The 22nd Best Director of All-Time: Kar-Wai Wong

@Drake – Have you caught Blossoms Shanghai?

The Grandmaster (2013)

Notes:

Cast:

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Ip Man (Ye Wen),
Zhang Ziyi as Gong Ruo Mei (aka Gong Er)
Wu Yixuan as young Gong Er
Zhang Jin as Ma San

Starts with gorgeous blue tinted frame with raindrops falling in slow motion
3:25 all out brawl with a mix of rapid movements and slow motion
5:17 close up profile of LP Man before one on one battle in the heavy rain
6:36 nice use of silhouette and blocking
10:58 camera panning over room with medium and medium close up shots, lack of establishing shot is notable in film so far
12:42 shots of characters captured in unusual frames
13:40 Zhang Jin as Ma San enters room in dramatic fashion, close up shot on his face
15:19 returns to blue lit rainy streets
18:36 orange and yellow hues used for shots of interiors
20:13 slow motion shot of Sister San jumping from staircase followed by alternating shots of her and LP Man who start hand to hand combat shortly after
22:21 rapid cuts continues with various camera positions and angles with occasion shallow focus
27:57 shot held after slow motion with both LP Man and Gong extending their arms while touching a flat cake which is explained as a metaphor for Chinese Unity between the North and South during this time of turmoil caused by Japanese invasion
30:56 off center framing
32:10 inverted image in puddle
33:38 voice over narration with slow motion pans up
34:06 Kurosawa level of blocking
36:28 overhead shot of LP Man with hand to hand combat vs Gong Er
41:32 profile shot of LP Man with soft focus in the negative space
42:45 portrait of LP Man with his family, the color is drained from the image which becomes a photograph
46:46 change to Hong Kong in 1950
51:13 slow motion juxtaposed by rapid cuts during another combat sequence
53:24 extreme close up on fire from match
57:17 green hazy streets at night
58:21 beautiful, inverted image in puddle with blue tined frame
1:00:15 another shot of LP Man shot in the dark with only his face visible
1:05:08 10 years earlier in Northern China, there is tension as Japan is using Manchuria as a puppet state to control their interests
1:06:00 beautiful frame with blocking and symmetrical frame
1:08:36 a rare wide angle shot capturing the frozen winter landscape
1:12:24 blurry image moving through doorway with nice use of frame in frame
1:14:47 gorgeous imagery with silhouette figures in blue/green tinted part of frame
1:17:33 shot reverse shot with off center characters shown in isolation in frame
1:18:45 after montage build up and slow motion near train station platform, great sequence of hand to hand combat
1:29:17 alternating between close ups on character’s face in shot reverse shot with only the head visible with the rest of the frame surrounded by black
1:32:42 stunner in shot of city streets with green and blue hazy fog substance
1:35:06 green/blue tinted screen with close up on snow fall
1:41:41 ends with great blocking in shot with the color fading to monotone

Thoughts:

Wong Kar Wai takes on a martial arts film mixed with elements of a historical drama. Like all other WKW films the genre is more or less a canvass for him to create his own distinct film style

This film is gorgeous; I particularly love the use of blue hues in depicting the rainy streets at night that starts the film and is used several times throughout the film. While WKW incorporates weather into some of his previous films, it is not to the same degree as this film which features extreme close ups of rain drops and snowflakes. The heavy use of rain even gives the film a noir-like visual style at times, especially when considering the use of silhouette, a number of times

WKW uses incredible blocking that you could mistake for Kurosawa or Visconti. There are several times throughout the film where a group is captured in a frame only for the color to drain as if transformed into a photograph

Another film without many establishing shots. Instead, there are numerous medium and medium close ups which serves to mystify the spatial components of the film’s location, resulting in a more chaotic experience. The combat sequences are particularly impressive in the way that they are choreographed. This if further accomplished by the use of slow motion and rapid cuts with changes in camera angles

Tony Leung is great as always. This is the most physically challenging role I have seen. He has the physical abilities, and the intelligence required a role like this

The narrative does feel a little unfocused at times. Wong Kar Wai’s films are known for their focus on mood, atmosphere, and character over traditional narrative or plot, this is part of the magic of his work. However, I do think this is one film of his that would have benefited from something resembling a more traditional narrative, at least to some extent

Verdict: MS/HR

In The Mood For Love (2000)

Notes:

Cast:

