All language subtitles for The making of Tampopo (1986)

JUZO ITAMI'S SHOOTING DIARY
MAKING OF TAMPOPO

This is Juzo Itami.

I'd like to show you around
as we shoot my film Tampopo.

For people outside the industry

a film set might seem
like a frivolous place.

The cast and crew

sometimes seem
very serious about their work,

but other times
they seem to be goofing around.

But please spend
some time with us.

They might seem
laughable or pitiful,

but before long you'll notice

they share one thing in common:

a burning love for filmmaking.

So let's venture on set

where we make
the manmade dreams known as movies.

I wrote the script in June.

I'd been thinking for years

about making a film
about food and eating.

I wrote the script,
found a distributor,

set up the production company,
put together the crew

and started scouting
locations and cast.

I began laying
the foundation for the dream.

I found time to draw posters.
DIRECTOR'S POSTER SKETCHES

Perhaps it was a way
of taking my mind

off my impatient desire
to start filming.

I worked like a man possessed.

I asked Shintaro Ajioka,

a typographic designer
I'd long respected, to design the title.

When the poster was done

the production was already in full swing.

In brief,
the film is about a truck driver

who appears out of nowhere,

falls for a widow who runs

a deserted ramen shop,

helps turns it into the best shop
in town, then drives off.

You might say
it's Shane with ramen.

It's a combination
of disparate genres

It combines ramen and the Western.

I guess
that's my approach to creation.

More than anything,
a film is made of images,

from locations to sets to actors' faces,

to costumes to props -
everything is important.

Here we're fitting costumes.

As an integral part of the image,

costumes are very important.

Yeah, getting warmer.
GORO - TSUTOMU YAMAZAKI

- The bosom needs to be bigger.
- Bigger?

There's already padding in there.
TAMPOPO - NOBUKO MIYAMOTO

At first she should have
a buttoned-up collar.

Like this?
The collar conveys her primness.

Button it up a bit more.

Now it's a bit too unsexy.

It should be prim yet sexy.

Like the grammar school teachers
in Westerns.

Tampopo, the lead character,
appears in many scenes.

She's resolute and sincere,

determined, cheerful, energetic.

She's modest,
yet goofy and funny.

But she's also shrewd and realistic.

It's difficult choosing costumes
for such a multifaceted character.

No.

That's not her general style.

She needs to be
a bit self protective.

Make her seem
a bit more guarded.

Thai might work.
Something laced up like that.

This was the first day of fitting.

Film is a concrete art
so she had to try everything on,

as we groped our way
to discovering her character.

You have to see things
before you decide.

There's no other way.

The costumes were assembled
by the stylist, Ms. Koai.

With over a hundred characters
in the film,

she had to prepare
several hundred costumes.

Yes, something like that.

Try to stop right on the line.

Yamazaki was at driving school.
TOKYU DRIVING SCHOOL

Since he plays a truck driver,

he needed a special license.

Actors have to study for their roles,

singing, dancing, martial arts.
And many types of jobs.

This is one such example.

He received no special treatment,

yet he passed the test
with 17 hours of training.

Turn your head more fully.

Sorry.

Yamazaki likes being
high up in a truck.

It's calming being able
so far ahead, he says.

He has already started thinking
like a truck driver.

He's using this time
to nurture in his heart

the affection a truck driver feels
for his work.

Go left.
Now turn the wheel back.

You hit the brakes too hard

Yes, just like that.
Don't turn the wheel.

Actresses' makeup.
NIKKATSU MAKEUP ROOM

Here's actress Fukumi Kuroda.

She's a classic Japanese beauty

with long hair all the same length.

But her face is so perfect that,
paradoxically, it makes no impression.

Can we give it a slightly
off kilter sense of individuality?

That's what Kenji Saiga,
who worked in London

and I are trying to do.

This lipstick isn't too flashy.

Let's emphasize the red more.

I think it should be
a bit darker here.

A bit less here.

A bit more pointed.
And less here.

The upper lip will go
beyond the natural line.

Faces can be made
to look so different!

It's really amazing!

It's really quite amazing.

The most conspicuous thing on-screen.
SETSUKO SHINOI

I go for faces that express everything.
In a single glance, without words.

Jazz dancer Setsuko Shinoi's face
does just that.

She plays Mr. Otaki's mistress,
CASTING

and I wanted their relationship
to be clear without explanation.

An actor who needs no introduction.
HIDEJI OTAKI

Head of the beggars, and broth master.
YOSHI KATO

Tampopo's childhood friend, Pis-Ken.
RIKIYA YASUOKA

Played an Incan in the play Pizarro.
KEN WATANABE

Noodle fanatic and versatile entertainer.
KINZO SAKURA

Taken as a group,

they make an impact
unusual for a Japanese film.

