Research on Wong Kar Wai films and social context.

Hong kong new wave notes.

Social context.

The rise of Hong Kong new wave cinema - https://gbtimes.com/rise-hong-kong-new-wave-cinema

Hong Kong second wave cinema : Wong Kar Wai - https://ttruong16.wordpress.com

Hong Kong new wave cinema 1978 - 2000 Journal - https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tezz-YTGJ00C&pg=PA54&lpg=PA54&dq=characteristics+of+hong+kong+new+wave&source=bl&ots=Fo8Q0vzUB_&sig=KpG1IYK6ckXAjRuDxc0BijXzGCU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjbuuv2w93dAhVOOMAKHZi5AhI4FBDoATAIegQIBBAB#v=onepage&q=characteristics%20of%20hong%20kong%20new%20wave&f=false -  hong kong new wave cinema 1978-200

The Hong Kong second wave iMDb - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls063474817/

Hong Kong new wave cinema? ten years and more indies challenging China - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hong-kong-new-wave-cinema-894132

The Mecca of the Hong kong new wave - https://medium.com/dccff/rthk-the-mecca-of-the-hong-kong-new-wave-6032be0b78b5

At full speed, Hong Kong cinema in a borderless world - http://concept-script.com/essays/HectorRodriguezNewWave.pdf

Britain agrees to return Hong Kong to China - HISTORY - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/britain-agrees-to-return-hong-kong-to-china

Chungking Express - https://www.theguardian.com/film/1995/sep/14/1

Hong Kongs handover : How the UK returned it to China - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-40426827

Everyone if feeling more despair - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-01/21-years-on-after-hong-kong-handover-to-china/9918508

Once a model city -https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/29/world/asia/hong-kong-china-handover.html

A lease none thoughtwould run out https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a-lease-no-one-thought-would-run-out-1281384.html

Hong Kong during the 1990s - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6221864.stm

Hong Kong Government and society -  https://www.britannica.com/place/Hong-Kong/Government-and-society#ref11631

The history of Hong Kong action cinema Pt.4 1960 - 1980 - https://www.filminquiry.com/history-hong-kong-action-cinema-4/

Thousands protest in Hong Kong - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/01/world/asia/hong-kong-march-handover.html

Uncertanty of Hong Kong hand over https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/twenty-years-on-uncertainty-lingers-over-hong-kong-handover-1.3142273

Spatial intimacies: negotiating place in four films by Wong Kar Wai - https://api.research-repository.uwa.edu.au/portalfiles/portal/4729885/Van_de_Welde_Danica_2011_2.pdf

The cinema of Wong Kar Wai - https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wiy4gm2kxv0C&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=wong+kar+wai+fallen+angels+social+context&source=bl&ots=aWrcWQlVJz&sig=6oypua5xsYVA1pzROxhLDBsNn3k&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjDnPvU0I3eAhXkBsAKHYw5AGc4ChDoATAIegQIAhAB#v=onepage&q=wong%20kar%20wai%20fallen%20angels%20social%20context&f=false

In the mood for love - http://sensesofcinema.com/2010/cteq/in-the-mood-for-love/

Song and vision - https://film.avclub.com/song-and-vision-no-5-california-dreamin-and-chungki-1798217949

Hong Kong in charts - https://www.ft.com/content/7e2422b8-5bb1-11e7-9bc8-8055f264aa8b

