Synopsis:
Tales from the Dark part 1 is a 2013 Hong Kong portmanteau horror film directed by Simon Yam, Lee Chi-ngai and Fruit Chan. The film is separated into three stories, each based on a short story written by famous horror fiction author Lilian Lee. Despite being a horror-based film, the directors aim to disclose the contemporary social issues in HK through the use of cinematic lens, including issues of poverty, housing, social and cultural identity etc. They hope to prove that these problems exist in society and should not be overlooked. The movie also shows the different faces of Hong Kong as a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, its relationship with the old and new, as well as Chinese and Western elements, which serve as sets of contrasts to present an authentic city and urban environment of 2013 Hong Kong to audiences.
Script:
LF: Good evening fellas, welcome to our show, the CCHU9034 Architecture and Film Podcast. In this show, we will analyze the relationships between urban spaces and architectures shown in Hong Kong films for you! I am Lai Fai, Thomas!
ZRZ: And I am Zhu Runze, Leon!
ZRZ: Hey! Thomas, are you fond of watching Hong Kong horror films?
LF: Not Really? Why do you say so?
ZRZ: HAHA! Because today we will talk about Tales from the Dark part 1, a 2013 Hong Kong horror film directed by Simon Yam, Lee Chi-ngai, and Fruit Chan respectively. The film is separated into three stories, each based on a short story written by Lilian Lee. Without further ado, three, two, one, action!!
~Music~
LF: In the first few minutes of the first story, the camera focuses on a girl ghost in a white dress running late at night across streets of Central, where we later discover it as part of the areas in Wellington Street and Gage Street. The camera enables us to take a quick glimpse of the sequence and type of shops in the area, such as the Emperor Financial Service Group, Cha Chaan Teng, Hong Fa hardware store, and massage shop. It brings out the mixed land use and fusion of Chinese and Western cultures in the area.
ZRZ: It is also worth mentioning the use of a blue tone to shape the ghastly atmosphere. Furthermore, as the main street of the area, Wellington Street converges into various sub-streets. Metaphorically speaking, Wellington Street acts like a tree trunk, branching into a network of tree branches, the sub-streets. The sub-streets are diverse, depending on the usage by the residents in that area. During our field trip, the majority of sub-streets contribute to back alleys that are often depicted as sites of unknown and unexpected dangers, where people often smuggle and smoke. They are similar in having dark, messy and cramped environments. This further increases the complexity and tension of the area.
LF: Well said. In the movie, there is a scene where the ghost of an old lady is standing in a shabby and narrow back alley, throwing a scissor at the girl ghost while tailoring Chinese clothing with a western tailoring machine. This not only emphasizes the danger of the back alley but also reinforces the idea of cultural integration in the Central area.
ZRZ: Following the plot, the living environment of the main protagonist, Kwan, is brought forward to our eyes. From his monologue, we learn that he lives in typical Hong Kong subdivided flats named “Coffin Residence”. As the name implies, the living environment is crowded and cramped, with appalling hygiene conditions. The room set-up gives us an uneven and messy sense, with things scattered everywhere on the floor or piled together in an irregular manner. The visual of Kwan’s poor living environment reflects the low social status of the grassroots and underprivileged. Another interesting point we discovered is that through the corridor distance of an estimated 5 steps when Kwan moved from his room to the public washroom, we can further understand the clustered and packed spatial structure of the subdivided flat.
LF: In the next scene, when Kwan is fired by the manager at the construction site, a low angle shot is used to focus on the high rise buildings under construction, satirizing that the building he helped to build is an impossible goal for him as a construction worker to purchase. A montage on an extension line of traffic warning lamps on traffic barriers is used here, signifying Kwan’s endless desperation, while showing the housing problem and employment difficulties in Hong Kong.
