Food in Movies

Given how visual food is, one would think that it is not too hard to film it. However, it seems to be surprisingly hard. Waiting around for broth to boil isn't exactly dramatic.

However, there are many movies about food, largely concerned with exploring metaphors around food : food as communication, food as sensuality, food as sex, food as culture.

Here are some of the movies on food that the CC loves.

• Eat Drink Man Woman

  Perhaps, the CC's favorite movie on food. Just the opening sequence gives the CC goosebumps. He's probably watched it more than a hundred times. The movie itself is quite amazing too.

• Mostly Martha

  The original German movie (not the crappy remake.) Features an obsessive-compulsive chef whom the CC strongly identifies with. The CC's love of Italian food plays a role too.

• Tampopo

  How could you possibly not love the delightful quirkiness?

• Mirch Masala

  Not exactly a movie on food but certainly one to exploit the metaphors around it.

• Delicatessen

  Apocalyptic future. Cannibalism. A "bullshit detector". Lentil smugglers! What's not to like?

The CC has almost certainly seen all and any movies related to food. Some are charming and quirky; some are routine and forgettable; some have exquisite filming of food sequences but not much else.

Just for the record, the CC singles out "Babette's Feast" for most boring food movie ever. There were some peasants, and a flopping turtle, and there was supposed to be the "transcendental power of art in the name of God" or some such. God help us if we have to sit through this stuff on a routine basis!

Perhaps the audience would like to chime in?