Maggie Cheung as Su Li-zhen or Mrs. Chan
Tony Leung as Chow Mo-wan
Siu Ping Lam as Ah Ping, Chow’s co-worker
Rebecca Pan as Mrs. Suen, the Chans’ landlady
Kelly Lai Chen as Mr. Ho, Su’s employer

The film begins in 1962 with Maggie Cheung’s character named Su Li-zhen. She happens to be renting an apartment the same day as Tony Leung’s character named Chow Mo-wan
2:10 Mrs. Chan and Chow appear in the same frame
4:10 Chow meets Su Li in the hallways of the apartment followed by a fade to black edit
5:05 slow motion showing Su Li shot in frame in frame via doorway with violin score playing
5:28 Mrs. Chan and Chow walk past each other in confined hallway
6:08 Su Li speaks to her husband who is offscreen
11:57 Ah Ping is Chow’s co-worker; he has much different personality than Chow
13:03 the lead characters share the frame discovering a shared interest in martial art novels
13:34 profile shot of Mrs. Chan in a beautiful bright green dress
13:51 blurred visual shot through glass windowpane
14:01 semicircle frame in frame as both Su Li and Chow learn spouses are not around
15:01 slow motion with violin score as Mrs. Chang walks through crowded spaces followed by Chow walking in slow motion and finally Chow and Mrs. Chan passing each other on staircase
16:48 shot of Chow eating alone with shallow focus
20:25 another cutaway to the shot of a large white clock followed by use of soft focus
21:40 oval shaped frame, followed by a revelation that Mrs. Chan’s husband is having an affair
22:00 soft focus
24:04 Mrs. Chan at work, the office seems confined just like the apartment with little privacy, multiple frames in frames via windows and doorways
24:38 slow motion with violins playing as the leads pass each other in hallways
28:15 alternating profile shots of Mrs. Chan and Chow eating at the noodle bar as they realize their spouses are sleeping with one another
32:04 Mrs. Chan and Chow walking on the street at night with a fence resembling prison bars in the foreground of the frame, they theorize how their spouses might have met in the first place
36:21 frame in frame using doorway and deep focus
37:17 shot of hallways followed by an incredible two-shot with character blocking as Mrs. Chan is shot in profile in foreground with Chow in background of the frame slightly out of focus with red and shades of purple filling the frame
43:19 slow motion showing smoke with Chow writing while smoking a cigarette, it is implied that he is writing a martial arts novel
45:31 unusual and partially obstructed frame, frame is dominated with red décor
52:20 deep focus work and brilliant décor in this shot of hallway from red curtains
53:43 another unusual frame in frame when Mrs. Chan is at work
57:03 frame in frame with lead characters in close proximity in a shot with a voyeuristic feel
58:37 they continue to imagine the behavior of their cheating spouses with consistent camera movement with slow pans
1:01:03 red increasingly prominent in décor
1:02:18 pan over shade of green
1:03:03 frame in frame via doorway as Mrs. Chan watches tenants playing cards similar to opening
1:06:18 Chow and Mrs. Chan standing outside during rainstorm with Mrs. Chan wearing bright multi-color dress
1:09:50 two-shot of Chow and Mrs. Chan standing in the rain talking about their mutual attraction
1:12:40 another shot with bars in foreground while Mrs. Chan breaks down crying in the background with Chow comforting her
1:14:38 slow pan back and forth showing the two characters sitting back to back in separate rooms
1:17:11 slow motion shot of Chow walking down apartment hallway with red décor
1:18:00 Mrs. Chan in green dress crying while sitting in hotel room with 3 images of her
1:18:55 the film moves to Singapore 1963
1:20:15 Chow talks about whispering secrets into a tree and covering the hole in the tree with mud to cement the secret within the tree
1:23:27 soft focus shot of Mrs. Chan sitting inside hotel room by herself
1:24:16 slow motion profile shot of Mrs. Chan on phone
1:24:50 Hong Kong 1966
1:25:08 Mrs. Chan returns to old apartment
1:27:11 frame in frame using window, yellow mise en scene
1:28:54 brown and yellows in mise en scene
1:29:15 Cambodia 1966
1:29:57 Chow speaks into hole in a tree outside of Buddhist Temple, a flash of yellow light illuminates the frame

Thoughts:

