Midterm exam - Cinematography I

Film analysis
In The Mood For Love
Nadira Garankić
Group A

A film that constantly left me questioning my own feelings throughout 1 hour and 40 minutes is the
one produced by Wong Kar-wai Nayvan named "In the mood for love", a romantic drama set in Hong
Kong in 1993. From the opening scene to the end of the film, the details that complete the entire
atmosphere and the aesthetics gave me a slight interest in the interpretation of traditions and civil
norms respected in that historical period of that area. "In the mood for love" is a movie with well-
deserved positive evaluations. While the action maintains an almost passive state and plot is
predictable from the very beginning, movie enthusiasts will certainly not be dissatisfied after the end
of this film. I was definitely satisfied with every filmed scene, because what makes this film attractive
are its slow-motion scenes, warm colors and rich costumes. Likewise, the details that run through the
entire movie are scenes of rain and cigar smoke. Therefore, the plot, even though it is simple,
managed to awake emotions in me through interpretations of given situations in which the characters
find themselves. The two main characters are Chow Mo-wan, a journalist who moved to Hong Kong
with his wife, whose face we didn't get a chance to see throughout the film, which left an inexplicable
feeling in me. I spent a lot of time interpreting the scenes that leave a trace of mystery, such as the
face of his wife, which was shown in an incomplete form for only 5 seconds, and repetitive scenes in
which the dialogue is done while the camera is facing the interior or in some cases there is only one
person in the frame. Our second protagonist is Mrs. Su Li-zhen who lives with her husband in the
same building. What brought our protagonists together was the identical marital experience. In which
their spouses have an affair with each other and often go on business trips to Japan. Our protagonists
easily found out the truth about their spouses' infidelity, simply because both her husband and Chow
had the same tie, while Su Li and Chow's wife had the same handbag. Learning about their marital
infidelity brought our protagonists together and over time they began to find comfort in each other. Of
course, as could be predicted from the very beginning, they fell in love, but the fact that made me feel
satisfied was their agreement not to commit infidelity like their spouses. The scenes from this movie
that have remained etched in my memory are Su Li-zhen, who usually sits in the hallway of the
apartment on a chair and reads the daily newspaper, her slow motion running in the rain, and of
course the end of the film, which made me feel confused. The influence of the temple scenes in
Cambodia slowly turned the confusion into mild melancholy. I like that throughout the movie, the
scenes are interrupted by messages in the Chinese language which I found very poetic, the messages
further explain the concept of the specific scene as well as the possible emotions that the characters
could feel at that moment. What was emotion-worthy for me is the impact of marital problems on a
woman who makes rational decisions rather than follow her heart. My sympathy for the main female
role reached its peak during her announcement to her husband in which she admits to him that she
was hurt by his infidelity. Watching this film late at night leaves questionable emotions that go from
cinematic pleasure arising from the aesthetics of the film to melancholy arising from the failed love of
your people who put justice and marital obligations above their desires and were thus forced to leave
their love for each other behind, way in the past. Another characteristic of the plot of this film is the
realization that no matter how much we long for something, some things should remain in the past
and not be be taken into account in the present; sealed with mud. As for the time period and the
location of the action, the introduction was set in Hong Kong, the climax of the action in Singapore,
and the denouement in Cambodia. Each location brought a different aesthetic and understanding. At
the beginning of the movie, the passivity of the plot set in Hong Kong, which shows the way of life of
ordinary people and workers, created uncertainty in me, waiting for the final plot. Half of the film, as
a typical romantic drama, carries a spectrum of emotions towards the characters from the movie,
which changes slightly until the plot unfolds. My lack of understanding of the reason why the female
lead stayed in Hong Kong and did not follow her heart and go to Singapore is answered at the end of
the plot in which it is revealed that Su Li-zhen was expecting the birth of her son and thus felt obliged
to stay in Hong Kong during pregnancy. This made me empathize with her and the weight of her
decisions. As the film delicately goes through the complexities of love, betrayal, and societal
expectations, it left an enduring impact on me. "In the Mood for Love" is a cinematic piece that not
only captivated me with its visual brilliance but it also connected with me on an emotional level. It's
power of storytelling and ability to evoke emotions that lingered in me even after the credits rolled.
What makes this movie alluring to me lies not only in its visual brilliance, but also I found myself
subtly exploring the human psyche through the main characters. The unresolved mysteries, such as
the obscured face of Chow's wife, became thought-provoking elements that lingered my mind. The
interplay of cinematic elements and sudden transitions to another space and time draws your attention
to the plot build-up and breaks boundaries of time and culture. This movie connects aesthetic
brilliance and emotional resonance, making it a timeless exploration of love, loss, and the bittersweet
symphony of the human heart.