Chungking Express
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ChungkingExpressPoster.jpg
Chungking Express (Template:Zh-tspl) is a 1994 Hong Kong movie written and directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Kaneshiro Takeshi, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung and Faye Wong. The Chinese title means "Forest of Chungking", referring to the metaphoric concrete jungle of the city, as well as to Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, where much of the first part of the movie is set.
Tagline: If my memory of her has an expiration date, let it be 10,000 years...
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Plot outline
Wong Kar-wai's movie is about two love-struck cops: The first is the Taiwanese-born Cop 223 (Ah Wu, played by Kaneshiro; "Wu" is the Chinese pronunciation of the Japanese "Takeshi"), who has broken up with his girlfriend May. Every day he purchases a tin of pineapples with an expiration date of May 1st. By the end of that time, he feels that he will either be rejoined with his love or that it will have expired forever. The second is Cop 633 (Leung), who is dealing with his breakup from a flight attendant (Valerie Chow). He meets a new girl (Faye Wong) at a local lunch counter, who falls for him secretly, and who breaks into his apartment during the day to redecorate.
Analysis
Both stories, about disconnections, loneliness and being alone in the vast city, are photographed by Wong's longtime collaborator Christopher Doyle in the style of a music video, leaving impressions of movies from Jean-Luc Godard (signs, slogans, pop music) and from John Cassavetes (improvised dialogue and situations).
Some critics, among them M. A. Abbas, have likened the motif of expiration dates to the imminence of the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China (May 1st being, among other things, May Day). A similar theory relating the handover of Hong Kong to Wong Kar-wai's story has been posted at a Brigitte Lin website (http://www.brigittelin.com/CKE.htm).
Miscellaneous
Quentin Tarantino, whose Pulp Fiction won the 1994 Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or, thus overshadowing the release of Chungking Express, liked the movie so much that he decided to promote it. Video editions of Chungking Express released through Tarantino's Rolling Thunder Pictures feature a presentation of the movie by Tarantino.
Faye Wong's Song "Meng Zhong Ren" (Translation: "Dream Person"), the Chinese version of The Cranberries' "Dreams" is played several times in the movie. Also, because "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & the Papas was Faye Wong's character's favourite song, it was played extensively as well, causing some viewers to find it repetitive and others to view it as a euphonious theme song.
Wong Kar-wai's following release Fallen Angels is usually considered the third segment and sequel to Chungking Express.
Cast and roles
- Brigitte Lin - Woman in blonde wig
- Tony Leung Chiu Wai - Cop 633
- Faye Wong - Faye
- Takeshi Kaneshiro - He Zhiwu, nicknamed Ah Wu, Cop 223
- Valerie Chow - Flight attendant who breaks up with Cop 633
- Chen Jinquan - Manager of the takeway restaurant 'Midnight Express'
- Kwan Lee-na - Richard
- Huang Zhiming - Man
- Liang Zhen - The 2nd May, who works at the 'Midnight Express'
- Zuo Songshen - Man
Awards and nominations
1994 Golden Horse Awards
- Winner - Best Actor (Tony Leung Chiu Wai)
- Winner - Best Picture
- Winner - Best Director (Wong Kar-wai)
- Winner - Best Actor (Tony Leung Chiu Wai)
- Winner - Best Editing (William Cheung Suk-Ping, Kwong Chi-Leung, Hai Kit-Wai)
- Nomination - Best Actress (Faye Wong)
- Nomination - Best Supporting Actress (Valerie Chow Kar-Ling)
- Nomination - Best Screenplay (Wong Kar-wai)
- Nomination - Best Cinematography (Christopher Doyle, Andrew Lau Wai-Keung)
- Nomination - Best Art Direction (William Cheung Suk-Ping)
- Nomination - Best Original Film Score (Frankie Chan Fan-Kei, Roel A. Garcia)
In addition, there was a survey result published in Sight and Sound (the monthly magazine of the British Film Institute), saying that Chungking Express came in at number eight after it asked fifty leading UK film critics to choose best films from the past 25 years. It is being described to be the best among all the Asian film.
See also
External links
- Template:Imdb title
- Quotes from Chungking Express (http://home.earthlink.net/~ajdlro/quote.html)
- Essay: Identity and Chungking Express (http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/wkwfansite/ckeid_1.html)de:Chungking Express