Many consider this to be one of the greatest films of all time and it is difficult to argue otherwise. In the Mood for Love (2000) excels in numerous ways; there is the impeccable formal structuring, gorgeous costume design, vibrant use of color, and a simple but emotionally resonant narrative with two magnificent performances

The film forgoes establishing shots entirely and instead films the characters in confined spaces including the interior of apartment units, apartment hallways, hotels, noodle bars, offices, etc. The film uses frames in frames via windows, doorways, and other interior spaces. There are frequent medium shots and medium close ups. The characters are often positioned with their backs near the walls of interior spaces to further accentuate the claustrophobic atmosphere. The film also uses a fair amount of off-center framing which contributes to the loneliness of the characters; there is a particularly great shot at the 78 minute mark when Su Li-zhen sits alone in a hotel room with tears visible on her cheek

The use of slow motion, which is usually accompanied by a violin creates a powerful association effect that builds the mutual longing and connection of the two main characters. WKW uses this to create a particular rhythm. Many of these early sequences take place when they pass each other in the apartment hallways and share brief glances to build the mutual attraction

Similar to his other works, WKW prioritizes atmosphere, mood, visuals, and character over the narrative as there is little in the way of a discernable plot. The lack of traditional narrative is consistent with this being a memory film. The use of soft focus, slow motion, shallow focus, saturated colors in the décor, and close ups add to the dreamlike atmosphere. There are repeated cutaway shots of clocks, this is a common motif that WKW uses to emphasize time passing

Unlike many other great romances, the story is told in a way that is very understated. The great emotional sequences are powerful but far more restrained. Part of this is likely due to the setting of 1960s Hong Kong which is presented in a way that seems to imply a socially conservative culture. You also do not have a happy ever after ending that would probably be contractually obligated if made in Hollywood. It is a romantic film that does not contain a sex scene or even a single kiss. And the lack of a Hollywood happy ever after is especially powerful because the two lead characters are so likable and you want them to be happy. The scenes where Su Li-zhen cries are particularly devastating

The physical attractiveness of the lead characters is impossible to deny. Maggie Cheung’s beauty combined with her character’s immaculate dresses and their complementing hairstyles, gives her character Su Li-zhen a level of class and elegance that is nearly unattainable. Apparently, there were 46 dresses made by the art director and costume designer, William Chang although only 20-25 were actually used according to one source. Tony Leung’s character has a dapper appearance as he is sharply dressed at all times

WKW uses red to visual the suppressed emotions of the lead characters who do not consummate their repressed passions for one another. It is especially noticeable in the décor, for example the red curtains in the hallways where their interest in one another subtlety grows. The red in the décor becomes increasingly prominent in the 2nd act when they begin acting out the ways their spouses started an affair. Yellow, which is often associated with nostalgia and memory is used more in the last act including a shot when Tony Leung’s character speaks into the tree

There are no shots of the spouses of the two main characters although there are a few scenes where they are implied to be in close proximity just off camera. This further accentuates the loneliness the lead characters are feeling throughout the film outside of when they are together. Shallow focus is also effective in demonstrating how the characters feel alone even when there are people around them

Siu Ping Lam plays Chow’s co-worker who provides a modest amount of comic relief, he is a deadbeat who is always asking Chow for money so he can either gamble or go to a whorehouse. He is essentially the exact opposite of the classy Tony Leung character, yet he seems content. He is very direct in how he expresses his desires while Chow internalizes everything

This film is endlessly fascinating on a visual and formal level. The use of color in the décor is stunning as well as emotionally resonant in its simple but emotionally powerful narrative which is complete with two incredible acting performances

Verdict: MP (top 30 all time)

Fallen Angels (1995)

Notes:

Cast:

Leon Lai as Wong Chi-ming, the hitman
Michelle Reis as the hitman’s “partner”
Takeshi Kaneshiro as Ho Chi-mo
Charlie Yeung as Charlie, a mysterious girl
Karen Mok as Situ Hui-Ling, known as “Blondie”

