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/