Film 1 - Chungking express

Chunking express -  https://www.theguardian.com/film/1995/sep/14/1

• Westernised music, California Dreaming, show how Hong Kong is becoming more global and how it interacts with the rest of the world and doesn't fully conform to Chinese customs. 
• Fast paced tracking shot of He Zhiwu with high motion blur to emphasise the fast paced city life of Hong Kong and how things that happen may occur in a blur, this is where he first brushes past the Woman in the blonde wig, never know who you're going to meet. Time is moving fast in the run up to rule going to China 
• Close up on clock when He Zhiwu calls May, connotations of time running out, limited time with people in this continually running and moving city, growing ever closer to the rule of Hong Kong being handed over to China, feel as though time is running out.
• Password is 'Love you a million years' is love supposed to be the only thing that lasts in this city? But this particular love between He Zhiwu is running out and expiring, nothing remains, password is ironic. 
• He Zhiwu phoning multiple people to come see a movie with him and is constantly rejected, he has a constant need for company/ companionship in this quick stop city where nothing remains as its constantly moving, feels lonely and isolated, the shots become more dutch with every phone call, along with the lighting becoming more and more low key, his posture becoming more slouched and finally leaving the phone hanging, connotations of love fading and becoming more and more negative and tiring, the hope of love is hanging by a thread represented by the phone being a metaphor for this as its hanging by a wire. 
• CCalifornia Dreaming lyrics 'And the sky is grey' connotations of the dim hopelessness of the city, longing to be somewhere better, to move away from the isolation, in this time many started moving away from Hong Kong during the process of rule going back to China. 
• When Faye breaks into Cop 663s flat to clean the audience later sees that he doesn't notice the change in his own home which could be representing mens ignorance or the fact that he doesn't want to address the change in his home as so much is already changing around him.  
• Later the audience sees Cop 633 cleaning his flat after he says 'I gave my place a thorough cleaning that afternoon' in the non diegetic dialogue where he packs up his ex partners stuff into a box but still keeps the boxes storing them which could represent him trying to move on but still holding onto the past.  
• Obsessed with cans of pineapple with the expiration date of May 1st suggesting that everything has an expiration date as the can is supposed to represent his love with his ex partner may coming to an end.

Film 2 - Fallen Angels

Appreciation: Wong Kar Wais Fallen Angels - https://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/appreciation-fallen-angels-directed-by-wong-karwai

• every scene is shot a night and most often in low key lighting, represents mystery of the future, fear of the unknown of what will happen when rule is handed over, connotations of isolation, loneliness and being alone in the dark 
•  Close up of TV that reads 'There is a difference' which could either be referencing the difference between the rule of the UK and the rule of China, or it could be referencing new wave films focusing on change, time, relationships and time and the difference it has to older more traditional films such as the traditional martial arts films. 

• Later the Hitman runs into a old class mate on a bus shown in a mid shot during this scene in the non diegetic dialouge he says 'everyone has a past' . Even in this ever changing seemingly one stop city people are always being reminded of the past regardless of if they want to or not. The past of  how things used to be before rule was decided to change. 
• A long shot soon after shows the killers agent sat alone at a bar which is primarily dominated by red lighting, in this she says in the non diegetic dialouge 'I always sit in the same table he sat at, makes me feel close to him' which can emphasise the loneliness people feel and their constant longing to be close to someone, to have company that will not leave, that will remain forever, 
• The audience also later sees the character He Qiwu saying in the non diegetic dialouge 'After eating an expired can of pineapples when I was five I never spoke again' which explicitly explains to the audience that things come to an end, that everything has an expiry date like his voice. 
• Panning shot in McDonald's of the Hitman looking around shows that the restaurant is empty which connotes the characters loneliness and that even though this is a big growing city people are still left alone, seemingly forgotten about in the chaos. 

Film 3 - In the mood for love 

• My favourite film - https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2011/dec/19/in-the-mood-for-love
•  A big part of In the mood for Love's cinematogprahy is the use of double framing, gives the audience a sense of isolation and entrapment that the characters may be feeling due to not having as much contact with either their wife or husband. 
• Another major iconic part of the film is the fact that the audience never sees the two min characters partners which connotes a sense of unease, uncertain and confusion as to who they are. May link to the unease and confusion experienced by the Hong Kong public before an during the handover. 
• There are also many shots that have a clock as apart of the mise-en-scene as well as a close up of a clock when jumping to Su Li-zhen's work office. Yet again a reference to time moving and and could even signify the importance of time moving on and changing during the handover and how only time will tell how well the handover will work.