Shot Analysis - In the Mood for Love
...attention has shifted to Cheung. Shot 6 Leung appears alone in a medium close-up shot as he talks to the landlord. Leung asks if the landlord’s apartment is available for rent. Shot 7 Due to the character’s (Leung’s) point of view, the camera shifts to shooting the landlord speaking to Leung and explains how Cheung has coincidentally just rented the apartment. As Leung leaves, the landlord asks Leung how many people are living in the apartment. Shot 8 Again, due to the character’s (landlord’s) point of view, the camera shifts back to shooting Leung in a medium close up. Shot 9 Quickly again, the camera shifts to shooting the landlord in medium shot with Leung back facing the camera due to character’s (Leung’s) point of view as he learns from the landlord that the apartment next door is also available for rent. Leung then presses on the doorbell next door as the camera zooms in on the action and fades out to the next scene, giving a sense of time transition to… Shot 10 The chaotic hallway with furniture and movers shuffling around. Within this narrow and confined space of the hallway, the movers argue in their dialogue with each other about the mix-up of the furniture between Leung’s and Cheung’s apartments and complains how it is very annoying. This furniture conflict is a glimpse into the future confusion of Leung’s and Cheung’s relationship. Shot 11 Leung appears in a medium shot as he assists in helping movers and directing where to place furniture. Crammed up against the purple clashing wallpapered wall with just enough room for the movers to pass, the apartment represents little room for personal space. The color of the wallpaper behind Leung eludes a sense of passion his character. Shot 12 On the other end of the hallway, Cheung also appears in medium shot as she directs traffic of her furniture into her apartment. Again she is positioned right against the wall with little room to let the movers pass by her. The common action of Leung and Cheung moving at the same time is an example of parallel action of two separate stories happening at the same time at coincidentally at the same place. __________________________________ Set in the 60’s, the theme of the film, In the Mood for Love, directed by Wong Kar Wai, is about withholding love and maintaining moral behavior. In the first twelve shots, the construction of space enhanced by interframing, lighting, character positioning assists in understanding the thematic construction of the whole film. While most of film shot indoors represents the cramped living quarters, it also represents a sense of warmth from the friendly landlords. But escaping outdoors do not take them far as they just end up being alone, eating meals by oneself. Almost of the outdoor shots are taken at nighttime in the crowded dai-pai-dong (fast food booth), the dark staircase and the rain. In many ways, the dark nights create a sense of secrecy. Throughout the first 12 shots and the whole movie, the constant use of hallways and alleyways to interframe shots heightens the sense of the cramped space the characters are surrounded in, as it conveys that they are forced together in the frame. This visual constraint also alludes to the emotional restriction they are in. The confined space of the apartment also symbolizes the conservative time period the story is set in. The two protagonists are unable to express themselves as they are held down by the societal moral restraint. One evening Cheung is forced to sleepover in Leung’s room because the landlord returned earlier than expected. Panicking and not knowing what to do, they have the guilt of cheating lovers. As a result the inner nobility of Cheung and Leung is fostered by the betrayal of their respective spouse. The drama of the affair serves to inspire them to the societal moral behavior. Throughout the movie, Cheung therefore maintains being the faithful wife and tries to disregard the romance, while Leung offers to be a good supportive friend. Although Cheung may seem poised and controlled, it is only through visual motif of Cheung’s changing wardrobe – the bold colored and patterned cheong sams -- that her true frustration and confusion is conveyed. She may on the surface seem like the perfect Chinese woman, as she acts submissive to her husband’s affair, but in reality she has conflicting emotions too. Character positioning explains a lot about a character’s relationship with another. The character positioning of Cheung and Leung appearing in separate shots in the first 12 shots demonstrate the solitude they are. Furthermore, the spatial distance of Cheung and her husband and Leung and her wife represents the emotional separation in their relationships. Throughout the movie, the cheating cou...