 DVD cover for Chungking Express |
Chungking Express is a 1994 Hong Kong movie written and directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Kaneshiro Takeshi, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Wong Faye. Its original Chinese title is 重慶森林 (pinyin: Chongqing Senlin), meaning "Forest of Chungking".
Tagline: If my memory of her has an expiration date, let it be 10,000 years...
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 663 (Leung), who is dealing with his breakup from a flight attendant (Valerie Chow). He meets a new girl (Wong) at a local lunch counter, 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).
Miscellaneous
The first part of the movie is largely set in the Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
It was reported that 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. In fact, some video editions of Chungking Express feature a presentation of the movie by Tarantino himself.
Wong Faye'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 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.
Awards
14th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards
- 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)
Golden Horse Awards
- Winner - Best Actor (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai)
In addition, there was a survey result published in Sight & Sound Magazine (the monthly magazine of the British Film Institute), saying that Chungking Express came in at number eight after 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
