COMMODIFYING FOOD IN FILMS

Prepared by: Mariam Bedraoui, Master Student, Moroccan American Studies, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco

Core Material

“Slow Food, slow Films” Author: Dennis Rothermel Source: Quarterly Review of Film

and Video, Issue 4, July 2009.

“A Domestic Divo: Televised Treatments of Masculinity, Femininity and Food” by

Author: Rebecca Swenson Source: Critical Studies in Media

Communication, Issue 1, March 2009.

Outline

Part One: Food, Television/Cinema: Zones of Cultural Intersections Methodological Notes

Part Two: Commodifying Food: “Slow Food, Slow Films” Gendering Food: “A Domestic Divo: Televised Treatment

Of Masculinity, Femininity and Food” Part Three:

An Overall Evaluation

When food appears in a film or a television program, it is loaded with much more than calories.” (Bower, 2004, P.12)

Food on Television Food in Cinema

Food represents and shapes national, ethnic and racial identities.

Food is used to create aspects of the narrative, symbols, characterizations, and visual motifs.

Food is viewed as an aesthetic production that marks high culture from low culture.

Food, Cinema/ Television: Zones of Cultural Intersections

Some Notes on Methodology

What is food? Food stuff and cooking The space where cooking takes

place The values related to food and

cooking What contexts for food?

Food genre films Cookery shows

How will the articles be discussed?

Presenting thesis

Clarifying key concepts

Reviewing main ideas

Evaluating arguments

Commodifying Food in Films

“Slow Food, Slow Film”

“Slow Food, Slow Film”: Main Thesis

The cultural load of food and films

Manipulation and commodification

Resistance to this dominant mainstream productions

Artistic creations

“Food and film inherit traditions with a broad range of values. Large- scale industry proliferation of social pabulum has come to dominate in both. Perennially renewed resistance to this domination, however, thrives in both food culture and film culture. The hallmark in either case is dedication to exquisite creations within the dedicated practice of an art.” P. 265

“What slow films has in common with slow food is the prevailing presence of care, care for the making of food, care for the making of the films, but foremost for the one for whom it is meant, who will in turn will be ready for the receipt of the gift. In stark contrast, industrial food and industrial film find value strictly in terms of the exchange of price for commodity.” P275

“Slow Food, Slow Film”: Key Concepts1- Slow Food

Slow Food• Eating moderate portions of

fresh food• Eating in the company of the

people we care about• Cooking food on a daily basis• Being aware that our choices

of food make us responsible for sustainability.

“Slow Food, Slow Film”: Key Concepts2- Slow Film

Slow film• Long take shots• Character development, drama

and interaction unfolds entirely within view all at once.

• Unconventional personas and endings

• Designed as a caring gift for the viewer

“Slow Food, Slow Film”: Key Concepts3- Commodification

The human body

The perceived realm of

values and virtues

become economic

terrains for manipulation

and exploitation

“Slow Food, Slow Film”: A Review of the Case Study

A Review of the Case Study: An adaptation to Meet Conditioned Tastes

Film making style Long elaborate shots Contemplative protagonists

Food culture Simple dishes using fresh ingredients Cooking is the process of designing a

gift Small servings

Film making style Conventional analytical montage Conventional female protagonists

Food culture Cooking grants power and control Mainstream food: Pizza,

overcooked pasta with tomato sauce

Large servings

Evaluation

The use of fast food in a movie is not necessarily a sign of complicity and consolidation of the dominant consumptive habits

Not all Hollywood adaptations are by necessity driven by an intentional marketing for the capitalist values.

The construct of slow food may not keep the same defining boundaries across different cultures.