Mason Hertrich Blog "Reel Food and World Cinema"

Blog Entry 10 By F. Mason Hertrich The relationship between the two brothers is not quite complicated. Considering they do both care about the food. The main difference between the two is more what they want to do with the food. Stanley Tucci’s character is slightly more motivated by money. Not to the point that he is greedy, but more that he wants to survive. Which is obviously difficult, especially with his brother being a artist in a way with the food, because he doesn’t care about money. This may also come from the brother being verily socially awkward, and somewhat of a recluse in a way because he doesn’t really do anything else, except cook. As Tucci says to him towards the end of the film he keeps his head buried in pots. There is also the difference they both have where the brother Tucci’s character tells the car salesman that he will never go back to Italy. Whereas the other brother wants to go back when their uncle gives them a chance. This is another example ...

                              By F. Mason Hertrich The food in both films serves a big role. That of bringing people together, especially in " Soul Food " (1997). Wherein the family fights about problems they have, but the food is ultimately what brings them together. In " Once Upon a Time ..." (1995) the food mainly serves as a way of reflecting how they are treated. For example Richard Roundtree's is faced with the problem of many people not accepting his ice. Which doesn't stop the town from still buying from him. Which is obviously motivated by the fact that the reason many people are not buying from him is because he is black. Also the food is used much more in a community sense when they are at the Church. As pointed out by Balthrope the grandfather is never seen at his home cooking, but helps cook at the Church. Which certainly shows the community sense in the making and eating of t...

Blog Entry 8 The two films are very similar, except for the tone which is different. In “Eat Drink Man Woman” most of the same scenarios are played very straight. One example is in the scene where the middle child goes to her boyfriends apartment to find there is another woman there. The same scene plays out much more lightly in “Tortilla Soup”. Whereas in this it the scene is literally dark because its outside a door at night and the way the bars shadow reflects the door to her face really do show a more serious moment. Or the scenes where the daughters all gradually leave. The daughters say why they leave then it cuts to them leaving. As far as the role of food one particular scene stands out where in “Eat Drink Man Woman” the father tells the woman's daughter he will make her lunches. She goes into the bus crowded with adults, showing how the woman's mothering of her child is forcing the child to come closer to adulthood. Closer then what the father feels she should be...