Wong is considered part of the 1980s Second New Wave of Hong Kong filmmakers who take inspiration from the directors of the French New Wave. WKW is known for his elliptically plotted pieces that explore—in lush, cinematic scenes—themes of love, longing, isolation and the burden of memory with melancholy, often misfit characters. His style reveals a fascination with mood and texture over a more straightforward narrative approach; his films feature slow motion action scenes, distorted close-ups, and fight sequences shot from several disoriented angles. A sense of place figures prominently in his films; each has an urban backdrop, with myriad cultural influences, that assumes the importance of a character. He is also known for working many of the same actors film after film, such as the beautiful and glamorous Maggie Cheung, who he has helped make famous.
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Wong is considered part of the 1980s Second New Wave of Hong Kong filmmakers who take inspiration from the directors of the French New Wave. WKW is known for his elliptically plotted pieces that explore—in lush, cinematic scenes—themes of love, longing, isolation and the burden of memory with melancholy, often misfit characters. His style reveals a fascination with mood and texture over a more straightforward narrative approach; his films feature slow motion action scenes, distorted close-ups, and fight sequences shot from several disoriented angles. A sense of place figures prominently in his films; each has an urban backdrop, with myriad cultural influences, that assumes the importance of a character. He is also known for working many of the same actors film after film, such as the beautiful and glamorous Maggie Cheung, who he has helped make famous.
In this book Wong Kar Wai and writer John Power explore WKW’s oeuvre in the context of the location. After an opening critical and personal essay by Powers, the book is structured as 5 nights in 4 places—4 different areas of Hong Kong, which is where WKW has always lived and worked. The 5 nights will each include a conversation between Powers and WKW. The first night will be about Hong Kong, WKW’s life, and his first two films, 'As Tears Go By' and 'Days of Being Wild'; the next night will be 'Chunking Express' and 'Fallen Angels'; the next night will be 'Ashes of Time' and 'The Grandmaster'; then 'In the Mood for Love' and '2046'; and finally 'My Blueberry Nights' and WKW’s commercial work. Along the way, the texts will explore larger themes on questions of beauty and making films in China.