The boss of Big Three Dragons,
who could deliver long lines

in one breath.
AKIRA KUBO

There were many ramen cooks in the film.

Two true masters.
UTAROKU MIYAKOYA
AND SABURO SATOKI

Chef in the shady shop in Chinatown.

Chef in the shady shop in Chinatown.

The Chinese noodle master.
KIO YOKOYAMA

In his film debut, the gangster in white.
KOJI YAKUSHO

My costar in Bumpkin Soup.
YORIKO DOGUCHI

I'd hoped to play the guy
with the toothache myself.
TOSHIYA FUJITA

Izumi Hara's face is a film in itself.

The inveterate cinephile
who played the supermarket manager.
MASAHIKO TSUGAWA

The aging conman.
NOBUO NAKAMURA

And the conman

who ended up conned.
NARITOSHI HAYASHI

Kenzo Tabu, the perennial detective.
They don't make 'em like him anymore.

The running man.
HISASHI IGAWA

For this role he won the Mainichi
Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Costuming the bit parts
was also hard.

The man in White's henchmen,
nattily dressed.

Pis-Ken's henchmen
in black and leather.

The gourmet beggars
are a masterpiece of costuming.

The executives and employee
dining at the hotel.

The young women
in the etiquette class

came from the famous acting troupes
Haiyu-za and Yume no Yumin-sha.

The dentist and his sexy assistants.

Tampopo's son
was played by my son.

The Big Three Dragons boss
and his three sons

reflect the influence of John Ford's.
Grapes of Wrath

The running man's family.

It was hard to find actors
who looked like a family.

This doctor and nurse
really looked the part.

No one has her piercing gaze.
MARIKO OKADA

The ramen master, now deceased.
RYUTARO OTOMO

The day after the shoot ended,

Otomo commited suicide
by jumping off a' building.

This was his final film.

It was impossible
to tell during filming

that he carried
such a heavy weight in his heart.

I truly regret
not being able to help somehow.

Let out a big sigh.

You've talked about the pork.

How great ramen is, and so on.

You sigh longingly.

Once again after the clapper.

Otomo was very anxious

about forgetting
or fumbling his lines.

He'd always mouth them
while waiting for a take,

as if there were
a voice in his head

incessantly scolding
and terrorizing him.

Now then, with the tips
of your chopsticks..

Now then, with the tips
of your chopsticks..

He has nightmares about fumbling
his lines, but he never does.
CONTINUITY - SHOKO HORIKITA

Three slices of roast pork..

Now then, with the tips
of your chopsticks,

smooth out the surface,

and caress the ramen.

And cut!

And nestle it.

And nestle it.

This next part is very important.

I want you quietly
to apologize to the pork.

"Until we meet again."

How was it?
A bit too much.

Tone it down a bit.

"Until we meet again.“
Like that?

From "Until we meet again..."

Ready for another take.
A bit more quietly.

A day like this is called
a "ramen day."

Look up and then down like this.

Ready!

A day like this is called
a "ramen day."

Thanks everyone!

This take
in front of the ramen shop

was the last performance
Mr. Otomo ever gave.

He seemed to really enjoy it

and chatted happily
in the car on the way home.

That's our only consolation.

May he rest in peace.

The story begins on a rainy night,

with Goro and Gun stopping
at a ramen shop on the road.

They enter to find a group
of shady guys lounging around

and they suddenly find themselves
in a volatile situation.

Packed with stinky naruto.
NIKKATSU SOUNDSTAGE 11

You're behind the times.
That's why business is bad.

Call it quits or I'll force you out!

Just shut up!

I'll use naruto if I want.

This is Tampopo's first appearance

and also our first time
on the main set.

Because this scene
is the keynote of the film,

cast and crew practiced
anxiously and carefully.

I'm offering to help
by buying you out of this flop.

Would you keep it down?
We're trying to eat.

Shut your trap!

I'll use naruto if I want.

What's it to you
if business is bad?

Say it with a sort of angry smile.

Like Angie Dickinson does.

Just shut up!
I'll use naruto if I want.

What's it to you if business is bad?
Dumb broad!

Say "Ken!" as if scolding a child.

Ken!
That's right.

Ken!

Be lighter, more comical

Ken! I'm sorry.

This bothers me a bit.

What's it to you
if business is bad?

Try putting
your hands on your hips.

Like a mother in a Western.

