Gangster category

Films in the gangster genre have evolved throughout history and across continents. Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most well-known and respected people in the world for his outstanding work in gangster films. Based on his highly stylized, visually distinctive, and emotionally stirring cinematic works, he is a well-known auteur. Characters in Kar-movies Wai’s typically have sensuality as their central desire, and they usually engage in behaviors that are referred to as terrifying, digressive, and sketchy (Nochimson, p.26-48). Gangster movies paint a vivid picture of Hong Kong’s cultural identity and social activities. Additionally, Wong’s gangster movies have a significant influence on his works. For instance, his work has high, wide spread recognition all over the world. Some of his cinemas may include The Grandmaster, Chungking Express, and Ashes of time as well as Tears Go By among other recognized film works. His works have received several awards both within and outside Hong Kong. Moreover, his work profoundly uses various styles, rhythm, as well as music to portray well different characters and themes. For instance, pop songs have been used in his movies for cognitive and emotional appeal. Therefore, the essay below will describe the impact of gangster films on the works of Wong Kar-Wai. It will also discuss various styles used, rhythm, and music, staging, and pacing of Wong’s movies while giving illustrations from his numerous works.

To begin with, gangster firms laid a strong career development for Wong. Traditionally, Hong Kong’s film industry produced crime films. However, he started his career as early as 1987 when the country’s film business was at the top, enjoying a level of productivity and prosperity. Kar-Wai decided to take a different path by choosing to focus his films on young gangsters. He was well acquainted with some of the producers like Tang Alan, and therefore he was given important rights in making films, which attributed to the production of his first movie. His first film named As Tears Go By featured a disputed minority who was forced to watch over his quick-tempered friend. Similarly, when the film was released in 1988 June, it became the most popular film with audiences in Hong Kong (Yau, p. 542-553). To add on, several journalists praised his work as they referred to him as the new wave in Hong Kong. Although Wong’s first film did not draw attention critics upon its release, the film was selected for screening at the Cannes Film Festival. The film gained popularity as his work was exquisite. Besides, his career in gangster movies was growing after gaining popularity, and therefore Wong was motivated to produce other films in the same field.

Similarly, gangster cinemas attributed to widespread and international recognition of Wong’s film works. Wong gave film industry a new look and diverted attention from Hollywood. For instance, he defied the spectator’s anticipation by making his viewers undoubtedly cognizant that they are viewing a movie as well as that the story being considered is predominantly a reflected incident and therefore not something to be promptly acknowledged as a reality (Nochimson, p.40-68). He produced a film on Chungking Express that focused on two police officers who both of them fall for a lady. The film was considered lighthearted as well as more fun as compared to his previous works. He was concentrated much on cinematic freedom, striking triumph as well as sheer innocence. However, the Chungking Express movie was named as the best picture film during the Hong Kong Film Awards, 1995, therefore, flinging Kar-Wai to international attention.

Besides, gangster films have contributed to the commercial success of Kar-Wai’s film works. Driven by motivation, he produced several films consecutively which featured the same theme. However, it took him five years to produce The Grandmaster film, which is viewed as one of his expensive films regarding production. However, he tailored the film to be commercial and colorful. For instance, The Grandmaster is a description of art house and popular traditions with themes, forms as well as visuals consistent with Kar-Wai’s previous film works. Similarly, this movie is one of the well-recognized films among the audiences in Hong Kong. The film, however, received two Academy Award Nominations as well as it won twelve film awards in Hong Kong Film Awards. Moreover, The Grandmaster film still received approval from the critics hence attributing to worldwide recognition. Finally, this movie is termed as one of Kar-Wai’s most successful movie up to date with a global gross of 64 million dollars.

