Tampopo
Criterion Collection Edition #868
The tale of an eccentric band of culinary ronin who guide the widow of a noodle-shop owner on her quest for the perfect recipe, this rapturous “ramen western” by Japanese director Juzo Itami is an entertaining, genre-bending adventure underpinned by a deft satire of the way social conventions distort the most natural of human urges, our appetites. Interspersing the efforts of Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto) and friends to make her café a success with the erotic exploits of a gastronome gangster and glimpses of food culture both high and low, the sweet, sexy, and surreal TAMPOPO is a lavishly inclusive paean to the sensual joys of nourishment, and one of the most mouthwatering examples of food on film ever made.
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Tampopo
Directed by Juzo Itami • 1985 • Japan
The tale of an eccentric band of culinary ronin who guide the widow of a noodle-shop owner on her quest for the perfect recipe, this rapturous "ramen western" by Japanese director Juzo Itami is an entertaining, genre-bending adventure underpinned by a deft...
Extras
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TAMPOPO Edition Intro
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The Making of TAMPOPO
Director Juzo Itami narrates this behind-the-scenes documentary on TAMPOPO, shot during the film’s production in 1985.
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Nobuko Miyamoto on TAMPOPO
In this interview, actor Nobuko Miyamoto talks about playing the title role in TAMPOPO and working with her husband, director Juzo Itami. It was recorded in 2016.
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Seiko Ogawa on TAMPOPO
In this interview, conducted in 2016, food stylist Seiko Ogawa talks about her work on TAMPOPO.
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TAMPOPO: The Amateur and the Craftsperson
This video essay looks at TAMPOPO’s themes of self-improvement and mastery of a craft. It was created by filmmakers Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos in 2017.
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The Perfect Bowl
This program on TAMPOPO’s influence on food culture in Japan and abroad features interviews with ramen expert Hiroshi Oosaki and ramen chefs Ivan Orkin, Jerry Jaksich, Sam White, and Rayneil De Guzman. It was produced in 2016.
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Rubber Band Pistol
Directed by Juzo Itami • 1962 • Japan
Jûzô Itami’s debut short film RUBBER BAND PISTOL concerns the various activities of a group of friends.
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Ping Zhu Studio Visit
Meet the artist behind our TAMPOPO cover.