- Call it quits or I'll force you out!
- Just shut up!

I'll use naruto if I want.

What's it to you
if business is bad?

As I collaborated
with the actors like this,

Tampopo, who had
only existed in the script,

gradually took on
a more concrete form.

To elicit performances
from actors

directors use different language
with each actor.

Here the actress is my wife
and we've made many films together.

A few simple, specific words
do the trick.

I'll use naruto if I want.

What's it to you
if business is bad?

Dumb broad!
I'm offering to help,

by buying you out of this flop.

Would you keep it down?
We're trying to eat.

Shut your trap!
Ken!

Pis-Ken, enough!

Don't offend my customers.

You itching for a fight, pal?
Just ask.

That's a bit much

Try it again.
A bit more hammy.

You itching for a fight, pal?
Just ask.

Yamazaki's hand was up

because he flicked
some naruto at Pis-Ken.

Let's read the script.

Shut your trap!
Pis-Ken slams his cup and stands up.

Gofo flicks some naruto,
which sticks to PIS-Ken's face.

Where?
Right at the lens.

Bull's eye!
Did it work?

I practiced at home.

Here?
That's good.

A bit higher, right there.

It's time to flick the naruto.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
NOBUHIIRO KUBOTA

Pis-Ken's face is on-screen.
The naruto flies in from offscreen.

Assistant Director Kubota
will do the honors.

This kind of thing
is often the AD's job.

This is hopeless.

In comes the relief pitcher.

He'll practice on Kubota's face first.

Clapper.

You're good. Nice and calm.

Clapper again.

This has possibilities.

Clapper.

A bit closer to the nose.

Clapper.

Perfection followed
by spontaneous applause.

When the whole crew
is happy like this,

the fatigue of shooting
is banished.

Pis-Ken, enough!

I'm not bowing down
to a couple of sweaty truckers.

You itching for a fight, pal?
Just ask.

No need to bust up the shop.
Let's take it outside.

Pis-Ken picks a fight with Goro
and they take it outside.

A brawl breaks out.

But the brawl isn't shown on-screen.

The fighting is only
reflected in the faces

of Tampopo and Tabo.

The actors make commotion
and shout offscreen,

but the camera looks the other way

and draws closer
to the observing mother and son.

By the way I wasn't watching
through the camera,

but on this monitor,
as you can see.

It's easier to communicate
with the cameraman

and it makes
the process more efficient.

But you can't see
subtle expressions on the monitor.

Here I observe the child's expression
directly with my own eyes.

After being beaten up by Pis-Ken

Goro spends the night in the shop.

The breakfast discussion turns to ramen.

Struck by the depth
of Gore's feelings for ramen.

Tampopo resolves to turn
her ramen shop into the real thing.

Please make me your disciple.

I'll be waiting,
pickles always at the ready.

Tampopo becomes Goro's pupil.
NIKKATSU SOUNDSTAGE 11

If you greet him, look at him.
Otherwise just keep working.

Now's the time to look at him!

If you care about your ramen,

you want to see how he reacts!

What's he doing?
Sipping the broth.

It's very odd!

It should be too hot to sup,

yet he's slurping it down!

That's a fatal flaw!
Lukewarm ramen isn't ramen!

When the Customer starts eating,
you start doing something else.

Shall we do it that way?
Like cleaning up.

Then you say:
"Now's the time to look at him!"

Now start doing something else.

Now's the time to look at him!

If you care about your ramen,
you want to, see how he reacts!

That's better.
The meaning's clear.

Now's the time to look at him!

If you care about your ramen,
you want to see how he reacts!

What's this? Put it back.

We'll do this
till you get it right!

Get set..

Get set... go!

Since the film is about ramen

you may wonder how much we prepare.

Here's Seiko Ogawa
in a corner kitchen of the studio

making ramen
from morning to night.

The crew loves this "Seiko Ramen."

The lighting and sound guys

would flock
to her ramen at mealtime.

The broth today is seven parts pork
and three parts chicken?

No it's equal parts both

Where are the pork bones?
Here.

If you stir it, it'll cloud up.

That's even in the script.

Unfortunately you can't taste it.
NIKKATSU SCREENING ROOM

So before filming,
we did a lot of camera tests

for things like broth color
and thickness of the noodles.

We discovered lots of things.
Less broth looks less tasty,

and if you get too close up,
it looks like udon.

These noodles are thick.
They look tasty.

We fussed
about the table ware as well.

We assembled every kind
of ramen bowl.

Ms. Ishimori did a great job.

All her tableware was great.

She was excited to even find
some excavated pieces

for the beggars' bowl fragments.

