Personal Biography Over Plot

Cletus 2022-04-23 07:03:42

"The True Story of Ah Fei" has an extraordinary shot, and it is hard to imagine that this is only the second work of WKW. If the debut film "Carmen Mong Kok" is still a relatively traditional and atypical Hong Kong film, then "The True Story of A Fei" two years later has completed a major style change in all aspects.

"Mong Kok Carmen" is closer to the more mature gangster movies at that time, but the gangster plot is relatively weakened and integrated into the emotional line. The structure is a linear development of the story, and the photography style is more realistic. Compared with the later works, the style is relatively immature. "The True Story of Ah Fei" is different. First of all, the narrative structure of the film abandons the linear narrative and replaces it with a semi-linear and semi-reticular structure.

The Xu Zai played by Leslie Cheung is a relatively obvious main line, but the perspective of the film is not to completely "follow" Xu Zai, but to use Xu Zai as a branch to cover the narrative to Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau, Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, etc. . That is to say, the narrative of the film is constructed around Xu Zai's character network, rather than a simple character plot. Therefore, roles such as Maggie Cheung and Andy Lau have been separated from the definition of "supporting roles", and are no longer purely serving the main line. On the contrary, they are all independent characters with rich characters. If the director wishes, they can develop their own movie stories independently of the main line.

If "Carmen Mong Kok" builds a character story, then "The True Story of Ah Fei" builds a character relationship network. In other words, the former is plot and the latter is life. Speaking of this, everyone can understand the meaning of Tony Leung at the end. In fact, he is another character in the movie life, no matter whether he is related to Xu Zai's relationship circle or not, but it is worth confirming that he belongs to the movie life. independent role. This setting breaks down the film's plot and beyond, introducing the infinite possibilities of life into the film.

All in all, "Mong Kok Carmen" focuses on the characters in the plot, while "The True Story" focuses on the characters, and the plot becomes an accessory. As the main character of the movie, Xu Zai established the atmosphere of the movie, and Leslie Cheung also performed it perfectly. Without relying on the performance of wealth, only through social methods and the fable of the footless bird, the uninhibited and prostitutes of the son are presented on the screen. Going abroad to find roots and dying in a foreign land is the best interpretation of the prodigal son's life. The director placed the characters in Hong Kong in the 1960s, using the sense of historical isolation and alienation to further highlight the wandering of the outcasts of the times.

Compared with the later works of wkw, "The True Story of Ah Fei" is slightly rough. But I am more fascinated by the real roughness than the craftsmanship, because the imperfection is more vivid.

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Extended Reading
  • Bulah 2022-03-18 09:01:05

    "I heard people say that there is a kind of bird in this world that has no feet. It can only fly and fly all the time, and sleep in the wind when it gets tired. This kind of bird can only get off the ground once in its life, and that time it died. Time." "I used to think that there was a bird that could fly from the beginning to the day of death before landing. In fact, he has never been anywhere. This bird has been dead since the beginning."

  • Wayne 2022-03-27 09:01:15

    Wong Kar-wai's second feature film is also the first time he has collaborated with Du Kefeng, which has laid a solid foundation for his style. I have fully expressed my praise for the King of Sunglasses in other short film reviews. Instead, I will emphasize his self-repetition. The shadow of the true story of Ah Fei can be found in almost every subsequent work. "In the Mood for Love" is a sequel to this film. "Evil in the East" can be found here. There are more than ten movies in total, with repeated actors, repeated stories, repeated lines, repeated narrative methods, repeated photography styles, and expressed themes. It's more and more repeated. Wong Kar-wai's films can almost be summed up in one formula [(Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung, Jin Chengwu + Lin Qingxia, Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau + Side Jinyu + cigarettes) × (foreground occlusion, frame drop processing, tight composition, ultra-low illumination + wet and sweaty weather + love) = Wong Kar-wai-style Endless loneliness and melancholy] Just like Li Ronghao's songs, they all feel the same. Different works can be seamlessly connected without any sense of incongruity. The name of Jay's song describes it as "The Same Key", and Wong Kar-wai is the same, but so Extreme yet so refined! Amazing!

Days of Being Wild quotes

  • Yuddy: I used to think there was a kind of bird that, once born, would keep flying until death. The fact is that the bird hasn't gone anywhere. It was dead from the beginning.

  • Yuddy: Hey, have you heard of a kind of bird...

    Tide: [interrupting] The kind without legs, right? This kind of nonsense can only fool the girls!