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Tampopo

  • 19851985
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Tampopo (1985)
Trailer for Tampopo
Play trailer1:55
5 Videos
77 Photos
  • Comedy
A truck driver stops at a small family-run noodle shop and decides to help its fledgling business. The story is intertwined with various vignettes about the relationship of love and food.A truck driver stops at a small family-run noodle shop and decides to help its fledgling business. The story is intertwined with various vignettes about the relationship of love and food.A truck driver stops at a small family-run noodle shop and decides to help its fledgling business. The story is intertwined with various vignettes about the relationship of love and food.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
19K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jûzô Itami
  • Writer
    • Jûzô Itami
  • Stars
    • Ken Watanabe
    • Tsutomu Yamazaki
    • Nobuko Miyamoto
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jûzô Itami
  • Writer
    • Jûzô Itami
  • Stars
    • Ken Watanabe
    • Tsutomu Yamazaki
    • Nobuko Miyamoto
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 110User reviews
    • 80Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 4 nominations

    Videos5

    Tampopo
    Trailer 1:55
    Tampopo
    Guillermo del Toro and Neil Gaiman Find Hope in Powerful, Eclectic Films
    Clip 8:43
    Guillermo del Toro and Neil Gaiman Find Hope in Powerful, Eclectic Films
    Tampopo
    Clip 1:26
    Tampopo
    Tampopo
    Clip 1:25
    Tampopo
    Tampopo
    Featurette 2:03
    Tampopo

    Photos77

    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)
    Tampopo (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ken Watanabe
    Ken Watanabe
    • Gunas Gun
    Tsutomu Yamazaki
    Tsutomu Yamazaki
    • Gorôas Gorô
    Nobuko Miyamoto
    Nobuko Miyamoto
    • Tampopoas Tampopo
    Kôji Yakusho
    Kôji Yakusho
    • Gangster in the White Suitas Gangster in the White Suit
    Rikiya Yasuoka
    Rikiya Yasuoka
    • Pisukenas Pisuken
    Kinzô Sakura
    • Shôheias Shôhei
    Yoshi Katô
    Yoshi Katô
    • Master of ramen makingas Master of ramen making
    Hideji Ôtaki
    • Rich Old Manas Rich Old Man
    Fukumi Kuroda
    • Gangster's Mistressas Gangster's Mistress
    Setsuko Shinoi
    • Rich old man's mistressas Rich old man's mistress
    Yoriko Dôguchi
    Yoriko Dôguchi
    • Girl Oyster-fisheras Girl Oyster-fisher
    Masahiko Tsugawa
    Masahiko Tsugawa
    • Supermarket manageras Supermarket manager
    Chôei Takahashi
    • Company executivesas Company executives
    Akio Tanaka
    • Company executivesas Company executives
    Yoshihei Saga
    • Company executivesas Company executives
    Toshimune Kato
    • Office junioras Office junior
    Isao Hashizume
    • Waiteras Waiter
    Mario Abe
    • Ramen stand owneras Ramen stand owner
    • Director
      • Jûzô Itami
    • Writer
      • Jûzô Itami
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The old name of Tampopo's restaurant, when she first meets Gorô and Gan, is Rai Rai Ken. Years later, when the first authentic râmen-ya opened in New York City, it took its name from this scene.
    • Goofs
      When the gangster tickles his mistress by placing the bowl of prawns in cognac on her bare stomach, the sound of her laughter doesn't match up with her mouth movement.
    • Quotes

      Student of ramen eating: [voiceover] One fine day... I went out with an old man. He's studied noodles for 40 years. He was showing me the right way to eat them.

      Student of ramen eating: Master... soup first or noodles first?

      Old gentleman: First, observe the whole bowl.

      Student of ramen eating: Yes, sir.

      Old gentleman: Appreciate its gestalt. Savor the aromas. Jewels of fat glittering on the surface. Shinachiku roots shining. Seaweed slowly sinking. Spring onions floating. Concentrate on the three pork slices. They play the key role, but stay modestly hidden. First caress the surface with the chopstick tips.

      Student of ramen eating: What for?

      Old gentleman: To express affection.

      Student of ramen eating: I see.

      Old gentleman: Then poke the pork.

      Student of ramen eating: Eat the pork first?

      Old gentleman: No. Just touch it. Caress it with the chopstick tips. Gently pick it up and dip it into the soup on the right of the bowl. What's important here is to apologize to the pork by saying "see you soon." Finally, start eating-the noodles first. Oh, at this time, while slurping the noodles, look at the pork.

      Student of ramen eating: Yes.

      Old gentleman: Eye it affectionately.

      Student of ramen eating: [voiceover] The old man bit some shinachiku root and chewed it awhile. Then he took some noodles. Still chewing noodles, he took some more shinachiku. Then he sipped some soup. Three times. He sat up, sighed, picked up one slice of pork-as if making a major decision in life-and lightly tapped it on the side of the bowl.

      Student of ramen eating: What for?

      Old gentleman: To drain it. That's all.

    • Crazy credits
      The entire closing credit sequence is a shot a woman breastfeeding her child; the camera slowly zooms in on the baby's mouth sucking his mother's breast.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Big Easy/The Fourth Protocol/No Way Out/Tampopo (1987)

    User reviews110

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Something for Everyone
    This movie is not, I repeat, is not intended for the typical movie goer. It is not to be forgotten a day after having been seen. It should be watched repeatedly, gone over with a solid spoon for thorough digesting. Not everyone who sees it will love it at first. But anyone who gives it a willing and open mind will find a deep respect within drawing them further into the movie. Should the simple viewer happen upon this movie, it is necessary to understand that it is not an American movie and only slightly emulates one, therefore it must be expected that certain aspects of the film will escape one at first. There will be certain chapters of the film which appeal more than others, but it is crucial to make an effort to be considerate of the fact that Juzo Itami was not necessarily making Tampopo up to be an international success. What is truly mindblowing is that this movie is nearly twenty years old! I am completely in awe each time I see this movie, and it never fails to make me stop and watch as Goro is instructing Tampopo on why the customer must, MUST, be observed upon entering the shop while Gun complains that the pork slices are too thin. Slap, slap, don't you want to see how the customer reacts? Isn't it strange? How do we relate in this tale? Pick it up, become an addict, never see another movie the same way ever again.
    helpful•50
    14
    • niisja
    • Sep 23, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Tampopo: A Ramen Western
    • Production companies
      • Itami Productions
      • New Century Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $224,097
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $16,410
      • Oct 23, 2016
    • Gross worldwide
      • $444,213
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 54 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby

    Related news

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