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(aka "Tampopo" or "Dandelion")

directed by Juzo Itami
Japan 1985

A fun, enjoyable window on another culture... touching, and appetizing film. I defy anyone not to build an appetite watching Juzo Itami's 1985 film 'Tampopo'. The protagonists are on a journey to produce the definable secret to the perfect noodles in soup to help the business of a small diner for its owner, a well meaning gal named Tampopo. Dubbed by some as a western, I can see it as an apt comparison, but it is really about living, fun and eating... helping out your fellow mankind. 'Tampopo' gives a humorous sampling of life in Japan with keen insights into its culture and dining habits. I would give stronger accolades to the film but like a good bowl of soup, it should be enjoyed rather than described. WARNING: Watch it after a meal, or you will be using the pause button to break for a snack!

Gary W. Tooze

Posters etc.

Theatrical Release: November 23rd, 1985

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DVD Comparison:

Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Geneon - Region 2 - NTSC

(Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Geneon - Region 2 - NTSC RIGHT)

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Distribution	Fox Lorber Region 0 - NTSC	Geneon Publishing Region 2 - NTSC
	*There is also a Making of Tampopo* DVD from Geneon (which comes individually and also comes in one of the the Juzo Itami Boxsets below).**
	One half of a beautiful two-part retrospective, this special Tatakau Onna Box (Tough Women Box) contains 5 of Itami's 10 feature films: Marusa no Onna (A Taxing Woman), Marusa no Onna 2 (A Taxing Woman's Return), Minbo no Onna (Minbo), Supa no Onna (Supermarket Woman), and Marutai no Onna (Marutai no Onna).	Second half of a beautiful two-part retrospective, this special Gambaru Box contains 5 of Itami's 10 feature films: Ososhiki (The Funeral), Tampopo (Tampopo), Ageman (Tales of a Golden Geisha), Daibyonin (The Last Dance), and Shizukana Seikatsu (A Quiet Life).
Runtime	1:54:32	1:53:56
Video	1.74:1.00 Letterboxed WideScreen Average Bitrate: 4.9 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.83:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.00 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Fox Lorber
Bitrate: Geneon
Audio	Japanese (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono)	Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English, and none	English, Japanese (small), Japanese (large) and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Fox Lorber Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 1.74:1 Edition Details: • Film Credits • Filmography DVD Release Date: July 5, 2000 Keep Case Chapters: 30	Release Information: Studio: Geneon Publishing Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.83:1 Edition Details: • Trailer (1:50) DVD Release Date: September 22nd, 2005 Transparent Keep Case Chapters: 24

Comments

This is one of those unfortunate circumstances where the screen captures, with one resized and the other native resolution, don't really do justice to the superior release. The Fox Lorber has a lot of deficiencies; non-anamorphic and non-progressive, it has boosted contrast, has frame shifting combing, artifacts, edge enhancements, cropped on the side edges and is completely weak next to the Geneon edition. The Japanese release looks very film-like where the Fox/Lorber... looks like a Fox/Lorber DVD. If you are a fan of this film we suggest buying the Geneon, but if the Fox/Lorber is at a garage sale for $5 - well, that's about what its worth. It does have removable subtitles and is moderately acceptable on a small tube. The Geneon is obviously much closer to Tampopo's theatrical presentation.

- Gary Tooze

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(Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Geneon - Region 2 - NTSC RIGHT)