ZRZ: Moreover, the $4.5 bread bought by Kwan in the bakery gives us an authentic peek at the financial hardships grassroots citizens face in Hong Kong. Days later, the bread price is inflated to $6.5, reflecting the ever-changing economic environment of Hong Kong. Bakery shops as small operating businesses must raise their commodity prices to sustain their living. However, the traditional Cha Chaan Tengs along Gage Street where Kwan first worked and the fat ghost appeared in the movie are now shut down and turned into a construction area in reality based on our visits. Under re-urbanization, traditional stores with small capital become marginalized and gradually fade out.
LF: Yes. This changes the socio-economic relationship in the area, in which the disappearance of these traditional Chinese businesses brings away the original economic circle and neighborhood connection of the old days featured in the movie. The replacement of Western architecture and cultures, such as bars, restaurants, nightlife and clubbing cultures, brings in a new socio-economic function in the area.
ZRZ: I can’t agree with you more. The bringing in of a new socio-economic function in an area by the influence of architectures and cultures is also shown in the third story.
LF: Do you mean the space under Canal Road Flyover?
ZRZ: Yes! But before that, let me describe the surrounding environment briefly. In the movie, there is a change of shots from the preserved and old areas of Wan Chai district such as xiu mei shops to the modernized view of the district such as highways etc. The use of macro and bird’s-eye-view shots shows the high transport accessibility and the quirky contrast of Wan Chai district’s old and new areas, where both the urbanized and decayed exist.
LF: Splendid observation! The intersection of roads and pedestrian crossings within Canal Road Flyover also reflects the mobility around the area, with a mix of people passing by the area from different social and cultural backgrounds, such as businessmen, students, tourists etc. The area is also surrounded by a modernized urban environment such as shopping malls, banks and bus stops etc. Both create a crowded ambience and increase the complexity of the place. Nevertheless, the space is located under the bridge and is surrounded by fences, cultivating a specific area for “villain hitting”, which preserves its own history and pace. Thus, the mobility of pedestrians and the urban environment nearby could not interrupt this particular space.
ZRZ: Indeed! However, it is ironic in a sense that the culture of “villain hitting” turned from a preserved cultural practice to a type of commercialized service industry, as shown in the movie when the “Villain hitter” bargains on the pay for one service. I also find a power relationship within space. In the movie, there is a power interruption from the Police Force. The established authority and control of the area by the social circle of “Villain hitters” are easily interrupted by governmental forces, despite the existence of the fences that are set as a strong boundary to separate the inside and outside of the area.
LF: Hey Leon! There are actually a set of contrasts on power relationships within space presented in the movie. In the relationship between the rich woman and “Villain-hitter” in the underbridge area of Canal Road Flyover, we could observe the rich woman is more powerful with a high-angle shot, requesting “Villain-hitter” in a low-angle shot to upgrade her service. In contrast with the scene in the massage shop, the massage staff is more powerful with a high-angle shot to serve the customer, who is more passive during massage with a low-angle shot.
ZRZ: Wooo that’s an interesting relationship discovered! That’s why I believe movies are interrelated and deeply influenced by the contemporary urban environment. Throughout the three stories of the movie, we are able to catch an authentic urban experience of the protagonists and their relationship with the surrounding space, that is, how such space serves as a medium of interaction that influences the culture and living standard of people within the space in the movie and reality. I guess this is the end of our podcast tonight.
LF: Thank you for listening.
ZRZ: And stay tuned for our next episode.
TGT: BYE!
Lai Fai (3035989279) and Zhu Runze (3036075130)
There is good analysis on the maze-like quality of streets in Hong Kong and the intersectional urbanism of the city. I appreciated the dissection of certain shots and where the camera is placed and how it conveys the hybridity and constantly mobile nature of Hong Kong. There is a dynamic selection of shots with interesting mise-en-scene. I really appreciated your energetic dialogue; it was engaging and enjoyable to listen to. A clearer structure for the podcast overall will improve the clarity, perhaps could be guided by thematic concerns of the movie instead of just collections of different scenes.