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It’s as though WKW is a kid in a playground, creating this world purely out of imagination with a complete disregard on how a story “should” be told.īut that’s not to say that WKW keeps us at arm’s length because of his unconventional approach. His influence comes particularly from Jean-Luc Godard in how they both playfully experiment with the technical aspects of storytelling. In a way, WKW and Doyle’s work is reminiscent of the French New Wave – with those rebellious filmmakers – and how they wanted to break from traditional standards of the medium. Other times, the camera will stop in place, having the patience to witness moments of quiet intimacy. He plays with color and frame rate, occasionally manipulating the motion to create a jerky, blurry visual presentation. Doyle’s kinetic and impulsive photography perfectly sets the tone.
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Much of the mood and style can be attributed to WKW’s long time collaborator, cinematographer Christopher Doyle.
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His featured players are just a handful of contrasting personalities – he emphasizes these smaller, personal stories in the midst of a larger canvas. And yet, with a place that is as diverse and large as Hong Kong, WKW narrows his focus on a just a few people. The way we move through all these different people and places give the effect of a nighttime odyssey, where we can meet just about anyone and get into all sorts of unpredictable situations. Nearly every other shot includes people hustling through their daily routines, selling groceries or clothing to anyone walking along the street. We weave our way through back alleys, small corner restaurants, street vendors, smoky bars, apartments, and hotels. The setting places us into a cramped city bustling with life and excitement. It operates like a ‘90s pop kaleidoscope, mixing romance, music, and melancholy into a kind of noir-ish collage of color and emotion. In a place such as Hong Kong, where overpopulation and limited space makes it almost impossible not to bump into others, WKW created a film that highlights the importance of human connection.Ĭhungking Express feels like a blast of youthful energy. In Chungking Express (1994) a character comments on how they come within 0.01cm of another person, not knowing how their dynamic will somehow change or how their lives may evolve beyond that singular moment. His characters are constantly moving, interacting or separating, or barely missing each other. Throughout his career, WKW has consistently revisited the ways in which people come together or fall apart. There are few filmmakers who can capture the feeling of longing the way Wong Kar Wai does.