The cinematography in Wong Kar Wai's films 王家卫电影的摄影手法Studied & Written By Miharu Yong

This study situates a sequence analysis within the cinematography work on Wong Kar Wai’s films. Cinematograph is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for the cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography. Many additional issues arise when both the camera and elements of the scene may be in motion, though this also greatly increases the possibilities at the same time. Since Wong is undeniably an auteur of striking and salient cinema, standing apart from much mainstream Asian films ,thus we wish to understand the possibilities inevitably requires the cinematography’s wisdom of the nature of the decisions taken , and the way the effects are achieved in Wong’s film.

In Wong’s Films, mise-en-scene is not a coordinated by traditional rules. Space cannot be viewed simply as physical space to be organized for the camera. Objects & actors are not placed within a preconceived staging (Mise-en-scene theory & auteurism fomarlism) but the elements of mise-en-scene are improvised and mobilized in fluid relationship with each other. (John & Douglas 2005)

The camera often lingers over the actors’ bodies and the texture of flesh and clothing. In Happy Together, there is apparent pleasure in this mobile micro-geography and surfeit of surface texture ,where the particular rhytm ,presence and identity of characters can be found and they will become as a metaphor .( filmic metaphor under formalism)(Doyle 2002)

In the Mood for Love, Wong's highly stylized camerawork serves as a visual foil to the chaos of the meticulously structured mise-en-scene: the crowded living conditions, overly familiar neighbors, and imposing, uninvited guests reflect the claustrophobic, intrusive nature of traditional society. In contrast, the suffused colors of the empty restaurant and the long, reverse tracking shot of the hallway leading to Mo-Wan's creative retreat reflect the uninhibited freedom of their surfacing emotions. He consistently employs a signature ‘parallelling’ ( parallelism) ,repeating ( repition) and ‘intersecting’ ( flash back& flash forward )rhetoric in which his characters arbitrarily cross paths.(Jean & Jimmy 2001 )

In details:
As with Wong’s other films such as Chungking Express, Days of Being Wild, Happy Together and Fallen Angels, In the Mood for Love dictates the arbitrary nature of romance and the notion of the ‘missed moment’. In fact, the permeating concept of the ‘moment’ is a crucial component of Wong’s oeuvre. He consistently employs a signature ‘parallelling’ and ‘intersecting’ rhetoric in which his characters arbitrarily cross paths. Wong’s protagonists are most often revealed to be a set of individuals existing within the visual array of urbanity. As in Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express and Fallen Angels, Hong Kong provides the ideal setting for this exposition of human contact within a buzzing cosmopolitan city that is both vibrant and brash. Wong successfully grants introspective gazes at his characters (usually in sets of twos), exploring their insecurities, personal motives and ultimately the random nature of relationships.


SPECIAL THANKS :
My Film shifu Edmund Yeo ,
Emo Monk Ganesh Prasad ,
Pretty sweetyJayne Leh Wah
for helping me to solve my difficulties in doing this study. ^ ^~~

Although i cannt totally sure that my study is correct but at least it could be a reference for our junior (Film studies=learn to appreciate & criticise people's piece of master hehe~) ,kindly welcome any comment regard my study or my english grammar hahahaha~


Reference List

Doyle Christopher (2002)”Taped interview and conversations at camerimage
Festival , Lodz, Poland” ( Dec 1.) .

Jean-Marc Lalanne and Jimmy Ngai ( 2001) Hwa Yan Nian Hua 2000
Retrieved Febrary19 ,2008 from http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/wong.html#2046

John Gibbs and Douglas Pye ( 2005) Style and Meaning: Studies in the Detailed Analysis of
Film,Manchester : University of Reading Dept. of Film, Theatre & Television.p.196