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Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers

  • 19801980
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 51m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
797
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
  • Documentary
  • History
A documentary on the history of garlic. Blank interviews chefs, garlic lovers, and historians about the their love of the 'stinking rose.'A documentary on the history of garlic. Blank interviews chefs, garlic lovers, and historians about the their love of the 'stinking rose.'A documentary on the history of garlic. Blank interviews chefs, garlic lovers, and historians about the their love of the 'stinking rose.'
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
797
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Les Blank
  • Stars
    • Anzonini Del Puerto
    • Kathleen Bendel
    • Harrod Blank
Top credits
  • Director
    • Les Blank
  • Stars
    • Anzonini Del Puerto
    • Kathleen Bendel
    • Harrod Blank
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Photos

    Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
    Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
    Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
    Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Anzonini Del Puerto
    • Self - Flamenco Singer and Sausage Chefas Self - Flamenco Singer and Sausage Chef
    Kathleen Bendel
    • Self - Garlic Queenas Self - Garlic Queen
    Harrod Blank
    Harrod Blank
    • Self - Youth Saved from Dysentaryas Self - Youth Saved from Dysentary
    Mary T. Brown
    • Self - Cook Who Uses Garlic Saltas Self - Cook Who Uses Garlic Salt
    Robert Charles
    • Self - La Veielle Maison, Truckee, CAas Self - La Veielle Maison, Truckee, CA
    Henry Chung
    • Self - Hunan Restaurant, San Franciscoas Self - Hunan Restaurant, San Francisco
    Rose 'Pistolla's' Evangelisti
    • Self - Cook and Garlic Loveras Self - Cook and Garlic Lover
    Val Filice
    • Self - Garlic Grower and Squid Chefas Self - Garlic Grower and Squid Chef
    George Flintroy
    • Self - Flint's Barbeque, Oaklandas Self - Flint's Barbeque, Oakland
    Lloyd John Harris
    • Self - Publisher: _Garlic Times_as Self - Publisher: _Garlic Times_
    Michael Goodwin
    • Self - Interviewer, Recordist, Writer, Garlic Peeleras Self - Interviewer, Recordist, Writer, Garlic Peeler
    Maura Hagerty
    • Self - Irish Garlic Eateras Self - Irish Garlic Eater
    Lawrence Hershman
    • Self - Gardener, Marin Countyas Self - Gardener, Marin County
    Werner Herzog
    Werner Herzog
    • Self - Film Director: Nosferatuas Self - Film Director: Nosferatu
    Denni McCarthy
    • Self - Author: _Living with the Flowers_as Self - Author: _Living with the Flowers_
    Charles Perry
    • Self - Anti-Vampire Writeras Self - Anti-Vampire Writer
    Ruth Reichl
    Ruth Reichl
    • Self - Food Writer: _New West Magazine_as Self - Food Writer: _New West Magazine_
    Una Stevens
    • Self - Belly Danceras Self - Belly Dancer
    • Director
      • Les Blank
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Often referred to as a stinking rose, garlic, in its culinary uses, generally evokes a love it or hate it response. Quite often, these responses are on cultural lines, where old world cultures have generally revered it in their cooking, while new world cultures have not. A renaissance of sorts is taking place in the use of garlic in the United States, with more and more immigrants bringing their use of the spice to the country, with more people desiring more spice in their food, with a desire to get back to the land and with the production of plant a large part of the Central California landscape. Many chefs are presented preparing dishes prominently featuring the spice. On the bad side, the association of garlic to bad breath is discussed. On the other side, its purported health benefits are also discussed. Other topics presented include its association to vampirism, and speculation of how people will want their garlic to be presented to them in the future. —Huggo
    • national film registry
    • barbeque
    • food preparation
    • festival
    • restaurant
    • 22 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Documentary
      • History
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At the film's premiere at the Film Forum in New York City the ushers walked up and down the aisle with sizzling pans of garlic filling the entire theater with the aroma of garlic.
    • Crazy credits
      Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" Courtesy of Public Domain
    • Connections
      Featured in Remembering Les Blank (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Bar-Be-Que Bess
      Performed by Lucille Bogan (as Bessie Jackson)

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Garlic rules!
    Les Blank died recently, and so I decided that I'd watch his documentaries. The first one that I've ever watched is "Garlic Is As Good As Ten Mothers", which focuses entirely on Allium sativum. Blank interviews people about garlic and looks at its history. There's even a part about garlic's role in Cajun food, complete with a zydeco band! It's hard to believe that the Anglo Puritan types actually suppressed garlic, but's what happened in US history. Fortunately we in the 21st century love the stuff (I sure can't get enough of it). I now hope to see more of Blank's documentaries, and of course I'll never stop eating garlic. It's delicious AND nutritious! And above all, I recommend this documentary.
    helpful•5
    1
    • lee_eisenberg
    • May 4, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1980 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Flower Films
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Vitlök är lika bra som tio mödrar
    • Filming locations
      • Gilroy County, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Flower Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Criterion Collection: Les Blank: Always for Pleasure | Blu-ray Review
    Dec 2IONCINEMA.com
    Blu-ray, DVD Release: Les Blank: Always for Pleasure
    Aug 25Disc Dish

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