Tom Jones

[Haylley Johnson]

Alice's post about Bitter Feast made me start thinking about other food movies. However, the one movie that always comes to mind first is Tom Jones. While it isn't a film entirely based on food, it does have the Tom and the wench scene in which they devour their dinner in a sensual manner.

The first time I ever saw the film was in my sophomore year of high school. Right before we actually viewed the scene, I remember my teacher telling the class that this scene was one of the most famous food scenes in film history, and therefore, I was really excited to see this epic food scene. Yet once I'd seen the clip, I felt a little let down and slightly grossed out to be honest, which is probably the main reason I remember this moment so vividly.

Looking back, the significance I gleaned from the scene is that they ate the food in a sensual manner (albeit a messy manner) emphasizing the fact that food is a very sensual/sexual medium, although I'm not sure if this is the appropriate interpretation. At the same time, still I don't really understand why that makes this scene so particularly important. Is my interpretation off? Am I missing something important? I'm not a film pro, so does anyone else know?

[Morganna]

Though I don't know that you're really focusing on erotic food scenes in movies:

Part of what made it "important" in a film way was the unusual nature of the scene itself.  For its time, it was an unusually erotic scene.  They just didn't put them in movies like that (at least, not non-X rated ones).  A better (to my mind) erotic food scene can be found in 9 1/2 weeks with Mickey Rourke (1986).  Though that can be a difficult movie to watch because of the other sexual explorations that also go on in it.

As for foodie movies...

Chocolat and Babette's Feast come to mind immediately.

Don't think I'd much like a horror/food film.