FILM, FANTASY AND FOOD
Class 4
Foodie Film Scenes Quiz from
ayyyy.com
Answers:
Food Metaphors in Film and Television
Central to the Plot Development
-Forbidden Fruit: Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Six Feet Under “Eat a Peach Episode” (2005),
Disney’s Mickey and the Beanstalk (1947, although much of the scenes were completed
prior to 1940)
Cling Peaches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVjFs-L_r_Q
Memory and Food (personal anecdote)
Before the Beanstalk…
Into the fantasy world of Willie’s castle
Food as backdrop for witty banter
Golden Girls
Hot in Cleveland
Food as “Plot Lubrication”
-Ethnicity, Italian Heritage, Normalization of Characters:
The Sopranos (1997-2007), Goodfellas (1990), The Godfather (1972)
The Sopranos, Season 1, Episode 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d2RlyAz6VQ
How did the Sopranos series end?
“Midnight Dinner” scene at Mrs. DeVito’s (Tommy’s
mother) house from Goodfellas (1990)
-Suspense, family life, normalcy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eVqdnDk02Y (1:00-2:30)
Luis Buñuel’s The Discreet Charm of the
Bourgeoisie (1972) and food as metaphor
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-discreet-charm-of-the-bourgeoisie-1972
Roger Ebert on two of Buñuel’s films whose plots revolve around dinner parties from
RogerEbert.com’s Great Movies column (June 25, 2000):
(Roger Ebert’s commentary continued
from previous slide)
Bunuel’s The Discreet Charm of the
Bourgeoisie (1972)
Banquet and Dinner Party Scenes
Banquet Scenes:
-Witty banter (speeches)
-Desire and its (in)satiability, conventions of the bourgeoisie
-Pivotal scenes of discovery, unveiling of secrets, turning points
-Metaphor for power
-Conquest, culmination, and celebration: Babette’s Feast (1987)
-As related to fantasy-Pan’s Labyrinth, Beetlejuice, MacBeth,
Mickey and the Beanstalk
Beetlejuice (1988). “Day-O” (The Banana Boat Song) scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3j9jpBez8g
Orson Welles’s MacBeth (1948) Banquet Scene (0:00-3:00)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nre482NEosQ
Activity
How does food serve to delineate gender roles and criticize
these stereotypes in La mitad del cielo (1986)?
How do the various banquet scenes in this film advance the plot,
character development, etc.? 1) Don Pedro’s promotion, 2) La Excelentísima
Señora, 3) Juan’s wedding reception?
Imagining Don Pedro as the incarnation of the Franco regime, what do the
banquet scenes reveal about the regime’s power?
Imagining Rosa as a modern day Cinderella, how does her character evolve
In different banquet scenes?
Banquet Scenes:
-Witty banter (speeches)
-Desire and its (in)satiability, conventions of the bourgeoisie
-Pivotal scenes of discovery, unveiling of secrets, turning points
-Metaphor for power
-Conquest, culmination, and celebration: Babette’s Feast (1987)
-As related to fantasy
Don Pedro’s waning power
Parallels between Olvido and Abuela
Abuela leaves
Rice pudding (Arroz con leche) and Flan (baked Spanish custard
with caramel topping)
ARROZ CON LECHE:
Video (I would add orange zest)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFviAnFsBlo
Recipe:
http://www.goya.com/english/recipes/arroz-con-leche
FLAN:
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLaveM76Sz0
Recipes:
With water bath…
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamy-caramel-flan
Easier version without water bath:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spanish-flan/