From the extra knowledge I learned, in the early 1980s, due to the influence of Hong Kong’s “New Wave” reform and innovation, Hong Kong horror films began to learn from and use foreign culture for innovation and breakthrough, forming a “new wave” of horror films different from the traditional. By setting up a closed and depressed environment in the film, the directors render bloody and violent pictures, depict universal characters and use close-up shots, making the “New Wave” horror films at this time show prominent “cosmopolitan” characteristics in the artistic style. In the mid-1980s, Hong Kong people’s psychological demands for self-cultural identity construction gradually increased, and Hong Kong horror films began to strengthen their local consciousness. In this kind of film, the director uses metaphorical expression and direct description to show the characteristics of Hong Kong in the story environment, reflecting the distinct “Hong Kong” characteristics. Before the handover in 1997, the anxiety of Hong Kong residents became evident because of the extreme changes in the original social environment. The frequent appearance of barbed wire in the film Made in Hong Kong is a metaphor for Hong Kong people whose freedom will soon be taken away after the handover to China. It also says something about Hong Kong’s cultural and political character.
Comprehensive self-reflection expressed in your response. Your analysis of how the people of HK were eager in searching for local consciousness and cultural identity is well-elaborated. I recommend more credits to the readings as this assignment is a ‘reading response’ so have to reference to readings more extensively.