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Chungking Express: Should I buy?

post #1 of 21
2/18/05 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 
Right oh. I loved ‘In the Mood for Love’ with a passion, I just loved the imagery, the music and the general theme, as such I cannot wait to see 2046. I am also a fan of the french new wave movement (ie godard), and the works of Fellini.

But at the moment I have £10 burning a whole in my pocket, and a copy of Chungking Express on DVD at my local HMV for a £10. It is a Wong Kar Wai film with Christopher Doyle cinematography, so at the very least it should look good. But should I rent it first, or just make the splash and buy it outright.
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post #2 of 21
2/18/05 at 10:20am
well, i think In the Mood for Love is superior..

Wong Kar Wai's style is unmistakably recognizable and if one were to watch a bunch of his films in sequence, they cant help but feel just a bit as re-treads. especially with the recurring actors and Doyle's super cinematography.

i remember watching Chingking, Happy Together and In the Mood for Love in relatively quick succession.. and after a while i was having a pretty hard time telling the movies and characters apart in my head.

but as i said.. In the Mood for Love is probably my favorite. til now. along with the BMW short film The Follow, but im not sure if it was the english language and Clive Owen making that one just a bit more accessible for me. Ashes of Time was the only one i felt was really a bit overwrought. Not nearly as enjoyable for me as the others.

here's to hoping 2046 will hit the right notes.

as for the purchase, suffice to say you won't be disappointed. i say go for it. it's one of Wong Kar Wai's 4-5 essential films.
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post #3 of 21
2/18/05 at 10:49am
Yes you should buy. Its up there with Fallen Angels as my favourite Wong Kar Wai film.
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post #4 of 21
2/18/05 at 10:53am
It's my fave WKW film.
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post #5 of 21
2/18/05 at 11:48am
absolutely, it should be a part of anyones collection. i fell in love with it immediately upon first viewing, the cinematography was just breathtaking.
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post #6 of 21
2/18/05 at 1:40pm
I've witnessed a near-fanaticism for this movie in some of the American Hong Kong movie subculture. And I love the movie, myself. It's not really profound or anything, it's just a cute, accessible romantic comedy that happens to be incredibly visually stylish.
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post #7 of 21
2/18/05 at 2:34pm
It’s terrific. Great, breezy, and charming performances by the 4 leads, and very stylish visuals. And after hearing Faye Wong’s cover of the Cranberries song, I can’t even listen to the original now.
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post #8 of 21
2/18/05 at 3:54pm
Thread Starter 
Well I bought it, and it now is in my too watch backlog....

Watched the trailer for it on my In the Mood for Love special edition and it looks fantastic....
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post #9 of 21
2/20/05 at 5:32am
Burning a whole in your pocket?

How about you send me the $10 and I send you my VHS of THE LIMEY?
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post #10 of 21
2/20/05 at 2:14pm
It also might make you hungry for canned pineapple, so you might want to stock up on some for movie night. It gets me every time.
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post #11 of 21
2/21/05 at 3:04pm
Thread Starter 
Damn what a movie...

Just gorgeous and so uplifting...just watched it at 6am before I had to go to work, and I have honestly never had a better day. Everything about the movie seems almost perfect from the music to the montage sections, it all works perfectly. The only thing i couldn't get my head around is how Kaneshiro's story seems to fall flat despite going through a complete arc. His story was finished and yet I felt it was an odd cut to the other story.

Going to have to watch it again before I can make a proper appraisal, but with this hard boiled, in the mood for love, and infernal affairs Tony Leung has starred in 4 of my top 20 films ever....

It is kinda cliched but the film really reminded me of a bout de souffle by Jean Luc Goddard...
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post #12 of 21
2/21/05 at 8:41pm
Yes, you should buy it. I don't normally like "arty" movies, but Wong's films work for me almost every time and CE is one of his best.
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post #13 of 21
10/7/10 at 7:30pm
I adored this. I'm going to work my way through WKW I think (only seen this, My Blueberry Nights, and In The Mood For Love, what next?), but is there anyone better at creating intimacy and emotional connection with such subtlety? And does anyone on the planet look cooler smoking than Tony Leung?

I probably preferred the second story, but I feel pretty guilty even comparing them because that seems to take something away from the whole. glad Rath drafted this first round to remind me I needed to watch it, and I can imagine this being something of a comfort watch for me in future. Beautiful.
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post #14 of 21
10/7/10 at 7:33pm
As for what next, you have to see Happy Together. Then 2046.
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post #15 of 21
10/7/10 at 7:34pm
Thread Starter 
Gah, I hate this thread. I completely adore the film, one of my first Blu Ray purchases was Chungking Express and Happy Together, so it's kind of galling to see older, dumbass, Spike being a dumbass.

Fuck you Spike from '05.

If you liked In The Mood for Love, catch 2046. Then Days of Being Wild, then Happy Together.
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post #16 of 21
10/7/10 at 7:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall View Post
Gah, I hate this thread. I completely adore the film, one of my first Blu Ray purchases was Chungking Express and Happy Together, so it's kind of galling to see older, dumbass, Spike being a dumbass.

Fuck you Spike from '05.

If you liked In The Mood for Love, catch 2046. Then Days of Being Wild, then Happy Together.
Sorry dude! Have you rewatched it since? Because I disagree with this

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall View Post
The only thing i couldn't get my head around is how Kaneshiro's story seems to fall flat despite going through a complete arc. His story was finished and yet I felt it was an odd cut to the other story.
And I think his story wraps up pretty perfectly.
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post #17 of 21
10/7/10 at 7:56pm
Also, thanks for the suggestions guys.
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post #18 of 21
10/7/10 at 11:55pm
Fallen Angels should be seen as soon after or before Chung-king Express as possible. The two are related, very yin and yang, almost thematic sequels.

Fallen Angels is also his best film, hands down.
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post #19 of 21
10/8/10 at 8:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdrianDyka View Post
Sorry dude! Have you rewatched it since? Because I disagree with this

And I think his story wraps up pretty perfectly.
You're right it does, I was dumb back then and just wanted more of the 'awesome' police story than Tony Leung. Now I've come to really enjoy Tony Leung's story as the emotional core of the film.
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post #20 of 21
10/8/10 at 8:59am
Did you rush to buy that Cranberries Single after the movie? I mean its catchy but they played it way too many times.

Truth be told, I liked the Bridgette Lim segment better. Especially the Coda it ended with.
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post #21 of 21
10/8/10 at 3:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parker View Post
Fallen Angels should be seen as soon after or before Chung-king Express as possible. The two are related, very yin and yang, almost thematic sequels.
The story of the lazy assassin (Leon Lai) and his lovesick assistant (Michelle Reis) was intended to be a third story in CHUNGKING EXPRESS. The two films share locations, themes, and Takeshi Kaneshiro -- who might give the best performance of his career as the mute ex-con in FA.

Kar-wai has said that the two films play well as a double feature, with FA viewed first (even though it was shot and released second). For a trilogy, add Eric Kot's FIRST LOVE: THE LITTER ON THE BREEZE, a meta-parody of CE and FA produced by Kar-wai, photographed by Christopher Doyle, and starring Kaneshiro. Not very good, but not without interest.
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