Wong Kar-wai is often called the “solitary philosopher.”Karen Seto / Wikimedia Commons / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
One Tuesday a few years ago, I found myself living in Wong Kar-wai’s world, a world filled with lonely people yearning for love, friendship and nostalgia. These emotions and countless others that relate to ordinary people have been expressed by Kar-wai throughout his career. Known as the “philosopher of solitude,” the Hong Kong director has been praised by film fans as well as renowned filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino.
But why are Kar-wai’s films so beloved around the world?
“Wong portrays love as the most important thing in life.”
The Hong Kong New Wave films of the 1980s were very different from the usual Hong Kong cinema, which was dominated by kung fu action blockbusters and crime thrillers starring big name stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. This New Wave included much more human and universal themes such as depression, heartbreak and feeling alienated in your own home. Kar-wai was at the forefront of this movement, gaining fame for his distinctive cinematography, poetic tales of love and loss and his commitment to the 20th century pop cinema movement, all set against a backdrop of Jackie Chan’s brutal karate moves.
One of the defining features of Wong Kar-wai’s work is his cinematography. Alongside director Christopher Doyle, Kar-wai has developed a truly unique visual style. With disruptive camerawork and vibrant colours of neon greens, yellows and reds, Wong expertly develops storylines that are usually non-linear. Wong often downplays the role of dialogue in his films (they are often unscripted, allowing the actors to improvise), instead visually expressing his characters’ inner thoughts and innermost feelings through his choice of colours. Blues accentuate the melancholy of life, reds suggest passion and longing, and neon greens evoke the nostalgia and loneliness of everyday urban life.
“His films transform the repeated depiction of life into a poetic dance.”
The most quoted monologue in Wong’s films is narrated by Ho Chi-woo. Chongqing ExpressA lonely police officer gets a call on his birthday from the woman he will never forget. Twelfth NightIn an almost bard-like moment (echoing Orsino’s opening speech), he laments, clutching a can of pineapple: “If memories could be canned, would they have a shelf life? If so, I hope they last for centuries.” Not only is this quote pinned to every “New Wave Hong Kong” Pinterest board in existence, it perfectly sums up what Wong so eloquently portrays in his films. Wong tells the stories of pedestrians: people walking down the street, people waiting patiently in line at the supermarket. His films transform the repetitive depiction of life into a poetic dance. His use of the same actors (Tony Leung, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro) in many of his films helps to emphasize the monotony of life, because not only are his characters watching the same people, but so is the audience.
But despite the loneliness and melancholy, Wong portrays love as the most important thing in life, and his film exudes warmth and comfort, underscoring its weight with pensive gazes, quick camera shots and soundtrack choices.
Hong Kong is as much a recurring character in his films as the actors themselves. His films are beloved at home and abroad for their effortless depiction of people trying to carve out a place for themselves amid the hustle and bustle of the neon city. Wong and Doyle capture the heart of Hong Kong and always manage to visually transport the audience into the hustle and bustle of the city centre. “Every day we pass so many people, some we’ll never meet, some who might become close friends.”Chongqing Express). That’s big city life…
Wong Kar-wai once said, “Film was a dream… something I wanted to explore,” and he has created his masterpieces with exactly that in mind. Chungking Express, Tears of an Angel, The Mood for Love and Happy together Wong’s films (to name just a few) present contemporary issues in vivid yet familiar landscapes, giving the audience a chance to reflect on their lives. Wong makes films for those who wonder if they are in the right place, for those who feel the monotony of life, and above all, for those who crave love in the city. Although Wong’s films rarely have happy endings, we hope the memories you make from watching them will last forever.