There are lots
of different foods in the film.

Chinese dim sum,

summer oysters, Peking duck,.

egg and fried rice
with Szechuan pickles,

Korean barbeque ribs.

But the cast and crew's favorite
was the rice omelet

that a beggar sneaks
into a restaurant to prepare.

This was the kitchen
of Taimeiken in Nihonbashi.

The cooking was done
by Chef Kikuchi.

To commemorate the film

the restaurant added
this omelet to its menu

as the "Tampopo Rice Omelet."

Take a look at the script.
TAMPOPO JOGGING, GORO ON BIKE

As Goro puts Tampopo
through her paces,

the film goes off on a tangent

You'll be no match for male cooks.
Fight!

SIX SALARYMEN PASS BY

For some reason,
the camera follows them.

I wrote that.

But it was fiendishly difficult
for me as a director.

I had to shoot
this scene five times.

For some reason,
the camera follows them.

Thus the film goes off
on a tangent,

leading to a series of vignettes,

about different kinds of food.

After these vignettes

we return to the story
of Tampopo and Goro.

After more of the main story
comes another tangent.

This is the syntax of the film.

Since this is the first vignette

the success of the film
hinges on this scene.

On the left,
the managers and the employee.

On the right, the executives
they've invited to the meal.

It's a bit long,
but let's watch the entire scene.

Since this scene is so important.
I took great pains with casting.

There aren't many lines
or much acting,

but I didn't stint on the casting.

Mr. Senior Director?
Well, let me see.

Mr. Executive Director?

Waiter..

I'll have the sole meuniére.
AKIO TANAKA

Soup or salad, sir?

Consommé. No salad.

To drink, sir?
Beer, Heineken.

I'll have the sole too.
MOTOO NOGUCHI

Soup or salad, sir?

Consommé. No salad.

To drink, sir?
Beer for me too.

For you, sir?

Maybe I'll try the sole as well.
ZENPEI SAGA

Soup or salad, sir?

Maybe I'll try the consomme.

To drink, sir?
Maybe I'll have a beer.

Same for me.
TSUGIHO NARITA

For you, sir?

And you, sir?
Just a moment.

Should I have the quenelles?

The boudin style quenelles,

are they in a sausage shape?

As I recall, Taillevent in Paris
serves them that way.

You’re well-informed, sir.

Our chef trained at Taillevent.

So it's a caviar sauce?
That's correct, sir.

I'll start with that.

For the main course, escargot pastry.

That's in fond de veau sauce?

Yes, it's escargots
and shimeji mushrooms,

simmered in Madeira
and stewed in fond de veau, sir.
CHOEI TAKAHASHI

I'll have that..

And your apple-and-walnut salad.

Excellent choice, sir.

What about to drink, sir?

You know, I've been craving

Corton Charlemane all day.

Do you have a 1981?

I'll call the sommelier.

Yes, do that.

The employee's ill timed ostentation

leaves the others
flush with embarrassment,

an effect we achieved with makeup.

But since the lighting
had a big effect too

we had to prepare meticulously.
IIDABASHI, HOTEL EDMONT

Before shooting the scene

we tested many tints and lighting setups.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR KENJI SUZUKI

I went to such lengths
because I'd had

many failed experiments as an actor,
NIKKATSU STUDIOS, TEST SHOOT

trying to get the color right,
whether for blushing,

drunken flush, or sunburn.

When I was in the film
Family Game

I was playing drunk,
and my makeup was that red.

It was so red
that everyone was laughing.

But when we watched the rushes,
it was barely visible.

MAKEUP — MIDORI ONUMA

ls he supposed to be that red?

Is it that red?

I wonder how much
will come through on-screen.

I don't think it's enough.
Choei's is too light.

Can we touch it up a bit?

Everyone's telling me what to do
and making me nervous.

Even this much won't get picked up.

I think it'll come through.

Sure, if you look real close

then it will read clearly.

So when you're feeling mortified,

what do you do?

You make eye contact with Tanaka,
then look down.

Mr. Tanaka, you do the same

and make a come hither gesture.

Then you come in.

Now we're in a hotel room
shooting a love scene

between White Suit and his lover.

I've always thought that a love scene

performed before a large crew

must be the oddest
most unnatural thing to do.

Be like Marilyn Monroe.

Gently, like this.

It's too much of an angle.

Get as close
to the camera as possible.

This will work.

She beckons him, he approaches,

and they embrace and start kissing.

They attempt all this
in a very tight frame,

with no wasted movement.

Since she can't roll over

AD Kubota helps her out.