Starts with stylish two-shot of man and woman at different depths of field with desaturated colors before a cut to a low angle shot of the woman walking through empty building with neon lighting
2:09 green and yellow with neon lighting
3:24 low canted angle shots of man moving through dark streets
4:34 canted angles with wide angle lens
5:15 wide angle lens used with Michelle Reis character in close up in the foreground
7:31 amusing voice over from hitman who confesses that part of why he loves his profession is that he is lazy and does not want to have to make decisions and thus prefers to just follow orders
8:10 POV of car driver traveling through the city’s neon lit streets
9:23 step printing effect as hitman shoots up room full of presumed criminals
12 min a humorous exchange when the hitman takes bus and runs into someone he knew from
High School. It is revealed that the Hitman carries around a photography of a random woman and kid that he tells people is his wife and kid for the sake of appearing to be a regular functioning member of respectable society
13:00 Fincher style green/yellow lighting
15 min change to orange and red neon lighting in barroom
17:10 woman at bar shown in a series of extreme close ups on various parts of her body and head, this is accompanied by psychedelic music playing in the background
21:40 shortly after being released from prison, Takeshi Kaneshiro’s character travels on a motorcycle through the tunnel with green neon lighting
21:53 Takeshi Kaneshiro’s oddball character in meat shop with orange and red lighting throughout frame, he invades random businesses late at night when they are closed
28:54 nice use of background/foreground with close up in scene with Takeshi Kaneshiro’s character bring ice cream to his father
30:23 traffic moving in fast motion on right side of frame
32 min shootout sequence using handheld camera with mixture of slow motion and rapid cuts
35:27 shot inside bar with parts of frame having red/orange lighting while other parts of frame nearly pitch black frame as Hitman narrates about missing meeting with his female partner
37:48 shot of female partner at bar with part of frame desaturated, reflecting her internal emotions
39:27 Canted angle shot of Hitman and working girl runs across neon lit city street
46:00 canted angle of city streets with green neon lighting
52:26 bizarre relationship develops between Takeshi Kaneshiro character and a strange woman named Charlie
54:30 another wild fight breaks out with the usual WKW aesthetic with quick edits, slow motion
55:57 shot in monotone with psychedelic atmosphere as characters in background of frame move around in a blur while two characters sit emotionless in foreground
58:40 another shot of motorcycle riding through green lit tunnel
1:00:27 shot with character in background of frame in tunnel
1:11:54 rapid dolly in when woman in blonde and partner cross paths
1:13:07 change to monotone for several seconds, again it is reflection of partner’s internal state
1:15:45 expressionistic red lighting throughout sequence
1:18:04 return to the opening shot with the partner asking the hitman if they are still partners
1:18:54 hitman asks to end their partnership but agrees to do lone last job
1:19:35 driver POV shot moving through neon lit city street using jump cuts
1:20:20 great low angle shot of ominous dark sky in city street
1:24:58 Takeshi Kaneshiro’s character narrates about his father passing away
1:29:02 character from Chungking Express, flight attendant
1:32:26 monotone shot with close up of character in foreground with chaos in background of frame

Thoughts:

This storyline was supposed to be the third act in Chungking Express (1994) which was released the previous year in 1994. As I noted in the review of Chungking Express, I think this was for the best as it would not only deprive us of this excellent film, but it also would have sapped some of the energy from Chungking Express. This is darker than Chungking Express but still has some of the zaniness, especially in regard to the Takeshi Kaneshiro character who provides most of the comedy

It is also a continuation of the themes of Chungking Express such as urban isolation in modern day Hong Kong. Isolation and ennui are present in film where characters ponder the meaning of their existence. Characters are often shot in isolation, and not just isolated in a single frame but scenes where they are in a location with no one else around

Christopher Doyle’s impact is immense with the single most important visual choice revolving around the use of an ultra-wide angle lens. This is a significant visual element as it not only produces spectacular images but also matches the film’s themes. In a number of scenes one of the main characters are shown in a close up in the foreground of the frame with other characters in the deep background of the frame showing the isolated nature of characters even when they are in places surrounded by other people. The use of wide angle lens manipulates the viewer’s perception by exaggerating the distance between characters in the foreground and background

WKW uses canted angles and low angle shots to perfection, adding to the disorienting nature of the film which uses this along with rapid edits, alteration of camera angles, and a lack of establishing shots which produces the effect of placing the viewer in the world of the film. Additionally, there is the use of both slow motion and fast motion sequences, including a sequence where two characters remain stationary in foreground with chaotic movements in the background of the frame. The handheld shaky camera movements bring the viewer into the film’s world and are particularly effective in leading up to the murder sequences

Whereas Chungking Express contains both daytime and night sequences, Fallen Angels is entirely nocturnal. The night setting adds to the film’s themes of loneliness and alienation

