Original subtitles

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.