Watch his right arm.

It was a bit off
when she rolled back,

but that went pretty well.

This is the end result.

I'm watching on the monitor.

An aging man in a hotel room
looking at such images

probably seems
like some obscene pastime,

but I'm as serious as can be,

stone-faced, totally absorbed
in what I'm observing.

Let's take a look at the script.

The man and woman embrace.
The man treats the woman

like food he's hungry to devour.

For human beings, the appetites

for food and sex
are fundamentally alike.

The archetype is a baby
suckling at the mother's breast.

When we become adults,
eating and sex become separated,

but in this film
I portray human beings

for whom they remain joined.

Cut! Thank you very much.

Let's return to the main story.

Tampopo goes from shop to shop
in search of the taste of real ramen.

She tries to steal secrets
from the best shops.

Excuse me!

Please tell me
the recipe for this broth.

The recipe for my broth?
Never!

You're a pro.

Where are we going?
This way.

Where are you taking me?
Keep going.

What are you doing?

Look through there.

She rushes back to her shop
to recreate the stolen recipe

but she can't resist
the pull of sleep.

We're here for your
normal ramen made the normal way!

In her dream,
her shop is attacked by rivals.

It won't be long.

This was meant to be like
action scenes from old silent movies.

Too late for excuses!

Goro, help!

I'd always wanted to have a scene

where a dreamer wakes up
to reality with a start

As the director,
this is one of my favorite parts.

Still can't get
the broth right, huh?

The broth has Tampopo stumped.
Goro takes her to Shiba Park.

Yoshi Kate's character,
the broth pro, appears in this scene.

CHAMBER CHOIR NISSHO

Here, in the shadow of Tokyo Tower

the performers are rehearsing

for the scene well shoot that night.

We just saw Yoshi Kato and his wife.

Here we see the lighting crew
erecting scaffolding.

The actors arrive one by one.

Why don't you read some lines?
What?

Nonsense doing it by myself.

You guys are so picky!

What was the story
with that wine we had last time?

Nighttime at last.

With heat packs in their clothes,

everyone gets down to work.

The beggars are having
a banquet in the park,

a gourmet meal of leftovers
scavenged from the best restaurants.

They're rather finicky gourmands.

Their leader is the broth master,
played by Yoshi Kato,

implored by Goro and Tampopo.

He sets out
to become her broth coach.

Let's sing a song to see him off!

The beggars see him off
with a choral rendition

of "Ode to an Old Teacher".

I stole the idea from my father.
Mansaku Itami, who used the song

in one of his films.
Forgive me, Dad.

The singers are members
of the Chamber Choir Nissho.

The main idea was
to record the song as as

right on location.

We could have lip-synced
to a studio recording,

but I didn't want it
to sound that clean.

NORIO MATSUI

The long-faced beggar is famous
street performer Gilyak Amagasaki.

Noburo Sara is a shingeki theater actor.

Ei Takami has done pantomime
on TV for years.

Mahito Tsujimura, short in stature

and Norio Matsui, tall and round,

they all acted their hearts out.

I'd like to digress to introduce
my producer, Yasushi Tamaoki.

The swirl cake
you see everyone eating

is a specialty of Matsuyama
in Ehime Prefecture called "taruto"

Mr. Tamaoki runs a company
that makes these cakes.

I met Mr. Itami when he was
in a commercial for my taruto,

but it was quite a hit.

He made four more commercials
for me after that.

Soon after that, he told me
he wanted to make a feature.

Since the commercials had been hits.

I figured the film would be too,
and I got lured in

was a nationwide hit.

That success has now allowed us

to make Tampopo.

Let's take a look at that commercial

in Matsuyama dialect,
which was such a huge hit.

The dialect may be a challenge.

Back home in Matsuyama?

You should have some
Ichiroku taruto.

How were your grades at school?

Bottom of your class?
Because you're lazy.

You goofed off, right?

It's really too bad.

Not much
you can do about it now.

Well, just work hard
and have some taruto.

Our Matsuyama. Our Ichiroku taruto.

You have to make it work.

"The goal is not to break the yolk."

This was a tough scene,

passing the egg yolk
back and forth.

It's exchanged several times.

Then she gets excited,
bites into it, and faints.

The dripping egg yolk

becomes a kind
of pornography of the edible.

Let it go more forcefully.

She's wearing a raincoat,

in case the yolk breaks
and gets on her clothes.

Seiko provided
the first-class Yodoran-brand eggs

Their yolk is firm, making them
easy to pass back and forth.

That's a tough yolk!

That's quite an egg.

