Instructional Media Center
• December Feature •
Babette’s Feast - PN1997 .B324 2001 DVD
Two pious sisters don’t know that Babbette, the Parisian refugee they took in as their housekeeper, is a master chef. When she wins the lottery 14 years later, and decides to spend all her winnings on ingredients to create a memorable meal, they’re in for a surprise. Winner of 1987 Academy Awards Best Foreign Film.
Big Night - PN1995.9.C6 B54 2001 DVD
Set in the 1950’s, Big Night is the story of an Italian immigrant family’s last-ditch effort to keep their restaurant afloat. When a competitor promises to bring a celebrity to the restaurant for dinner to draw in new customers, all their passion and money is poured into the creation of a spectacular meal.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s - PN1997 .B74354378 2006 DVD
You’ve got to watch this classic film - or watch it again - even though very little of it aside from the title and opening scene, featuring Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golighty eating a croissant outside the window of Tiffany’s, is about food.
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover - PN1995.9.M9 C665 2003 DVD
When an epicurean gangster learns of his wife’s affair, he forces her lover to eat books. That’s nothing compared to what his wife goes on to make him eat. The controversial content of this film resulted in the American release as unrated. Got a weak stomach or looking for something less graphic? You can see the cleaned up, more boring version that was later released with an R rating, with a full half an hour of the original film cut out - but you’d need to get that version from somewhere other than the IMC.
Delicatessen - PN1995.9.F7 D465 2006 DVD
Dominique Pinon stars as an unemployed clown delighted to find a job offering him room and board in post-apocalyptic France. Too bad he doesn’t know the apartment building he’s doing maintenance on is inhabited by cannibals.
Eat Drink Man Woman - PN1997.85 .E285 2002 DVD
Ang Lee directed this Taiwanese film, featuring a dysfunctional family who replaces deep communication with the preparing and consumption of amazing food. The film went on to inspire a U.S. version, Tortilla Soup, seemingly aimed at an audience who couldn’t handle the subtitles. Do yourself a favor and skip the remake.
Jamon Jamon - PN1995.9.S63 J35 2002 DVD
According to the catalog "The hilarious, sexy, complex story of two young lovers, the pregnant Sylvia and José Luis. When they announce their engagement, his mother hires the town's sexiest man to lure Sylvia and break them up. Chaos and comedy follow." This movie takes the food fight to a whole new level.
Like Water For Chocolate - PN1995.9.S7 L564 2000 DVD
Not only will Tita’s mom not let her marry her boyfriend - she hooks him up with her older sister. All of Tita’s passion is transferred into her cooking, and wild things happen to the people that eat her food. This 1992 adaptation Laura Esquivel’s novel went on to win all eleven of the Mexican Academy of Motion Pictures Ariel Awards.
Mostly Martha - PN1995.9.C55 M683 2003 DVD
Martha may be a rock star chef, but she’s got a lot to learn about love. It’s a good thing her dead sister’s moody daughter is around to open her heart. Director Sandra Nettelbeck’s German sensibility keeps this film from being the usual clichéd romantic comedy.
My Dinner With Andre - PN1997 .M99 1998 video
Take a trip back in time to see what trendy New York food was like in 1981. Louis Malle directs Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory portraying themselves as they discuss art and life over a really long dinner.
Our Daily Bread - SF140.L58 2005 DVD
A 92 minute visual journey through the industrial food complex. Oddly serene at times. Food for thought.
Semiotics of the Kitchen - PN1995.9.E96 S46 2000 DVD
No matter how busy you are, you’ve got 7 minutes to watch Martha Rosler share an alphabet of kitchen gadgets.
Tampopo - PN1995.9.J3 T3 1998 video
Director Juzo Itami called this film “a Japanese noodle western”, mimicking aspects of spaghetti Westerns. A couple of truck drivers make it their personal mission to turn a failing roadside raman noodles stand into a destination stop, taking the art of creating and consuming noodles with a deadpan seriousness.
Tom Jones - PR3454 .T6 1992 video
This 1964 British comedy stars Albert Finney as Tom Jones, a man forbidden to marry his true love. Heading out to make his fortune, bad luck follows Tom through a series of mishaps. Add to that, one memorable food scene. Winner of four Academy Awards.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - PN1995.9.C55 W5669 2005 DVD
There’s no question that original film adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is better than the Johnny Depp one, even if Roald Dahl didn’t care for it.
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