‘Ignored’ 1985 Comedy Is Now Ranked Among the 'Best Movies of All Time'
‘Ignored’ 1985 Comedy Is Now Ranked Among the 'Best Movies of All Time'
Nicole MooreSun, April 12, 2026 at 12:13 AM UTC
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The 1985 Japanese film, Tampopo, is now considered a comedy masterpiece, with Rotten Tomatoes ranking it as the 66th best film of all time.
However, according to the film's director, the late Juzo Itami, Tampopo didn't make a splash upon its release.
“It only did so-so, and the critics just ignored it,” said Itami during a 1987 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
The screenwriter, who died in 1997 at the age of 64, explained that Tampopo didn't immediately receive acclaim because it was in the shadow of his successful 1984 film, The Funeral.
“When your first film is very successful, I think there’s a tendency for critics to tear down your second one. But the audience is the final judge, and the fact that Tampopo was simply a funny film was not enough to attract present-day Japanese audiences--especially in the winter season. In Japan it was not a must-see film," explained the director during the interview.
He also suggested that the film's premise of perfecting a ramen shop can easily be empathized with, especially for those who lived in Japan during the 1980s.
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“We’re all brought up to believe in the importance of fulfilling our parents’ expectations. You’re constantly trying to live up to them--only a 100% fulfillment will do," said Itami to the Los Angeles Times.
Throughout the film, which stars Nobuko Miyamoto, Tsutomu Yamazaki, and Ken Watanabe, Itami mixed humor and nostalgia. In 2017, Criterion released an interview wherein the film's food stylist, Seiko Ogawa, shared that she purposefully used ramen styles of the 1920s to evoke a sense of yesteryear.
"The ramen in the film was already, 30 years ago, an object of nostalgia. In terms of the period, that style originated in the 1910s and 1920s. It's an old style of ramen before the war. I made it with an older style in mind," said Ogawa.
In addition, Ogawa said she was very purposeful with the color of the ramen's broth and the composition of each bowl.
"As for the shape of the bowl, it shouldn't be too large or too small. The sides should open up gracefully. That's how bowls used to be shaped," said the food stylist.
Tampopo currently has a rating of 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
