Tampopo
is a 1985 Japanese comedy film written and directed by Juzo Itami, and starring Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kōji Yakusho, and Ken Watanabe. The publicity for the film calls it the first "ramen Western", a play on the term spaghetti Western.
Plot
A pair of truck drivers, the experienced Gorō and a younger colleague named Gun, stop at a decrepit roadside ramen noodle shop. Outside, Gorō rescues a boy who is being beaten by three schoolmates. The boy, Tabo, is the son of Tampopo, the widowed owner of the struggling ramen shop, Lai Lai. A customer called Pisuken harasses Tampopo, demanding that she sell the shop. Gorō suggests Pisuken be quiet so he can enjoy his meal, then provokes a physical confrontation. Gorō puts up a good fight but, outnumbered by Pisuken and his men, he is knocked out and awakens the next morning in Tampopo's home.
More details
author | Jūzō Itami |
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contentLocation | Tokyo |
director | Jūzō Itami |
editor | Akira Suzuki |
genre | comedy western |
keywords | arrest beat choke con man deathbed eat elderly man end french restaurant how to ice cream knock out last meal morning obsess one by one outnumber park bench slurping his noodles struggle teenage girl truck driver widow |
musicBy | Kunihiko Murai |
producer | Juzo Itami Seigo Hosogoe Yasushi Tamaoki |
productionCompany | Itami Productions New Century Producers |
publisher | Toho |
theme | food and drink japanese satirical spaghetti western yakuza |