Director Feature: An Informal introduction to the films of Jûzô Itami #tampopo #juzoitami
TLDRIn this video, the host shares a personal exploration of Juzo Itami's filmography, highlighting the recurring themes and characters, particularly the role of his wife Nobuko. The video offers a subjective ranking of Itami's films, with 'Tampopo' as the flagship, followed by 'Supermarket Woman' and 'A Quiet Life'. The host appreciates the humor, cultural insights, and unique storytelling in Itami's works, while acknowledging varying preferences among viewers. Each film is briefly discussed, emphasizing their distinct qualities and the overall enjoyment of Itami's cinematic experience.
Takeaways
- 🎬 The speaker is a fan of the movie Tampopo and has explored Itami's entire filmography.
- 👩 Nobuko, Itami's wife, often plays the lead role in his films, bringing a unique charm to the characters.
- 🍜 Tampopo is a film that combines humor with the central theme of food and its cultural significance in personal and business life.
- 🥇 The speaker highly recommends Tampopo and believes it to be Itami's flagship film, appreciated for its heart and humor.
- 🛒 Supermarket Woman is recommended for those who enjoy Tampopo, featuring a similar underdog story with Nobuko as the lead.
- 🎥 A Quiet Life has the speaker's favorite cinematography among Itami's films, with a focus on family and the relationship between siblings.
- 💃 The Last Dance explores cultural aspects of Japan, such as the way medical diagnoses are handled, and has memorable visual sequences.
- 🎉 The Funeral is Itami's first hit, offering cultural insights into Japanese funeral customs and a blend of humor and tradition.
- 😎 The speaker finds the male protagonists in Itami's films often have womanizing qualities, which can be off-putting.
- 🎭 The speaker appreciates the lighthearted humor and creativity in Itami's films, despite some tonal inconsistencies.
- 🎥 Itami's films are appreciated for their cultural insights, humor, and unique characters, though personal preferences may vary.
Q & A
What is the speaker's favorite movie of all time?
-The speaker's favorite movie of all time is Tampopo.
Who is the director of Tampopo?
-The director of Tampopo is Juzo Itami.
What is a common characteristic of the female protagonists in Itami's films?
-A common characteristic of the female protagonists in Itami's films is that they are spunky and usually played by his wife, Nobuko Miyamoto.
How many films did Juzo Itami's wife, Nobuko, appear in from his entire filmography?
-Nobuko Miyamoto appeared in 10 out of the 11 films in Itami's filmography.
What is the central theme of Tampopo?
-The central theme of Tampopo is the interplay between food, culture, personal life, and business life, showing how food can affect people and bring families together.
Which Itami film is recommended for those who enjoyed Tampopo?
-Supermarket Woman is recommended for those who enjoyed Tampopo, as it shares similar humor and themes.
What is unique about the cinematography in A Quiet Life compared to other Itami films?
-A Quiet Life has surprisingly beautiful cinematography with pastel-like colors throughout the film and lovely framing, making it the speaker's favorite from a cinematography standpoint.
What cultural aspect does The Last Dance explore?
-The Last Dance explores the cultural aspect of how medical diagnoses are handled in Japan, where they might be withheld from the person, raising questions about whether it's better to know or not know the last days of life.
Which film does the speaker prefer between The Last Dance and The Funeral?
-The speaker prefers The Funeral over The Last Dance, despite the latter having a standout sequence at the end.
What is the main complaint the speaker has about the film Attacking Woman's Return?
-The main complaint the speaker has about Attacking Woman's Return is the music, which they found irritating upon repeated listening.
Why is the speaker not a fan of the character played by Nobuko Miyamoto in the film The Geisha?
-The speaker is not a fan of the character played by Nobuko Miyamoto in The Geisha because she portrays a vain middle-aged actress with major flaws that the speaker finds irritating.
What makes Rubber Band Pistol different from other films in the list?
-Rubber Band Pistol is different from other films in the list because it is a black and white short film with a more art house feel, and it does not feature Nobuko Miyamoto.
