film analysis: Chungking Express(1994,Wong Kar Wai)

‘Chungking Express’ (1994) is a crime romantic drama film, balanced at some points by comic relief elements, written and directed by Wong Kar-wai during his break from editing Ashes of Time. Wong Kar-wai has said: "While I had nothing to do, I decided to make Chungking Express following my instincts….I wanted to make a very light, contemporary movie, but where the characters had the same problems." 1 The film consists of two love stories, focusing mainly on four people that appear in pairs in the two sequences, meeting each other under specific circumstances, exploring what has been called a web of life plot. 2 The first story narrates the obsession of a cop named He Qiwu or Cop 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) with his exgirlfriend, May and his encounter with a drug dealer (Brigitte Lin) that found herself in a dead-end after an unsuccessful trial to transport cocaine. The second story refers again to a cop, only named with his number this time, Cop 663 (Tony Leung Chiuwai) who can’t go on after the break-up with his girlfriend, a flight attendant and to a snack bar worker, Faye (Faye Wong) that falls in love with him. The two stories present the magic around the concept of randomness that determines our life events as well as the paradox of humans to find love, in the crowded over-bursting city of Hong Kong and under the yarns defining modern life. These ideas are successfully and delightfully presented through the film’s unique mise-en-scene that literary means ‘’putting into the scene’’ and signifies the director’s control over what appears in the film frame. 3 Highlighting the interaction among setting, costumes and make up, lighting and staging, in two scenes, I will draw conclusions about the role of mise-en-scene in the film, providing an overall analysis of the key ideas and intentions of the director.

In the opening scene, the camera focuses on the imposing figure of a woman with a blonde wig, walking in the alleys of the crowded multicultural facade of the Chungking Mansions. The setting is not constructed but a real location, a building block containing stores and hotels, located near to Tsim Sha Tsui Station : ‘’Eyesore, ghetto, jungle, goldmine, little United Nations. These are all words that have been used to describe Chungking Mansions’’. 4 The film illustrates, mainly through the woman’s perspective, the multicultural image of this place that attracts severe ethnic minorities such as Pakistanis, Indians, Sri Lankans and others. Its aesthetic dimensions are glorified through the fluid images of the outdoor market (fruits, pastry, clothes, cheap electronics, and leather suitcases) in combination with the colourful fill-lights of the signs and the contrast created between the tiny spaces and the noises from the people that overflow them. The scenes that provides us an insight of this place are the ones that present the blonde dealer preparing her plan, paying Indians to assist her, offering them food and beers and putting them to fill boxes containing electronic devices, clothes and teddy bears with cocaine, accompanied by the non-diegetic sound of Indian melodies. Furthermore, the element of setting is a self-referential element, as it carries the first word of the film’s title, highlighting the chaotic world of Hong Kong where the pace of life is fast enough to absorb its 1 J.D. Lafrance, 'Cinematic Pleasures: Chungking Express', Erasing Clouds 23 (2004) 2Film Art: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill, Tenth Edition, 2012),page 425 3 Film Art: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill, Tenth Edition, 2012),page 113 4 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24015987

people. This social and cultural chaos, ironically pinpoints the low probabilities that a man working in the side of the law could fell in love with a woman in the side of crime. In addition, the setting ‘nourishes’ the paradox of people feeling alone and trying desperately ,in the case of the cop that calls every girl from his agenda dating back many years, to find love in a dense inhabited place. That’s actually a timeless perspective around the type of loneliness that has been born under the rise of the modern era.

Chungking Mansions http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24015987, http://vemaybay.vn/diem-den/5-dieu-khong-nenbo-qua-khi-ghe-tham-hong-kong.htm, http://www.adventuresofagoodman.com/wpcontent/themes/goodman/function/imageuploads/

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Another parameter of the mise-en-scene is the stunning appearance of the woman and her stylized performance. The blonde colour of her hair and the haircut with the stylized curls are unusual in comparison with the majority of Chinese women, constructing a layer of mystery around her. Later on, we will understand that the wig was part of her costume as a dealer. When she will shoot, in the finally scene of the first story, the drug boss that is going after her, released from the chains of time and money, she will throw her wig together with the can; Porthos 1 May 1994,that carries the date of her deadline for the mission.

