ROUGE, Kwan Kam Peng (1988)
Yi Honglou, Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong
The film I choose is’ Rouge ‘, created by Li Bihua and directed by Kwan Kam Peng. The film mainly tells the story of Shek Tong Tsui prostitute “Ru Hua” and Chen Zhenbang’s love was opposed by Chen Zhenbang’s family, and eventually the two people swallowed opium . The place I chose was Shek Tong Tsui. This place is the place where Ru Hua and Chen Zhenbang meet and love each other, and also promote the development of this tragic story.
The film begins when they meet at the “Yi Honglou” in Shek Tong Tsui. In the movie, the color of the whole building is mainly composed of red, green, and black. The floor is covered with red carpets, and the wall decorations are mostly classical in style. In addition, golden decorative elements are incorporated. This chiaroscuro color style gives people a sense of safety and comfort. And the splendid decoration can also make clients enjoy social activities. In such a lavish environment, Chen Zhenbang was attracted by Ru Hua, who was dressed as a man and sang opera, and the two fell in love. When Ru Hua became a ghost and returned to Shek Tong Tsui, both Shek Tong Tsui and Yi Honglou were no longer places in Ru Hua’s memory. At this time, Yi Honglou has become a kindergarten. This kindergarten has lost the bright and glamorous of Yi Honglou, and its orange walls have no superfluous decoration, but only written words related to education. The stark contrast between the simple kindergarten and the extravagant Yi Honglou suggests that as time goes by, the buildings will change and so do the people. This also paved the way for Ruhua and Chen Zhenbang to never return to the past.
Shek Tong Tsui used to be an adult business district in reality. In 1904, the 13th Governor of Hong Kong, Nathan, arrived in Hong Kong just as the brothels in Sheung Wan Shui Hung Hau Street were burned to the ground. He ordered all brothels to be relocated to Shek Tong Tsui to exploit the area through the sex industry. In addition, the Taiping Theatre, which Ru Hua mentioned in the film that she often goes to, is also located in Shek Tong Tsui. Compared with the past Shek Tong Tsui, the current Shek Tong Tsui is no longer feasting and revelry, but full of life. The streets are full of shops, and people pass through the streets to start a busy life.
The director set the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine in Yi Honglou in Shek Tong Tsui, in order to break the secular concept and show that brothel can also have the most faithful love, because it is brothel woman’s love, so this kind of love is more difficult to realize and adhere to. In addition, the comparison between the original Shek Tong Tsui and the Shek Tong Tsui after the death of Ru Hua also shows that love will change over time, and examines love and human selfishness from a critical perspective.
—Huang Shiyu, 3035854541
I appreciate how you attempted to analyse the space in the film and connect the change in space within it to its plot and themes. While you made some references to Shek Tong Tsui in reality and its historical development, it is unclear if you had conducted a virtual fieldwork to collect visual or textual materials. For example, present-day images of the site taken from a similar angle to the stills you selected will help you make a more direct comparison. You should also cite any information used in the proper format.