Which film does the speaker consider their least favorite from Juzo Itami's filmography?
-The speaker considers The Geisha their least favorite film from Juzo Itami's filmography.
Outlines
🎬 Introduction to Itami's Filmography
The speaker begins by expressing their admiration for the movie Tampopo and their desire to explore Juzo Itami's work further. They mention that Itami's films often feature a strong, usually female, protagonist, with his wife Nobuko playing a leading role in most of them. The speaker aims to introduce other films by Itami and provide a subjective ranking, starting with their favorite, Tampopo. They highlight the film's humor, central theme of food, and its cultural significance. The speaker also notes the film's popularity in the West and its heartwarming, underdog story.
🥳 Supermarket Woman and A Quiet Life
The speaker discusses two more of Itami's films, Supermarket Woman and A Quiet Life. In Supermarket Woman, Nobuko plays a supermarket owner facing competition from a larger store, with a lighter-hearted approach and similar humor to Tampopo. A Quiet Life, on the other hand, features beautiful cinematography and tells the story of a sister caring for her mentally challenged older brother, exploring family dynamics and love. The speaker critiques a particular scene in A Quiet Life for its tonal shift but overall appreciates the film's warmth and visual appeal.
🏥 The Last Dance and Early Works
The speaker talks about The Last Dance, a film with a cultural exploration of medical disclosure in Japan and a protagonist with womanizing tendencies. They appreciate the film's visual creativity and recommend it for its unique sequences. The speaker also mentions an early work of Itami's from 1984, which was his first hit, focusing on a funeral and the cultural aspects of Japanese rituals. They find the film interesting and amusing, especially a scene where characters learn about funeral etiquette from a video.
🎩 Itami's Unique Style and Personal Preferences
The speaker discusses several films, including one with a master-apprentice dynamic involving the Yakuza, a film with a wacky ending, and another with a middle-aged actress as the main character. They note the recurring themes of Itami's work, such as humor and quirky characters, but express personal reservations about certain characters and plot elements. The speaker also talks about a film with a rubber band pistol and a group of friends, highlighting its fun and unique premise. They conclude with their least favorite Itami film, citing issues with the characters and plot but acknowledging the film's cultural significance and interesting scenes.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Tampopo
💡Juzo Itami
💡Cinematography
💡Protagonist
💡Cultural Aspects
💡Humor
💡Underdog Story
💡Subjective Ranking
💡Antagonist
💡Tonal Shift
💡Yakuza
Highlights
The speaker's favorite movie is Tampopo and they have explored Itami's entire filmography.
Itami often cast his wife, Nobuko, in lead roles, who is not a typical lead actress but brings unique characteristics to the films.
The video aims to introduce and subjectively rank Itami's other works for those who have seen Tampopo.
Tampopo is highly recommended for its humor, central theme of food, and cultural impact on personal and business life.
Supermarket Woman is recommended for those who like Tampopo, featuring a failing supermarket and a strong female lead.
A Quiet Life has the speaker's favorite cinematography and tells a story of sibling relationships and family life.
The Last Dance is a cultural film set in a hospital with interesting visual and artistic sequences.
The funeral scenes in A Simple Life provide cultural insights into Japanese funeral customs.
The film features a mix of humor and questionable character actions, but is overall enjoyable.
The Yakuza's Wife has a similar master-apprentice dynamic with a Yakuza theme and humorous moments.
Attacking a Woman's Return is more enjoyable than the first film, with improved plot and cinematography.
The speaker found the music in The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums irritating and the plot convoluted.
The speaker appreciates the humor and wackiness in Attacking a Woman but found some aspects aged poorly.
The speaker did not enjoy the character portrayals in A Vain Middle-Aged Actress, finding them irritating.
Rubber Band Pistol is a unique, art-house short film different from Itami's other works.
The speaker's least favorite film was The Geisha Who Brought Luck, due to unlikable characters and a premise that did not resonate.
The list is subjective, and different viewers may have varying preferences based on personal experiences and viewpoints.