The use of neon lighting and green-tinted fluorescent lights creates an appealing aesthetic, particularly the green lit tunnels in several of the motorcycle shots. The use of color is phenomenal throughout the film. There is also red lit barroom, or the city’s neon lit nightscape. Another benefit of the saturated neon lighting is the opportunity to create a strong contrast; there are several scenes which the partner is shown in a monotone or desaturated frame to reflect her internal state which is usually a state of depression caused by loneliness and an unrequited love interest

The film uses a combination of psychedelic music, pop music, and even ambient music which adds to the atmosphere. There is actually fairly little dialogue between the characters. The majority of the film consists of voiceover narration or music playing in background

Similar to Chungking and really WKW in general, the focus is primarily on characters and mood rather than any type of conventional plot. There are numerous wild shootouts that we witness without any context and just like the ones in Chungking it doesn’t really matter exactly who these criminals are or who they work. Instead, it is all about creating an atmosphere and even a sort of rhythm in the back and forth between the violent sequences and the non-violent ones

If you think Takeshi Kaneshiro’s character Cop 223 in Chungking express is a bit eccentric, his character in this film is that times 50. He sneaks into other people’s businesses at night when they are closed and pretends it’s his business. In one scene he basically holds the real business owner hostage unless he eats an ice cream cone that he prepares for him. In another scene he spontaneously makes a video of his father cooking a steak. There are a few humorous callbacks to his Chungking Express character like when his character in this film states that he became mute as a kid after eating a can of expired pineapples, hilarious

WKW and Christopher Doyle create one of the most visually striking films of the 1990s

Verdict: MP/MS

Chungking Express (1994)

Notes:

Cast:

Brigitte Lin as woman in blonde wig
Takeshi Kaneshiro as Cop 223
Faye Wong as Faye
Tony Leung as Cop 663

Opens with WKW trademark step printing (more on this below) which produces a distorted image resembling a combination of slow motion, shaky camera movements, and a blurry image with vibrant expressionistic use of color

Cop 223

1:33 voice over narration from Cop 223
3:40 Cop 223 at Midnight Express fast food restaurant, using the local payphone to call his ex-girlfriend who is named May
5:18 frame in frame with Cop 223 looking trapped
6:00 vibrant colors in bar with jukebox as woman with blonde wig drinks at the bar
8:25 handheld camera moving through
8:45 high angle shot similar to one from Days of Being Wild, and similar to that film there is a cutaway shot to a clock
10:04 series of quick tips creating underworld montage including frame in frame using curtains to frame illegal activity
13:10 McDonalds logo present in background as Cop 223 eats his McDonalds
17:05 frame in frame in front of store with bright white lighting
17:27 Cop 223 makes arrest, the scene uses step printing
18:04 close up on pineapple cans
19:10 shot of convivence store with frame in frame
19:48 woman in blonde wig shown in silhouette in empty storage facility
21:10 shootout shot using step printing
23:45 pan over empty pineapple containers with green tinted frame
22:35 Cop 223 eating pineapple cans in green lit apartment
23:45 pan over to stack of empty pineapple cans which are in foreground of the frame
25:47 canted angle with Cop 223 on phone while sitting on the ground
28:04 Cop 223 talks to woman in blonde wig at red lit bar
30:30 two-shot with Cop 223 trying to talk to woman in blonde wig
31:09 overhead shot of woman in blonde wig at bar with Cop 223
32:23 great two-shot with Cop 223 and woman in blonde wig at the bar leaning on each other, the shot bathed in red and green neon lighting
36:51 Cop 223 running around track during early morning hours on rainy day
38:44 freeze frame on Cop 223
40:10 step printing with the woman in the blonde wig shooting to death an obnoxious American man shown a few times
40:17 frame in frame in canted angle shot with the woman in the blonde wig in silhouette in the background of the frame and the dead American in the foreground
40:45 camera moves over pineapple can and zooms in
40:36 Cop 223 bumps into Faye Wong’s character who is referred to as “Faye” so easy enough to remember, right after California Dreamin’ is blasting from the boombox

