MOVIES AND FOOD

When I embark on a calorie-reducing regimen in the hope of losing excess weight for all the best reasons, my mind seems to become preoccupied with, what else, food. I count the amount I consume. I start thinking as soon as I finish one meal, when the next one will be served. I start dreaming of sugary concoctions, and unreasonably elevating them to the status of nectar of the gods. In other words rational reasoning is kaput. So then why not now recall two of the best movies I have watched at least twice, that feature in their plot the preparation and celebration of food.

The first is the better of the two, and it’s called BABETTE’S FEAST. A Danish film that uses sub-titles, but that does not, at least to me, subtract from the film. I doubt there are many Danish speakers, as it seems to me it would be about as hard to learn as Russian. I won’t try to critique any of the film except to say that an integral part of the plot is the preparation and the serving of a feast of French food, and wine, calories be damn.

The second film that features food in the plot is BIG NIGHT. A film where the preparation and serving of a banquet of Italian food is central to the film. The film is only half as good as Babbette, but the food sequence is mouth watering to say the least.

I know, as a veteran of diets that as time goes by, and my mind becomes less obsessed with the thought of starvation, I will almost get used to it. In my case less is more, in perhaps adding a few years on my life span if I can deep six a couple dozen doughnuts, oh I’m sorry pounds. I guess I haven’t yet succeeded.