Actually, the concept of time is innovatively illustrated through the prop; an object in the setting that has a function within the ongoing action 5 , of cans and in the case of the cop love appears to have an expiry date in analogy with the pineapple cans.

He Qiwu buys every day of April a can of pineapples, hoping that May will call him back before the first of May and they will be again together. The very nature of her name implies that the script is playing around the idea of time, underlying its importance in modern life and the way it manipulates even abstract powerful concepts such that of love.

5 Film Art: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill, Tenth Edition, 2012,page 117

Returning back to the opening scene, we encounter a series of shots that emphasize the woman’s eccentric costume; the rainy coat, the curly blonde hair, and the vintage oval red sunglasses, attracting the caution of the audience and mythicizing her figure: a point of view (POV) shot from her optical standpoint 6 , a shot from the back as she turns her head suspiciously behind, then a POV shot again until she enters the elevator, a shot from the front in the upper half of her body, a POV shot again and a zooms in from her chest level and above. In another scene, while she is walking in the urban landscape, through the narrative technique of inner monologue, she comments on the uniqueness of her mysterious appearance: Somehow I've become very cautious. When I put on a raincoat, I put on sunglasses too. Who knows when it will rain, or when it will turn out sunny? 7

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The scene stops as the woman enters a room and the curtain falls behind her in a theatrical manner. Now is projected in the screen the title of the film: Chunking Express. Moving to the exterior of the Chungking Mansions, images focusing in the dark cloudy sky and the decaying cement giants seize our attention.

The motion of clouds is probably captured with time-lapse technique. 8 All the shots are presented from low angle and display the shapes of the buildings and aerials as well as the movement of the plants and towels. Moreover, the dark blue palette of the sky provides a gloomy atmosphere that is following a scale reaching its most ominous level as the camera angle moves lower to the bottom.

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6 Film Art: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill, Tenth Edition, 2012,page 90 7 Chungking Express, Wong Kar-wai, Brigitte Lin,Tony Leung Chiu-Wai,Faye Wong,Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jet Tone Production,1994,online DVD: source Popcorn Time 8 Film Art: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill, Tenth Edition, 2012

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https://worksthatwork.com/2/chungkingmansions

In this point, the narrator becomes a character, the cop He Qiwu (first person narrative, subjective): You past so many people every day. Some you may never know anything about, but others might become your friend someday, I am a cop. My name is He Qiwu and 223 is my badge number. 9 Both the inner monologues of the woman and cop, belong to what is defined as ‘the stream of consciousness’. He Qiwu is trying to catch the criminal he had arrested but escaped and stumbles upon the woman. A shot presenting a clock in an office follows: 28 April Fri 8.59, then 9.00 p.m., accompanied by the narrative voice stating: That was the closest we ever got— just 00.1 cm between us. In this point the image freezes and the voice continues : fifty -seven hours later, I fell in love with this woman. 10 0:2:08(Popcorn Time)

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To sum up, this scene offers the exposition of the film’s first story in which characters, setting and tone are established .The actions taking place are cause and effect outlined, as two people happen to be in the same place and somehow its of their actions after this random encounter, will force them to meet again in a bar and then tear apart after a presentenced date. In my opinion, the story does not present an unsuccessful love event but a random meeting of two people from the opposite poles of the system, being alone and sharing moments that reveal aspects of psychological human behaviour.

