling Michael Caine impressions. Really fun film, and yes, it also made me hungry.
“Ratatouille” looks to be a general favorite, as it should be. It’s my favorite Pixar movie as well.
That reminds me of another good food movie, “Simply Irresistible”. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays a struggling chef whose true potential is unlocked by the magic of love. It has a lovely climax where the people who eat her amazing dishes are inspired to remember their own dreams.
@Tom: I hadn’t even heard of “Burning Man”, I’ll have to look that up.
@Nir: If it’s any consolation, hardly anyone saw “No Reservations” and I don’t think anyone remembers it.
@Geoff: I now feel the sharp stab of moviegoer regret that I missed “The Trip” when it was in theaters.
Tampopo. Ramen shop trying to make the best ramen with help of a truck driver. Also the overlooked Tachiguishi-Retsuden or Tachigui: The Amazing Lives of the Fast Food Grifters from the director of Ghost in the Shell and part of the Kerberos saga with Jin-roh.
Tampopo! It’s THE classic food movie. How could I forget it?
I never really got into “Tampopo” but the dishes on display were amazing. Same goes for “Big Night”.
Almost forgot Stephen Chow’s God of Cookery, worth checking out especially if you like Kung Fu Hustle or Shaolin Soccer.
I was going to mention God of Cookery but it diesn’t really fit the “Do Food Movies Make You Hungry” category so I refrained.