The chapter in Urban Cinema and the Cultural Identity of Hong Kong depicts how Hong Kong has been in a certain sense of ambivalence, including the inequalities between rich and poor and the opposition between city and country. The formation of Hong Kong culture has also been complicated, both foreign and traditional Chinese cultures were presented. Films act as a medium to present this characteristic of Hong Kong where the colony identity indicates Hong Kong as an “urban city” and the mother country China is defined as a “rural country”, at the same time, some movies imply a denial of a Hong Kong cultural identity independent from that of China. A majority of movies in the 1960s used a variety of skills, such as montage, to emphasize the contrast between high and low, indicating the conflicts of this city. The scenes in several movies revealed Hong Kong as a transitional society, where industrialization and modernization were rapidly occurring. With beautiful neon lights and skyscrapers, these shots depict a glamorous city. However, in films such as Kaleidoscope, urban space was negatively presented, emphasizing the unfavorable living conditions in Hong Kong. Thus, a contrast was made between the appearance of a modern city and the dark sides hidden under the cover of this beautiful appearance.
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A comprehensive response. Able to identify and interpret the critical concepts introduced. It would be great if more of your own ideas can be shared, for example, do you think the camera language (montage, filming high and low) in the films in 1960s adopted the techniques well in illustrating the conflicts in HK was a good approach? Remember it is important to include more individual points of view in any reading responses.