However, Wong is a significant icon in the gangster film industry. Current research indicates that he is referred as an accomplished filmmaker of his generation and the generation to come. He has established a basis and secured the most daring reputation of filmmakers in Hong Kong as well as in the whole world. He is viewed as a central figure in the local industry due to his status in the outside as well as in the foreign states. Both domestic and international bodies hence contributing to his financial success in film production have continuously awarded his films. Moreover, Wong is recognized in both mainstream circles, cults as well as producing films that obtain marketable coverage. However, his films have incorporated various styles such as rhythm, use of track and music sounds, different staging as well as the pacing of movies with the aim of fully bringing out the real character of the actors. For instance, he has used these styles to capture the attention of the audience.

Wong incorporates music in his film works to make it enjoyable as well as to create a convincing mood and atmosphere for the movie setting. The audience can connect the characters emotionally in the scene and also be in a position to want to know more of the story in the film.The transcultural sound is protracted in appealing elicitation that disguises traditionally correct cultural facts. Wong consistently uses music as well as a pop song in the narration of his films to make an emotional and intellectual appeal to the viewers. For instance, his music helps the audience interpret what emerges on the movie. However, the song helps the viewers to vocalize the actions happening in the actor’s head hence providing an intangible parallel narrative. To add on, his films use international songs with the aim of enhancing the sense of dwelling and history. For instance, the soundtrack has been used in the Wong film In the mood for love when Chow Mo-Wan tries to seduce Mrs Chan at Jet Tone office. However, Chow was to abandon this young lady in future for a taxi dancer.

Consequently, Wong’s films have adequately employed the use of pacing of movies style. For instance, Wong’s film on The Chungking Express continuously uses slow motion, which enables the audience to enjoy watching as well as raise the dramatic tension of the viewer. Basing the argument on the same movie, the film has also been produced overnight as well as when it was raining. It is clear that gangster activities are carried out in dark places especially overnight. For instance, when the producer wants to show clearly a scene of shooting, they always use slow motion style. However, an illustration of the use of slow motion is highlighted from the film In the Mood for love where there is sinuous shot of a woman going up the stairs. To add, in the Film Days of being Wild, slow motion is used when a new character, Tony Leung was introduced into a shooting scene. Besides, Wong has used visual styles to uniquely and beautifully present the character of an actor. For instance, he has used bold as well as saturated colours throughout the production of his films. In addition, Wong’s approach in filming in dark as well as while raining is extremely used in the film The Grandmaster. For example, while the fights take place, snowstorms are seen to be falling as well as light rebounding out of the shower tarns. However, in the same cinema, Wong uses slow motion to show the trouper female warrior practicing moves together with the hero. The audience cannot help rather than notice traceries on the veteran woman’s slippers. Moreover, this motion gives viewers time to give attention to the production design, meticulous costume, the women’s coat button as well as the colours of the costume.

In conclusion, Wong Kar-Wai is one of the best film directors in Hong Kong. He reveals the magnificence of life in his films works by use of visuals, editing styles, a collection of editors as well as cinematography. He uses numerous techniques to capture the mood as well as the atmosphere of the scene. For instance, Wong uses pop songs and music as a narrative machinery to show emotions as well as for cognitive appeal. In addition, he uses rarely Canto pop as well as international songs to enhance a sense of place and history in his film works. Most of his films have been paced in slow motion to enhance the style of the movie, make the scene appear cooler as well as raise dramatic tension in the scene. For example, Wong’s films involve a lot of shooting, and therefore the films are incorporated with lots of slow motion to raise the tension to the viewer. However, Kar-Wai has used visual styles to capture the attention of the audience. He has used unique, beautiful bold and saturated colors in his film works. Finally, Wong gangster film works have attributed positively to the growth of shooting industry both within and outside Hong Kong. However, Wing has been able to grow financially through recognition inform of awards as well as the sale of his films locally and internationally. On the same note, Wong has been recently announced to direct television series with eighteen episodes.

Work Cited

Nochimson, Martha P. A Companion to Wong Kar-Wai. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2016.

Yau, Wai-ping. “Wong Kar-Wai, Auteur and Adaptor: Ashes of Time and in the Mood for Love.” (2015): 540-557.