That's when you break the yolk.

On the seventh pass.

And when it dribbles
from your mouth,

you lean back and... faint.

Now start trembling.

That's good.

That's wonderful.

Okay, that was really great.

It's all coming together.

If the sixth pass
is clearly visible perfect.

Fantastic from start to finish!

It was perfect.

This'll be famous
in the history of cinema.

That's right.

The Sunaba Soba Restaurant in Akasaka

The character played by Hideji Otaki
has gout or diabetes

and is strictly forbidden

from eating sweet or fatty foods

Here he yields
to temptation and gorges.

Sensei, no adzuki bean soup,
SETSUKO SHINOI

no duck meat soba, and no tempura soba.

They nearly did you in before.
Be a good boy.

I'm off to the bank.
Shohei, let's go.

Duck-meat soba,

tempura soba,
and adzuki bean soup.

Enjoy!

HIDEJI OTAKI

There are various prohibitions
related to eating,

and those very prohibitions
provoke people to break them.

This allows us to create
various kinds of suspense.

We did two takes,
so Mr. Otaki had to eat

two bowls of duck-meat soba
and tempura soba

and two bowls of adzuki bean soup,

all of which
he devoured with gusto.

Well done, Mr. Otaki.

Gun, flip him upside down!

Excuse me! Make way!

We did it!

In this scene, some mochi
stuck in his throat is vacuumed out.

While shooting, we didn't actually
turn the vacuum cleaner on,

so the sound of the vacuum

and of the mochi popping out
were added in post

by the sound effects
and recording teams.

NIKKATSU DUBBING STUDIO

Excuse me! Make way!

The sound of the mochi...
Doesn't come through

Just a little pop..

How to describe it?

A sucking sound
followed by a popping sound.

It's stuck in his throat

and gets dislodged
with a popping sound.

It doesn't have to be that sound
but that feeling.

That choking sound,

and then it comes loose.

What if we stir these udon noodles?
SOUND FX - MASATOSHI SAITO

This is like mochi.

Earlier you got it
to make that long pop.

You moved the plunger
up and down

and pulled it up, right?

Let's add another sound
right before that.

What you did with your hands.

How about combining those two?
Suck on the straw.

We can use that.
Just needs to be higher.

We can use that.

Here's the finished sound

We did it!

The scene of the men fighting was shot
under a multi-level crossing in Oi.
OI WHARF, PORT OF TOKYO

We used a road
no longer in service.

The setup is that
Goro is a skilled boxer,

while Pis-Ken relies
on his superior size and strength.

Of course, they don't really fight.

They just pretend for the camera.
RIKIYA YASUOKA (38)
TSUTOMU YAMAZAKI (49)

Masatsugu Takase choreographed
the fight and trained the actors

and adapts all the martial arts for film.

Our cinematographer.
MASAKI TAMURA

In fight scenes, teamwork
among the camera crew is essential

Shift to the right.

Then step forward.

Yasuo Ochiai is in charge
of camera movement.

He's setting up the dolly tracks
that the camera will glide on.

We've started shooting.

Mr. Takase decides when to cut
and which takes are usable,

so he's next to the camera,

watching closely and making sure
that the fakery can't be seen.

Seen from this angle,
it's pretty intense.

Yasuoka is an expert
in fight scenes,

but Yamazaki is good too.

I thought he would be,
but he exceeded my expectations.

Fight scenes are tiring,

so we hope to do just one take,

but the camera struggles to keep up,

and many takes are unusable.

After countless tests and takes,

Yamazaki is out of breath.

I dread asking them to do another take.

After five unusable takes,
they're both pretty fed up.

Kubota, was it okay?

This is the scene where

after they fight,
a friendship begins to bud.

You did some fighting before, huh?

Sasazaki Gym, welterweight.

Dirty bastard!

No wonder your hook is so good.

As you see,
a shoot involves lots of people.

Notice the focus puller
next to the camera,

a still photographer
with camera in hand,

and the recordist with the boom mic.

Next it's the lighting crew
for this night location shoot.

A shot of a city at night
without extra lighting

simply won't show up on film.

Here we're lighting up the backdrop
to Tampopo and Gore's date.

It's hard to light up
a background this vast.

On the roof they've placed

a new type of high powered
metal-halide lamp called HMI,

that gives the nightscape
a gentle glow on film.

Tell me.

Why are you doing
all this for me?

Why are you working so hard?

How can I explain?

Everyone has their own ladder.

Some do their best
to climb to the top,

while others don't even realize
they have a ladder.

You helped me find my ladder.