9 Chungking Express, Wong Kar-wai, Brigitte Lin,Tony Leung Chiu-Wai,Faye Wong,Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jet Tone Production,1994,online DVD: source Popcorn Time 10 Chungking Express, Wong Kar-wai, Brigitte Lin,Tony Leung Chiu-Wai,Faye Wong,Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jet Tone Production,1994,online DVD: source Popcorn Time

The second story begins when Qiwu visits again his stamping ground where he usually receives his police calls, the snack bar Midnight Express, and talks with the shop owner who suggests him to meet Faye. The self-referential element of the second word of the bar’s name balances the one I’ve already mentioned above and the two together constitute the title of the film. Qiwu exiting the store, stumbles upon Faye. The image freezes and the narrative voice states: That was the closest we ever got—just 00.1 cm between us. I knew nothing about her. Six hours later, she fell in love with another man 11 .Again the precision used to describe time, highlights the intentions of the director to communicate the idea of a time ruled world. Cop 663 is trying to go on after his break up with a flight attendant. One day she leaves an envelope that includes the keys of his apartment to Midnight Express, hoping that the employees will give it to him. Cop 663 dismiss to receive the envelope and Faye, having asked his address, begins to visit secretly his apartment, as she possesses the envelope with the keys.

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A scene that reveals the dynamic aesthetics around of mise-en-scene is the one presenting Faye ’renovating’ Cop’s663 apartment. The camera captures her movement closing the white metallic door of the apartment. Then we see Faye in the shower watering some plants. In this point the director plays with the concept of mise-en-scene and sound, as Faye is lying about being in the market and arguing with her uncle that it is raining. Nevertheless, we are aware that Faye is usually constructing her own reality. Then Faye opens the audio player and the diegetic sound of California Dreamin by the Mamas and The Papas is spread in the room.

This song could be characterised a motif as it is constantly repeated during the second story. It is Faye’s favourite song, the core of her dreams and ironically the song that foreshadows her desire to visit California. The scene continues with Faye playing around the room with the miniature airplane, the same that Cop 663 used to play with together with his ex-girlfriend (as we learn from a flashback). Faye is presented with child-like attitude enjoying diving the plane in the fish tank and hugging the teddy bears. This image recalls Cop 663’s attitude to personify his house objects (the towel, the soap, and the teddy bear) and establish a subtle romantic 1:07:44(Popcorn Time) connection between the two.

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11 Chungking Express, Wong Kar-wai, Brigitte Lin,Tony Leung Chiu-Wai,Faye Wong,Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jet Tone Production,1994,online DVD: source Popcorn Time

Faye is wearing a yellow shirt, a long skirt and pink cleaning gloves that together with the palette of the interior decoration form a unique vintage atmosphere. Neither the background nor character’s appearance is shadowed in neutral tones but they complement each other in a psychedelic colourful combination. The source of bright light that infiltrates the room are the windows. The light is mainly soft and frontal; can be recognised by its tendency to eliminate shadows 12 .Meanwhile Faye passes from the market to check if Cop 663 is still in his position and returns again to the apartment. She is now wearing casual clothes and she fills the tank with fish as well as dances around and finally changes the cans’ labels. She even tries the costume of the flight attendance, offering glimpses of foreshadowing about her, never appearing in the date with Cop663 and flying to California. Another interesting detail about Faye’s appearance is the neutral make up used and her slim eyebrow design that highlight her childish untamed image. Finally Faye’s performance is boosted up by her unique facial childish expressions.

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As it has been outlined above, the unique style and integrated neorealism of Chungking Express is dynamically constructed around its cultural identity and in the same time taking advantage of Hong Kong’s aesthetic dimensions. The breath-taking mise-en-scene builds upon characterization and provides a mysterious vintage mood as well as contributes to convey major ideas about the concepts of love and the definition of going on in the modern world. Chungking express utilizes the widespread images of crime, love and routine to comment upon the deeper purpose of existence and fear of running out of time.

Bibliography Chungking Express, Wong Kar-wai, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jet Tone Production, 1994, online DVD: source Popcorn Time Film Art: An Introduction,New York: McGraw-Hill, Tenth Edition, 2012 'Cinematic Pleasures: Chungking Express', J.D. Lafrance, Erasing Clouds 23,2004 12 Film Art: An Introduction (New York: McGraw-Hill, Tenth Edition, 2012,page 126

Article (BBC News), Helier Cheung, 23 December 2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24015987