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It seems almost unimportant – same setting, same uniform, and same gestures. This mutability of the characters is projected through the transition shots of 223 to 633’s lives. The physical blurring trough steam or rain obstructs us from their emotions and faces which emphasizes the anonymity in such a densely populated space. For example, the use of reflections or blurring of the characters helps to achieve of a sense of loss of identity. Throughout the movie, there is a clear stylisation. This could be a reference to how consumerism and colonialism has tainted Hong Kong – therefore it’s represented through criminal activity rather than in a good light. We can see this in the drug smuggling montage, in which cheap consumer goods and tailoring for which Hong Kong is famous for is used to smuggle drugs – Hong Kong’s history with drugs is bloody and a stain on China’s history (The Opium Wars in the 19 th century resulted in Hong Kong being taken by the British). This could be allegorical to Hong Kong being forcefully appropriated by Britain in the 18 th century, but also on how American culture dominates every space – therefore resulting in a loss of original culture.
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In the closing sequence, the Americanised bar is full of western elements such as rolled up checkered shirts and American beer. Fast food represents quick gratification with little real outcome – similar to 633’s unwillingness to read letters. For example, the McDonald’s logo is purposely dominating the background in the opening scene and dollars are used everywhere, projecting a sense of forced westernism and consumerism. Although we can see the multiculturism, there is also a sense of a globalised culture. This is similar to the sense of alienation that Hong Kong encountered during the transition, as it had developed into its own microcosm of many cultures. Hence the scenes such as 633 talking to stuffed animals rather than humans or Fay’s relationship through 633 space rather than the real him. Wong really explored the idea that as a human is surrounded by more humans, they learn to isolate themselves. The multiple use of the song California Dreamin’ by The Mamas and Papas re-enforces this. Wong uses the absence of the sky to create a magnification effect into the lives of our characters, he portrays California as an almost mystical place. This is quite similar to the use of imagery in the 2005 Thank You For Smoking in which cigarettes are a key theme to the movie, yet we never see any cigarettes or smoking throughout the entire film – this further focuses us on the issues and characters rather than the object of conversation themselves. In my opinion, the absence of the sky further delves us into the quilt of muliculturism that is Hong Kong by instead focusing on the streets – hence the title Chungking Express (Chungking Mansions is a working class building development, whilst Express gives us the idea of the frenetic urban lifestyle). It could symbolise the intense urbanisation of Hong Kong, or portray a stereotypical mind-set in some Asian cultures which is similar to always looking down and following specific laid out paths. The sense of suffocation in the mass of urban life is portrayed cleverly through Kar Wai Wong’s cinematography- he only shows us the sky twice during the whole movie. The use of quick jump cuts and the in media res puts us straight into the action, giving us a sense of urgency and a fragmented feel – maybe showing us how Hong Kong’s culture is a bricolage of eclectic fragments. The looming date of the transition can also be seen as allegorical for the 1 st of May which is used in the film as a sort of countdown date. The sense of uncertainty taints the film’s ideas, because Hong Kong had developed a parallel culture to China, there was a feeling of insecurity into being merged together. The theme of time is important throughout the film, in a historical context, it was shot during the period of transition of Hong Kong from a British to a Chinese colony. Characters reference daydreaming or sleepwalking, giving us a sense of a suspension into time. In the first few minutes, we see Hong Kong as a liminal space, into which there is no sense of time. The naturalistic lighting immerses us into the world of Hong Kong, which entraps the viewer into a sense of a microcosmic society. The impending and dramatic Baroque by Michael Galasso sets a dark tone as the non-diegetic score, bringing a sense of foreboding and intense energy. The opening sequence is an important counterpoint to the closing ten minutes. Chungking Express explores many key themes and ideas in relation to the story arch of the characters, the ambiguous setting of Hong Kong as an omnipresent force and its aesthetic.