Sluuuuuuuuuuurp.

Juzo Itami’s rapturous (not to mention oh-so-sensual) “noodle western” returns to the Rio’s screen (4K restoration!) on Friday, August 21. The tale of an enigmatic band of ramen ronin who guide the widow of a noodle shop owner on her quest for the perfect recipe, TAMPOPO serves up a savory broth of culinary adventure seasoned with offbeat comedy sketches and the erotic exploits of a gastronome gangster. Sweet, sexy, surreal, and mouthwatering, TAMPOPO remains one of the most delectable examples of food on film.

“It unfolds as a series of madcap, effortlessly charming comic vignettes, centred around food and food culture in mid-’80s Japan.” (The Globe and Mail)

“Japanese films have commented before on the intrinsic connection between food and sex, but not with the erotic gusto of Juzo Itami‘s TAMPOPO and rarely with the comic lustiness of this broad-scale satire.” (The Los Angeles Times)

“Brightly colored, boldly played, serves up inspired gags at the most unexpected moments alongside course after course of exquisite culinary joy. And even more toothsomely, food and f@kking are intricately aligned.” (NewCity)

Tuesday, August 25
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm
Single tickets $15 in advance HERE | $15 at the door

Tuesday, September 1 Final Screening!
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm
Single tickets $15 in advance HERE | $15 at the door

*Minors OK! (Please note this film is rated 18A.) Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
**Groupons and passes OK for any single film! Please redeem at the door.

PLEASE NOTE: All of the Rio Theatre’s screenings are operating at a sharply reduced capacity. We can’t guarantee availability of tickets at the door, so advance tickets for all screening events are strongly recommended. Our online box office can be found at www.riotheatretickets.ca. Online sales for every screening automatically end 1 hour before any given showtime.

TAMPOPO (Juzo itami, 1985 / 114 mins / 18A / English subs) A pair of truck drivers happen onto a decrepit roadside fast food stop selling ramen noodles. The widowed owner, Tampopo, pleads them to help her turn her establishment into a paragon of the “art of noodle soup making.”