Wong Kar-Wais Relationship with Genre - 540 Words

This essay will explore Wong Kar-Wai’s relationship with genre within the context of the Hong Kong film industry, along with Wong’s various international influences, in order to argue, Chungking Express was a major turning point in his career in terms of his complex relationship with various elements of film genre. Contextualising genre within the Hong Kong film industry: Of all the international film industries across the globe Hong Kong is certainly one that is synonyms with genre cinema. Considering the commercial nature of its film industry, it seems only appropriate that when discussing Hong Kong cinema as a whole, genre seems to be a frequent and integral part of the conversation. The Hong Kong film industry was built to turn a profit and has become the dominant figure in all of East Asian cinema, relying heavily on exporting its films to Mainland China and Taiwan, as well as local box-office sales. Ding-Tzann Lii describes this relationship as one of ‘marginal imperialism’ and compares the Hong Kong industries hold over East Asia to that of Hollywood’s over the rest of the world. (1998: 125) However, with such a large demand for product Hong Kong has struggled to produce enough films each year to maintain its industries growth. Production rapidly became focused on making films quickly, cheaply and with the intention of being sold easily. The industry became much like a factory, producing films in an assembly line fashion, often pushing films into production without aShow MoreRelatedThe Mood For Love, Urban Space, And Post Modernity1571 Words   |  7 PagesIn The Mood For Love, Urban Space, and Post Modernity Wong Kar Wai’s Fa Yeung Nin Wa (2000), translated to In The Mood For Love, is an opening to the new millennium and homage to past genres of filmmaking. Deeply rooted in emotion and nostalgia, In The Mood For Love reads as a waltz throughout the entirety of the film. Set in 1962 Hong Kong, journalist Chow Mo-wan moves to the city with his wife, who is often away on business. He befriends a woman who lives in his apartment complex, Su Li-Zhen (referred