Tampopo (1985)
Directed by Jûzô Itami
Tampopo Poster, 1985, courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive.
Classified M
Film duration: 111 minutes
Japanese with English subtitles
Free, bookings essential.
Truck driver Gorō becomes an unlikely mentor to ramen shop owner Tampopo in this acclaimed Japanese comedy from Jûzô Itami. After a chance encounter, Gorō and Tampopo find themselves on a journey of culinary discovery as they attempt to transform a struggling roadside shop into a premier ramen restaurant.
Both a product of and a commentary on globalisation, Tampopo uses food to explore artisanal tradition, social norms and pleasantries, sex, and human curiosity inside a non-linear 1980s bonanza that reflects the context of a rapidly changing Japan.
Tampopo is presented in connection with Masami Teraoka and Japanese Ukiyo-e Prints, a free exhibition on display at the National Gallery of Australia from 21 September 2024 until 2 March 2025.
Exhibition curator Beatrice Thompson, Associate Curator, Asian and Pacific Art, will provide a brief introduction at the start of the film.
From the 1970s, Japanese–American artist Masami Teraoka adopted the graphic language of 17th - 19th century ukiyo-e woodblock prints to explore his personal experiences and contemporary social issues. Teraoka’s migration to the United States in 1961 gave him a compelling perspective on issues of cultural exchange and the dissemination of American culture associated with globalisation, which he explores through humourous tableaux that interrogate social norms and traditional expectations. This exhibition presents key examples of Teraoka’s work from this period alongside master ukiyo-e prints from the genres that inspired him, such as kabuki (theatre), bijin-ga (beautiful women), yūrei-zu (ghosts, demons and supernatural beings) and shunga (erotic prints).
Art Meets Film is a free program of film screenings presented in partnership by the National Gallery of Australia and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
