BETWEEN MEMORY AND MODERNITY: THE VISUAL AND SONIC LANGUAGE OF WONG KAR-WAI’S CINEMA

Abstract

The paper deals with Wong Kar-wai’s (王家衛) films Chungking Express (重慶森林) (1994) and In the Mood for Love (花樣年華) (2000), focusing on mood, music, and clothing as conduits for cultural messages. By situating these films within the framework of globalisation, the study explores how Wong’s aesthetic choices engage with transnational identity, nostalgia, and cultural hybridity. Drawing on film theory, cultural studies, and historical analysis, the paper argues that Wong Kar-wai’s films articulate a unique dialogue between local and global cultural dynamics, offering insights into Hong Kong’s shifting identity in a globalised world. The primary objective of the study is to investigate how Wong Kar-wai’s cinematic techniques—particularly his use of mood, music, and costume design—construct cultural narratives that resonate both locally and globally. The paper seeks to analyse the aesthetic and emotional impact of these elements in Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love. We also attempt to examine the films’ engagement with Hong Kong’s cultural identity amid the forces of globalisation and to explore the interrelationship between nostalgia, modernity, and transnationalism in Wong’s visual storytelling. Several themes are explored throughout the argumentation, including mood and aesthetic sensibility, music as a cultural memory, the choice of soundtracks in constructing nostalgia, and bridging local and global sensibilities, as well as the use of costumes as a means of cultural semiotics.