The text “Cuts through Hong Kong,” written by Eunice Seng, explores the theme of change and the inevitability of the transient cityscape of Hong Kong in the 1960s and discusses how the ever-changing landscape can be preserved through film, using insights from Wong Kar-Wai’s film “In the Mood for Love.”
The setting of the film was shot at a time when Hong Kong was undergoing major redevelopment, which would entail the removal and disappearance of what makes a space a place. Seng takes the example from the movie “In the Mood of Love” by Wong Kar-Wai, where movie scenes were taken within a hotel room. Wong Kar-Wai mentioned that he wanted to put in every “corridor, […] restaurant, and […] street” from his childhood memory as he knew that sooner or later “it would be […] gone.” (Wong)
Films serve as a medium for preserving memories ranging from people to places. Attending to the spatial details of a place not only facilitates more immersive viewing experiences, but it also enables viewers to foster a deeper and more intellectual connection with the movie. This investigation digs into the complex relationship between cinematic representation, memory preservation, and the cultural relevance of shifting urban environments.
Ching Hau Sik Monique
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You identified “change” and “transient cityscape” as key themes to discuss the reading. In your last paragraph, you discuss the spatial details. Could you explain further how the films represent these details to facilitate the viewer’s experience with a few references based on your reading?