They leave the restaurant
and get caught in a squall.

Goro tries unsuccessfully
to hail a taxi.

Drenched, they go back
to Tampopo's shop

and spend the night together.

This is another important scene.

We're shooting
just as the sun's about to set.

Of course we hope
to get it in one take.

We're on the busy Hamasaki Bridge,

crisscrossed by highways
and a monorail.

The rain and lights are ready to go.

We're just waiting
for the right degree of darkness.

The color of the sky gradually changes.
ASSISTANT CAMERAMAN
NORIMICHI KASAMATSU

The cameraman stares anxiously
at his light meter.

Let's do two takes with Yamazaki.

It's best if the taxi goes by quickly.

Places!

Rain, please!

I adore Izumi Hara,
the old lady in the supermarket.

She's joined by Masahiko Tsugawa.

Tsugawa is a real actor
who gets completely into character,

without having to study for the role.

You shouldn't be too ladylike.

Try to look a bit suspicious.

We have this here.

It'll follow you from behind.
Then overtake you.

First like this, then stealthily.

Then the camera overtakes you.

Then you dash after her.

Here you look around
but don't see her.

Ms. Hara passes by
behind Mr. Tsugawa.

He looks around right then
and gets a glimpse

of her face.

Since he's looking back,
he can't quite see where she goes.

We're trying to figure out
how to signal the cues.

Let's rehearse this part.

She passes by and now you look.

Let's give it a shot.

That time was even funnier.

That was even funnier.

That was the best.

Down low?
As low as possible.

Like a witch.

In this shot Ms. Hara pokes
at various baked goods.

Tsugawa finally sneaks up
and gets revenge.

A smooth take with two fine actors
really immersed in their roles.

At times like this, one really savors
the joy of being a director.

Scene change to White Suit being shot

with tanks full of water
ready to make ram.

Prop man Kuranosuke Omata
is holding a contraption

with incense inside,
and with every shot of the pistol

he releases a puff of smoke.

White Suit gets shot
twice in this scene.

Squibs are placed where he's hit.

They're set off
by a switch in his left hand.

During screen tests
instead of squibs

he was fitted with small lights.

Here they're using cigarettes
to burn bullet holes.

Adding blood completes the effect.

The details may not even
be visible on-screen,

but filmmakers
can never cut corners.

Take some in your hand..

Ochiai, introduced earlier,
is the rain specialist.

He's reputed to be
the best in Japan.

Over here!

More in this direction.

At last, the actual take.

We've got the bullet strikes,
the holes in the clothes.

It's all for naught
if the take isn't good.

To ensure that his hat stays on

it's taped to his head.

We got the shot in one take,

but a woman walked past
as we were shooting.

She thought Yakusho
had really been shot.

I saw the police here
and thought it was a murder.

Is he really alive?
Yes, he is.

Are you sure?
Look, he's talking.

It's fake blood, I swear.

This is a camera crew.
I thought it was for real!

Not fully convinced
even after our explanations,

she finally left, still looking doubtful.

She'll have us arrested.

It was already
late autumn and chilly.

Yakusho keeps acting,

but he's drenched and trembling
as his body temperature drops.

His willpower is awe-inspiring.

The second the cameras roll,
he stops trembling.

Darling!

Did I ever tell you?

About hunting wild boar.

There's nothing for boar to eat,

so they root for yams.

All they eat are yams.

So when a hunter shoots one,

he has to quickly slit its belly,

pull out the guts.

Guts, stuffed with yams.

Yam sausages, you see?

Slice them, and eat them hot.

Sounds good, huh?

With soy sauce and wasabi.

My son, who's in fourth grade,

also appears in the film.

In fact, my father
was also an actor for a while.

I made my acting debut
at age two,

playing the child of a samurai lord,
so my son's a third generation actor.
MANPEI IKEUCHI

Your mom's there,
and she looks different,

so you sneak in like this.

Then you peek around.

Whether because
he's a child or a novice,

he sometimes gets nervous
and smiles unthinkingly.

He doesn't realize he's doing it.

See, he's grinning.

It's hard to get him to stop.

Don't grin.
Open your eyes wade.

Mom, you re scaring me.

Today’s the day!

If they eat my ramen,

and drink all the broth...

The day comes
to judge Tampopo's ramen.

It's the climax of the main plot
Will they drink all the broth?

As they drink it down,

the room fills
with a diffuse, divine light.

Turning this handle
makes the light stronger.

In this shot everyone eats
without saying a word.

Let's get a bird's-eye view.

At the bottom
the camera glides along on rails.

As it nears, the AD removes lids,
releasing steam.

