Selected Film: Vampire Cleanup Department (2017) by Anthony Yan
Site: Tai Wo Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
This film tells a story about imaginary zombie events happens in urban city. The scene was set in Hong Kong in 21st century in Wan Chai, when zombie activities were secretly monitored and controlled by a group of special operation organization. This group of people disguised themselves as cleaners in the city. In this story, the male lead is a new member to join the team, and later he fell in love with a female zombie. This kind of love was opposed by other members. In the end, the female zombie died for the male lead.
The first and most direct topic in the film is about the urban environment in Hong Kong. In the film, it shows varies kinds of built environment in Wan Chai, including long dark alley between two high-rise buildings, tiny housing, grand and bright shopping mall, beautiful coast and so on. These scenes are representing two distinct living conditions in Hong Kong under the current economic situation that a huge wealth gap occurs between the rich and the poor. In this story, cleaners live in dump stations, which is based on the reality. There was a sentence going by the male lead: “I feel like I had become a big rubbish.” The cleaners eat in front of rubbish and create a corner with a sense of domesticity. It is depressed when a group of people work in the ugliest side of the city and themselves became part of it.
The basement situating under the dump station, stores tools and books for fighting against the zombies. Also, it is the place where the special operation team hold meetings and practice fighting skills as well as burning the dead bodies of zombies. Everything regards zombie was hidden underground in the tiny space. It is also illustrating the social economic condition of the low-income class, who contributes the most essential part of the city development but was hidden behind the grand surface of the city, not only the cleaner, but also the construction workers and other grassroot working-class.
Regards the photography technique, the film is representing whole story in a way that is close to the reality. The film, in the end tells that this is just a dream of the male lead, which introduce a spirit of modern loneliness. Maybe it is a coincidence, or it was the director that intended to show the only sad scene in a bright and grand shopping mall with the most beautiful video effects, while the sweet and homey moments only take place in the tiny dark house or next to dustbins. By setting the film as a daydream of a person living in urban city, we could almost hear a shout from the deep. There are too many restrictions in the city and almost everywhere. The grand shopping mall with a high courtyard in the middle that traps people in the deep bottom. If we want to go somewhere, we need to wait for traffic signals, or the route is restricted by barriers all alone the sides. The city is far from “walkable”.
The zombies’ desire to go outsides from underground, is similar to the working class’s wish to escape from the highly restricted city and boring life. Maybe the only way to reach that goal is by a daydream.
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You have analyzed a few scenes from the movie with some reference to film techniques. Yet your virtual field trip materials are rather limited to contrast the scenes with Wan Chai in reality. You may also utilize concepts like contrast to further elaborate your point as well.