21: Encanto, Macbeth, Tampopo and more
Kathleen Norris invites us to SUSPEND OUR DISBELIEF
One of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever witnessed on television was the Dr Who Christmas special when Peter Capaldi was ending his term as the Doctor, and Santa Claus asked him to take the reins and steer his sleigh for a ride over London. I said to myself: “Of course he did; of course this is happening.” As we were treated to spectacular views of famous sites along the Thames it was fun to be able to take it all in with no “irritable reaching after fact and reason.”
I like to think that John Keats, once he got over the shock of fast-moving images on a screen, would view some of my favorite comedies in that glad spirit. The directors of the four films I’m discussing —Tampopo (Japan, above); The Visitors (France); Bubba Ho-Tep (United States) and Gettin’ Square (Australia) — are all exceptionally gifted at leading us astray, down unexpected paths where suspending our disbelief is a good part of the fun.
Tampopo (1985, Juzo Itami director) has been described as a Comedy/Western/Ramen Movie, and that pretty well sums it up. It’s a treat for film buffs, evoking Shane, The Wild Bunch, Pygmalion, Rocky, The Grapes of Wrath, any number of gangster flicks, and the deft slapstick of Charlie Chaplin, with music to match. The plot - about a pair of truck drivers (Ken Watanabe and Tsutomu Yamazaki) helping a widow (Nobuko Miyamoto) turn her failing ramen restaurant into the best noodle shop in town - seems secondary to the enjoyment of watching the film unfold.
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