a little dazed

wong kar wai’s fallen angels, 1995, is a disenchanting masterpiece

i first watched this film in london’s prince charles cinema, a little dazed, and i spent the entire time deciding if i had long enough to go back and get a box of popcorn (i did, but i had managed to convince myself that i didn’t). but despite the fact that my mind could not seem to muster a speed lower than two hundred thoughts per second, i already knew that this film was going to change the way i watched films.

you follow each character through the dark alleyways of hong kong, in their desperate search for meaning. wong kar wai strips the big city at night aesthetic back to grimy hallways and claustrophobia-inducing hotel rooms, in this beautiful romance-comedy crime film. i can assure you, this film does not sacrifice substance in the name of its style. each scene, whether gut-wrenching or downright absurd, is pinned down by intense and raw emotion, emotion which you will not fail to feel alongside the characters. paired with the incredibly crafted aesthetic, you’re not going to forget about fallen angels anytime soon.

in this bifurcated crime narrative, a disillusioned hitman attempts to escape from his violent lifestyle against the wishes of his partner, who is infatuated with him, and an eccentric mute repeatedly encounters, then subsequently falls for a depressed woman looking for the prostitute who supposedly stole her ex-boyfriend’s affections. via letterboxd

the film paints a picture of love amongst rampant commercialism, littered with cigarettes and raw human nature. commercialism paints a picture of love that is so enthralling and appealing, that we watch the characters begin to worship the concept itself, and in turn chase something that can never be found. this is not just love in the usual, romantic sense. this is falling in love with life itself. embarking on a soul-searching journey, one might find themselves enthralled by the idea of operating an ice-cream van at strange hours of the night, or even attempt to begin seeking redemption from their job as a hitman. emotions are heightened for emphasis, very little dialogue is spoken, yet one can easily understand the thought process of each character through simply watching.

the soundtrack, underlined by massive attack’s karmacoma, is absurdist and mysterious, it’s ominous but it doesn’t intimidate you. it’s a collection of music that will forever live in your head. shirley kwan’s forget him (忘记他) is one of those songs that picks you up and places you directly in the world of the film, and suddenly you understand each and every character’s small absurdities. the score serves as the perfect backdrop to the tonality and emotions that run so deeply through the film, so much so that the music becomes intertwined and therefore essential. i for one instantly downloaded this soundtrack, and played it on repeat for weeks in desperate hope of rekindling the feeling of first watching this film.

the cinematography is, like everything else, genius. the use of a reduced shutter speed in the film’s ending makes you wonder whether you’re dreaming, and whether the dingy settings explored in the film mimic the ones in your own life. this feeling is one which is only enhanced by the colour grading: almost every shot is, for all intents and purposes, green. it’s trance-like, calming enough to ground the constantly heightened emotions around which the rest of the film encompasses. to the audience, it feels like looking down a kaleidoscope, and being lost within each mesmerising shape. paired with the use of a handheld camera, you’re brought along in certain scenes, thrown into the drama and confusion, sometimes uncomfortably close to the subject, leaving you to revel in the hilarity of the moment, all whilst appreciating the art behind it.

fallen angels will likely never leave my head. i will be forever captured by its beauty and craftsmanship. and it’s taught me something important, too: life moves fast, as long as you have something, or someone, to think about.