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from page 73

ground for the individual, not to men-
(Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci) to make
tion how far women have come in
their small mark in 1950s America.
being able to make demands and get
Some food films delve even deeper
them met."
— exploring death and the eternal
The most famous food scene in
question: "Why are we here?"
When Harry Met Sally also attempts to
Weisberg names the 1973 French
explore women's power and just how
film La Grande Bouffe as the most
much society has loosened its reins.
controversial food film of all time.
"Highlight: faked orgasm scene in deli"
Four men go to the country estate
is how Blockbuster Entertainment Guide
of one of them who is a chef, with the
to Movies and Videos refers to Ryan's
precise mission of eating themselves to
lengthy, illustrative example before she
death. It's shown in gory detail, mixed
takes a final, forceful forkful of her meal.
with sex and other elements.
In some films, food becomes an
"People either love or hate this
important and omnipresent character.
film," said Weisberg, who helped
Chinese director Ang Lee, who in
launch television's Food Network. "It's
recent years shot to mainstream fame
very dark and brings to mind Leaving
with films like Sense and Sensibility
Las Vegas, which got so much acclaim
and The Ice Storm, made his mark as a
later, and showed Nicolas Cage
master of such techniques.
Critics remarked as much
about the food as the acting in
Lee's The Wedding Banquet
(1993) and Eat Drink Man
Woman (1994).
The incredibly lavish dishes of the
tradition-laden wedding feast in that
hilarious first film pointed out the
gulf between a groom trying to hide
his homosexuality and his parents,
and his need to stage a fake wedding
illustrates the stranglehold the par-
ents had oVer him.
In Eat Drink Man Woman, food
The most famous food scene in "When Harry
also takes center stage. The dishes
Met Sally" attempts to explore women's power
made by the lead character, a
and just how much society has loosened its reins.
famous Taiwanese chef, are some
of the world's most elaborate and
gourmet fare. More than 100 recipes are
intending to drink himself to death.
shown in depth in the film. But they
This kind of thing isn't pretty, but the
also move the story in ways to demon-
food or drink serves as a portal to
strate the control the father is trying to
explore the deeper issues."
wield over his young adult daughters.
Some food scenes in films, though,
In Donald Petrie's Mystic Pizza
areplayed strictly for laughs. -
(1988), an unknown Julia Roberts in
Pie-throwing, for instance, has
her first major film role is competing
become one of the grandest traditions in
for screen time with a special
film and television. It was the first food -
Portuguese pizza that is as much of a
used in film and it stuck — not just to
character as the three female leads in
the victims' faces but in film after film.
the poignant comedy.
"It started as a device in silent
The young women work in a pizza
films," said Weisberg. "There were the
place in Mystic, Conn., and the owner
hugely successful Mack Sennett films
— although like a second mother to
with Mabel Normand. Fatty Arbuckle
the trio
never divulges the recipe,
continued it. Laurel and Hardy made
but the pizza gets its own story line
it into an art form."
involving a stuffy food critic.
Later directors paid homage to that
The pizza's distinctive flair, which
art form and used it to show off daz-
sets it apart from any pizza anywhere,
zling film techniques.
is reflective of the girls' attempts to
The most spectacular (and longest)
carve out their own niches.
one was Blake Edwards' brilliant 10-
Similarly, the fantastic food
minute turn in The Great Race (1965).
throughout Big Night (1996), the
"Sometimes, food represents turmoil
chef's (Tony Shalhoub) unrelenting
in a film and sometimes it even repre-
concern about its quality and the
sents death. But," chuckled Weisberg,
make-it-or-break-it effect one special
"sometimes, like in The Great Race, it
feast wields highlight the struggle of
just represents your chance for the best
two Italian immigrant brothers
belly laugh ever." ❑