Cop 663

41:48 Tony Leung as Cop 663
42:16 Faye Wong working at Midnight Express
47:28 What A Diff’rence A Day Made by Dinah Washington, this plays while Cop 663 moves a toy airplane during a scene with his girlfriend. She is a flight attendant played by Valerie Chow
49:49 intimate scene with Cop 663 moving the plane up her bare back in bed
53:06 Faye secretly reading the letter given by Valerie which turns out to be a breakup note intended for Cop 663 to read, it includes a key to his apartment
54:00 California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas
56:13 one of the best sequences of the film with characters in foreground moving at an accelerated motion/speed while the characters in the background of the frame, Cop 663 and Faye, move in slow motion; this scene is accompanied by the song “Dreams” by Faye Wong
59:41 reverse tracking shot through market during daytime
1:02:24 slow motion as Faye daydreams with airplane sounds
1:08:24 Faye inside Cop 663 apartment, since she took the key, showing off her zany side
1:10:36 another sequence where Faye goes into Cop 663 Apartment with music blasting in background
1:15:43 shaky camera tracking Cop 663 as he walks home
1:18:18 canted angle in shot including reflection
1:18:48 California Dreamin’ played again
1:20:10 shot through fishbowl with Cop 663 in background of the frame sleeping on his couch
1:20:54 bright orange/red lighting via candles for birthday celebration
1:23:30 Cop 663 talking to large stuffed animal in his apartment with fishbowl on right side of frame
1:24:32 low angle shot of airplane in the sky
1:25:15 Cop 663 returns home only to find Faye in his apartment
1:25:58 Faye shot in frame in frame
1:26:30 Cop 223 asks Faye out on a date
1:29:19 similar to shot earlier than different speeds for different depts of field
1:32:10 Cop 663 runs into ex-girlfriend at convenience store
1:33:38 dark blue nighttime shot followed by frame in frame as Cop 663 reads letter behind window during heavy rain with melancholy music playing
1:35:20 shot of Faye with pink/red tint
1:38:42 Faye is now working flight attendant

Thoughts:

I can vividly remember the first time I watched this film, it was about 5 years ago, shortly after I discovered the Criterion Channel. It was labeled as an essential film of the 1990s and looked intriguing so I decided to check it out

The opening two minutes are an exhilarating all-out assault on your senses; this is both exhilarating and highly intriguing, as it is clear that you are watching something different. In this opening, Wong Kar Wai uses a technique called step printing. Aside from the aesthetic value, the technique relates to WKW themes of time and memory as the technique alters our perception of time by speeding up and slowing down the action on the screen in an unusual way

The film is split into 2 acts with the 2nd act slightly longer than the 1st act. It was actually supposed to be a 3 act film, but WKW decided to save the 3rd storyline for another film which ended up being released the following year as Fallen Angel (1995). This was the right move in my opinion as WKW films work best around 90 to 100 minutes

The above mentioned step-printing is used in a few other scenes including some of the crime sequences involving the woman in the blonde wig. Like other WKW films, the focus is on characters and mood more than plot. We never learn if the woman in blonde is connected to higher level criminals or more detail on her criminal associates. She essentially is a character who represents the criminal underworld present in the film and that is all we really need to know

The film’s zany characters and playfulness give it the feel of a French New Wave film; I definitely see some similarities to some of Godard’s work in the 1960s. In particular I love Cop 223 as a hilariously hopeless romantic who is obsessed with eating cans of pineapples as a symbolic gesture to his recent breakup, he also uses the password “undying love” for his pager (very 1990s). Despite his silliness, there is something refreshing about a character in his 20s who is more interested in falling in love than just getting some action from a one night stand

Tony Leung as Cop 663 is more of an introvert and far less eccentric than Cop 223. Tony Leung is excellent as always. In fact, the performance are excellent all the way around and each of the main characters feel authentic as opposed to stock characters

WKW captures the loneliness the two main characters are feeling. He visually conveys this feeling of solitude in a number of ways including shots of the lead characters isolated in the frame in their apartments. And even when they are surrounded by people in crowded areas, they still seem alone due to shallow focus and of course the aforementioned step-printing. Additionally, the film uses shades of blue to express melancholy in a number of scenes. There are a number of canted angle shots. And of course, the voiceover, although this is more prevalent in the 1st act

Globalization is another theme as you have Cop 223 eating McDonalds with the golden arches in the background. You have Hong Kong natives listening to American music, most notably California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas. While the film is not explicitly and not even really implicitly political there are some levels of political undertones due to the impending 1997 Handover of Hong Kong from the UK to China
The film features a great soundtrack in which some of the songs are used multiply times throughout the film. These songs include the following