If the pots had been left open,
the steam would be very light.

This is it!
She finally did it.

She really did it!

Tampopo,

congratulations.

And with that, it's a wrap
on the film's climactic scene.

We see the shop
as remodeled by Pis-Ken.

When it opens, Goro rides off.

This was it before.

It's actually a barbecue restaurant
on Kyu-Kaigandori near Shinagawa.

It's corrugated metal,

and we just added
a wooden storefront,

that turned it into a ramen shop.

The remodeling involved simply
replacing the wooden front.

But when you enter,

it's suddenly
Tampopo's new restaurant.

Editing makes that easy.
The inside is a set, of course.

NIKKATSU SOUNDSTAGE 11

Thank you for all your help.

A new crowd of regulars throngs
into the new "Tampopo" restaurant.

As Tampopo had hoped,

it's become a real ramen shop
with a line outside.

Even old man Otaki arrives
with his mistress.

As it becomes
a successful restaurant,

Tampopo and Tabo grow
more lively and confident.

Seeing how far they've come.
Goro rides off.

This scene's a bit long,

but let's watch without music
as I discuss the music.

DUBBING PART II
TIMING THE MUSIC

I'd like to add music to this scene.

In most films,
a composer writes music

to match the duration of a scene,

but here my idea was
to use classical repertoire.

The piece I chose for this scene
was Liszt's Les Préludes.

I had a vague idea

of a suitable passage,

but I couldn't be sure it would work.

It's supposed to convey
the "new" Tampopo,

so let's see what happens
If we use the liveliest section.

Starts out well, doesn't it?

Fits their facial expressions too.

This part is also uncannily effective.

This is working very well.

Everything lines up.

Good transition there.

Not a false note yet.

But do we need a crescendo here?

Oh, no..

Now it all just falls apart.

We don't need
that kind of bombast here.

Let's change the starting point.

This is even better.

Hmm, I'm not sure about this part.

This accompaniment is workable.

This part is okay.

This section was better last time.

This is certainly a possibility.

This is pretty good.

Let's give it a bit longer.

Good morning.

You finally did it.
Congratulations.

Again, this part is off.

What a nice counter!

The lighting's great too!

No need for the music
to swell here.

Shoot! It's totally off now.

To tell you the truth,

I have a starting point in mind
that I think will work.

It starts out quietly
but let's give it a try.

This is quite nice.

Matches their expressions perfectly.

This is good.

There's growing anticipation.

Superb! Almost like he's singing!

This works too, doesn't it?

The accompaniment here
is exquisite.

Fits the lateral movement perfectly.

You finally did it.
Congratulations

Yes! Just like this!

What a nice counter!

The lighting's great too!

Yes, this part should be tranquil.

Tabo, I hear
you wrote up the menu?

Yeah.

It's great.

Hey, Tabo!

Hi, Ryuta, Yohei, Uchida.
Let's go.

Bye, Mom!

It's nice how it lilts
back and forth here.

How's the new setup feel?

Unreal.
Like I'm a master chef!

Yes, keep going..

To be honest..

I never thought a woman
could make a great ramen cook,

but now I see how wrong I was!

You’re a superstar!

And awfully pretty too!

The music's building now.
Very good.

We'll slip out
as customers start arriving.

Makes me want to be
a ramen chef again!

Good-bye.

Here they come.
Welcome!

Tampopo Ramen for me.
Lots of scallions.

Welcome.

Same for me Pile on the menma

Uh-oh! It's starting
to build up too much.

Let's take it down a bit.

Thank you for all your help.

He can't have roast pork.
Just plain ramen.

And we're clear

Oh, this works too.

It's good match.

Will we make it to the end?

Yes, just like that!

Crescendo!

This touch of sadness here is nice.

Scallion Soba.

Wow! The music's
following Yamazaki now.

And that's how I chose the music.

It was a perfect accompaniment,

as if written just for this film.

Sometimes you get lucky.

We have the moment when
our two leads exchange glances.

Then Goro is on his way.

It'd be nice if he married her
and settled down,

but it wouldn't be a Western.

Per the rules of the genre,
he can't put down roots.

He's a wanderer to the end
while Tampopo and Pis-Ken

are hard workin' folk
who stay in the same town.

And so it's time to bid farewell to
The Making of Tampopo.

As I always say,

one can only make
one half of a film.

The other half happens

in the darkness of the theater,
in the hearts of the audience.

What form will this film take
in your hearts?

As filmmaker, that's what
I most look forward to finding out.

And so let us meet again one day
in the movie theater.

Farewell.