Food For Thought By: Five Girls and One Guy

1. Food For Thought By: Five Girls and One Guy Ashley Lewellen Rebecca Brinker Stephanie Enojado Lisa Bahna Katie Fabian Segura

2. Summary ◊Famous Taiwanese chef, Chu is losing his taste buds along with his family. ◊ Preparation of elaborate gourmet family meals that are very awkward. ◊ Three daughters, each with familial expectations. ◊ Defying those expectations to secure a greater happiness. ◊In conjunction with their own father’s cultural taboo…marrying a woman half his age. Ashley Lewellen

3. Characters, Themes, Symbols THEMES ◊SECRETS ◊LOVE/LUST ◊FAMILY SYMBOLS ◊FOOD ◊TASTE Characters Mr. Chu Three daughters ◊ Jia-Jen ◊ Jia-Chien ◊ Jia-ning Mrs. Liang jinrong Shan-shan

4. Similarities ◊ Montages of food preparation that depict it less as cooking and more as a form of art. ◊Patriarchal figure who is seen as being the cause of contention. ◊Food unites them. ◊Lighting is both very dark in these films with slightly more emphasis of color given on the food. ◊They both use the natural surrounding to frame scenes. Rebecca Brinker

5. DIFFERENCES VS Chocolat Eat, Drink, Man, Woman Rebecca Brinker Uses music to emphasize the exotic nature of chocolate making Chocolate is depicted as being medicinal. The patriarch needs to be converted through outside sources. Diagetic (Anouk tells the story) Minimal music used to emphasize the tension and awkwardness of family meals Food is as much of a problem as it is a solution The patriarch has already committed a taboo. Non-Diagetic

6. Similarities ◊Tortilla Soup is a Latino remake to Ang Lee’s screenplay: Eat, Drink, Man, Woman. ◊The focus of both movies revolves around family and the importance of being together. ◊The preparation of food is a meticulous art form by both father figures, to the point of confining. ◊The using of the dinner table as a familial communing ground where each sisters story arch begins as an ‘announcement.’ ◊Symbolism of second daughter giving back her father’s “taste” STEPHANIE ENOJADO

7. Differences VS Tortilla Soup Eat, Drink, Man, Woman STEPHANIE ENOJADO Latino culture Color is prevalent everywhere not just on the food. Music is used to dilute the awkward moments between characters and make the transition between scenes flow better. Daughters are accepting of their father’s decision in marrying Yolanda. Each daughter establishes their independence based on what they really want to do with their lives. Taiwanese culture Color is only used to emphasize the food. Music is very low key so the audience can feel the awkward tension, and include numerous quiet moments. Daughters do not approve of their father having relations with Jin-Rong Jia-Chien has no choice about her independence as she gets pregnant and moves out. Jia-Ning takes the job abroad choosing not to make a living on her abilities as a chef.

8. FORMALIST FILM THEORY Is the synthesis of multiple elements of film production ▪Ex. lighting, scoring, sound, set design, editing etc. Directors and writers use these elements in combination with each other to better express an idea or emotion . In other words “show not tell” As a result they’re more concerned with artistic style and design. LISA BAHNA

9. Examples of Formalism • Shot selection moves from wide to short and tense. • Length of shots decrease as the sequence progresses toward its end and the music builds. LISA BAHNA

10. Scene Shot 4:54- 9:48 (part 11- eat drink man woman -on YouTube ) Kathryn Higgins & Fabian Segura

11. Kathryn Higgins

12. “Pop Quiz Hot Shot” How many daughters are there in “Eat Drink Man Woman”? What screen play is “Tortilla Soup” based off of? What is one example of Formalism we talked about? What is chocolate depicted as in the movie Chocolat? In the shot analysis clip, why does Madam Liang throw a fit? Fabian Segura