Things in Life by Dennis Brown
California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas
What A Diff’rence A Day Made by Dinah Washington
Dreams by Faye Wong

I actually ended up buying the Faye Wong album that has the track “Dreams” despite not knowing any Mandarin or Cantonese, what Paul McCartney calls “the power of music”

The use of color is excellent in capturing the internal moods of the characters with blue and to a lesser extent green, serving as a way to capture loneliness and isolation. Reds and oranges are used to capture a nostalgic mood. This juxtaposing of color creates a dynamic of the film moving back and forth between hope and despair

Amazingly Chungking Express was shot during a 2 month break from editing Ashes of Time and WKW wrote the 2nd story in a single day. The way WKW talks about shooting Chungking Express, you would think it was a student talking about a film school project instead of an all-time Masterpiece

This is an all-timer for me. It is truly original and feels just as fresh today as it did when I saw it for the first time 5 years ago. It is humorous with zany characters who have endearing qualities, in particular Cop 223 and Faye Wong’s character who is named Faye in the film. The performances are excellent all the way around with contrasting characters in Takeshi Kaneshiro as Cop 223 and Tony Leung as Cop 663. The film is specular visually with the step printing technique which as noted above is not only visually appealing but fits thematically into WKW’s focus on time and memory. Other visually highlights include the use of neon color in the lighting, unusual camera angles, use of frames in frames, and mix of night and daytime shots. The 2 act structure and pacing are ideal as well; this works better at 100 minutes than it would have at 120-140 minutes

Verdict: MP (top 30 all time)

Days of Being Wild (1990)

Notes:

Cast:

Leslie Cheung as Yuddy
Andy Lau as Tide
Maggie Cheung as Su Lizhen
Carina Lau as Leung Fung-ying
Rebecca Pan as Rebecca

Opens with an over the shoulder shot from Yuddy’s perspective with green tinted frame
1:42 cutaway shot to a clock
2:34 Yuddy’s confidence is almost comical “you’ll see me in your dreams tonight”
2:58 opening credits with tracking shot of jungle
3:40 frame in frame
3:50 repeat of Yuddy buying a coke and
4:55 Yuddy repeats walk to get a coke
5:49 cutaway to clock followed by “one minute friend” speak
7:03 great blocking of faces using close ups
9:24 shallow focus with Yuddy in silhouette
9:58 framing captures disconnect even when Yuddy is in same room
10:50 tracking shot with shaky camera as Yuddy walks to see his adopted mother
13:31 low angle canted angle shot
16:10 green tint throughout frame
18:13 close up two-shot
23:05 fade out with shot of clock on wall
26:37 Yuddy’s and his adopted mother have co-dependent relationship
28:26 close up profile shot
29:47 shallow focus with Yuddy in foreground
31:37 close up two-shot
34:57 nice splitting of frame with two characters sharing frame but separated and in different depths of field
42:24 low angle shot with clock in background of frame
43:58 frame in frame
44:22 Su behind bars in foreground
45:21 tracking shot of Su and Andy Lau’s character who is named Tide walking through empty street with green/yellow lighting
48:04 great high angle shot of Andy Lau’s Tide standing next to phone booth with score playing
49:13 green/yellow more saturated in this frame than anything before
58:01 blurry image with green lighting on face of Yuddy’s friend
52:34 Yuddy and his adopted mother Rebecca argue about their lives
1:01:21 Leung Fung-ying behind fence in foreground, similar to a shot of Su earlier in the film
1:03:54 nice use of frame in frames via curtains and doorways
1:04:57 shallow focus with close up profile shot
1:07:13 low angle shot during rainstorm at night
1:10:48 long high angle shot of Yuddy walking onto the large property of his biological mother who refuses to see him
1:11:11 shaky camera tracks Yuddy as he walks away from estate of biological mother, Yuddy’s walk eventually is shown in slow motion
1:14:04 Yuddy sleeping outside building on the ground
1:18:08 surveillance camera angle of Yuddy drinking in hotel room with Andy Lau character
1:19:20 incredible camera moves as camera practically floating through the open space into bar room which is dimly lit
1:21:54 a wild fight breaks out with fast cuts, shaky camera, and rapid change of angles
1:22:36 overhead shot on train
1:23:23 Yuddy carefree lifestyle compares himself to a bird with no legs
1:24:36 Yuddy shot on train
1:25:23 Yuddy contemplating his impending death
1:26:24 tracking shot of jungle, same as the one earlier in the film
1:28:42 flash of light on and off
1:29:32 fade out to a shot of train passing through Jungle
1:30:20 frame in frame of Su with bars in background
1:30:32 high angle shot of phone booth, similar to shot from earlier in the film
1:31:28 film ends with beautiful low angle shot inside shallow apartment which is probably 6 feet high at most, the score playing in background

