The idea of the generic city is somehow similar to that of the cyber city: A highly interconnected community due to technological advancement, resulting in homogeneity. No matter their color and fabric, cheongsam is still cheongsam.
They are both inspired by the rapid development of Asian cities which I live in. Long before reading this book, I have already realized this trend that globalization makes these cities become the extension of each other, not only spatially but also culturally. They are also reflected in recent films, for example, obviously in the Hollywood blockbuster, which leads to my aesthetic fatigue. In fact, lack of cultural identity is a prevalent problem among young generations in Southern China after the Open and Reform Policy. Sadly, there seems to have less and less film to unveil the city.
Why do you think Su Lizhen never wears clothes other than Cheongsam in In The Mood For Love? How did it connect the film yet distinguish the scenes? Similar to cities nowadays, what is the ‘Cheongsam’ of cities? Chinese cultures? Chinese cultures have definitely localized and evolved in different parts of the world. I wish that you could elaborate your thoughts on the lack of cultural identity in Southern China. You may want to draw examples from films to support the statement? In fact, I am less pessimistic. I feel that these phenomena of homogeneity do rings some alerts but I guess there is always something cultural agents (us) can do to re-discover cultures through media like film.