Seng, Eunice (2021) The article discussed a movie filmed in 2000, In the Mood of Love, from a unique perspective of the time and space that brought up the story. Hong Kong’s appearance in the last century was pivotal to the development of the plot, while the movie also becomes an album of the places that only exist in memory.
Just as Director Wong mentioned, he wanted to document Hong Kong from the past, although some shots were done in time, more are already demolished in Hong Kong. For this reason, some scenes are shot in Bangkok, which was a regrettable compromise. As a background, the environment is always dull, colourless and motionless, in contrast to the protagonists that constantly change in the film. Wong’s camera roams through the scene, forming a collage of different places with absolute freedom. It also travels through time, as we can tell from the clothing of the characters, so the story progresses without the slightest hesitation. A sense of intimacy in the city naturally arises from its rain, flicker of lights and the blatantly explored private spaces. From some shots, we see that the living environment of the two protagonists is mirrored, the coincidental physical symmetry suggests a correspondence between the two in their feelings and situations.
The movie is a story between the two protagonists, also a snapshot of Hong Kong from another era. In spite of the moving and the still the movie delivers, as viewers today, we might feel the opposite: the city is now different, but the feelings remain unchanged.
—— Zhang Suo 3036100533
Seng, Eunice. Cuts through Hong Kong: the spatial collage of In the Mood for Love. The Architectural Review (2021).
I appreciate that you have comprehensively summarized the text. However, I find a few inconsistencies in your writing that need more clarity. For example, in your last statement, it is unclear how the city differs, and the emotion remains the same. You also mention the dull and motionless environment and the constantly changing protagonist without any explanation or examples. Could you please discuss them for clarity?