Thoughts:

An existential Masterpiece capturing various elements of the human condition, especially the need for love and companionship. Like most of WKW work, the film is not driven by traditional plot. Instead, it tracks the lives of several young adults who are unhappy with their lives. An argument can be made for the main character Yuddy, played by Leslie Cheung, as exhibiting a degree of nihilism although I would argue more toward pessimism

Leslie Cheung as Yuddy gives a great performance. Yuddy is a complex role as he initially comes off as an immature playboy with a level of confidence that borders on comical. However, it is slowly revealed that he’s a deeply wounded character due to rejection from his biological mother and a co-dependent love/hate relationship with his adopted mother

After a Jarmusch Study I can’t help but admire the repetition in the first several minutes as three times the camera tracks Yuddy using over the shoulder shots of him walking up to the concession stand and buying a coke in a glass bottle while making moves on the girl at the concession

There are repeated shots of clocks. The first time I watched this film I assumed it was set when it came out which would be 1990 but it is actually set in the 1960s. Similar to future WKW films, there is a focus on longing, nostalgia, etc.

The blue and green color palette is used consistently throughout the film; this gives the film a distinct look. Green is often associated with nature and youthfulness and blue isolation and melancholy. The color palette is effective in maintaining the mood

The blocking is excellent in many of the film’s two-shots, there is a particular great one early in the film featuring Yuddy and Maggie Cheung’s character Su Lizhen; they are in bed together with extreme close ups on their faces. The film juxtaposes some of these intimate scenes with shots featuring Yuddy and his girlfriends in the same room but emotionally distant. The framing is crucial with some of the early sequences in the film that actually remind me somewhat of The Last Tango in Paris (1972) where the Brando character and the Maria Schneider character are in physically in the same room but emotionally disconnected. The Maggie Cheung character is framed behind bars in a couple scenes as her character is desperate to find meaning in her life as she realizes Yuddy is never going to be a long term relationship

Shallow focus is used several times to further emphasize the isolation of characters even when in close physical proximity to other characters. Many of the shots capture characters inside buildings, cramped rooms, and other enclosed spaces via frame in frames and with cameras placed close to the characters; these visuals match the narrative which features characters who seem trapped and limited for various reasons. When Yuddy travels to the Philippines there are shots in open areas that seem to suggest new possibilities for Yuddy, but he is sadly rejected by his biological mother who refuses to speak with him, this is followed by a return to characters in enclosed spaces

As Tears Go By and Days of Being Wild should have switched titles. They are basically perfect for each other. With the constant fighting and recklessness of the young characters in “As Tears Go By” which is WKW Mean Streets what better name could there be than Days of Being Wild? This would have been the perfect title. The melancholy vibe of Days of Being Wild, which features Yuddy breaking the hearts of multiple young ladies, would make “As Tears Go By” the perfect title

Verdict: MP

My ranking of Wong`s films that I`ve seen:

1. In the Mood for Love MP
2. Chungking Express MP
3. 2046 MP
4. Days of Being Wild MP
5. Happy Together MS
6. The Grandmaster MS
7. Ashes of Time MS
8. Fallen Angels HR/MS

10 Best Performances

1. M. Cheung- In the Mood for Love 5
2. Leung- In the Mood for Love 5
3. Wong- Chungking Express 5
4. Leung- 2046 5
5. Leung- Happy Together 5
6. Leung- Chungking Express 5
7. Ziyi- 2046 5
8. Ziyi- The Grandmaster 4.5
9. Leung- The Grandmaster 4.5
10. M. Cheung- Days of Being Wild 4

Has anyone seen his new tv-series Blossoms Shanghai yet?

Days of Being Wild MS

Ashes of Time HR

Chungking Express MP

Fallen Angels HR

Happy Together MS

In the Mood For Love MP

2046 MS

The Grandmaster R