Chungking Express & Fallen Angels Double Bill

Chungking Express and Fallen Angels are two films by iconic Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai. While In the Mood for Love is cited as his magnum opus, I would argue that Chungking Express and Fallen Angels are his underrated masterpieces. The films, despite being unconnected, narratively are two sides of the same coin. One set in the light and the other in darkness, the films use the same actors in opposite roles for each film – a police officer in Chungking Express and a criminal in Fallen Angels, these films explore the range and diversity in this stylistically experimental environment. Chungking Express explores two different narrative arcs – one revolving around a heartbroken police officer and his entanglement with a drug smuggler, the other narrative focusing on a different police officer and his heartache over his flight attendant girlfriend and his subsequent infatuation with a snack bar worker – played by the musician Faye Wong. The film is recognised for its repeated use of California Dreamin’ which is a recurring motif and reinforces the dreamy elements of the film. Fallen Angel is the darker of the two films, both in aesthetics and themes, and narratives. The film is also split into two separate narrative strands; this time, one narrative follows an assassin and their obsessed assistant, who grows depressed and weary when her obsession is not reciprocated by her partner. The other narrative follows a mute nomad who commits petty crime to pass the time.

Although the two films are perfectly suited to being watched separately, the experience of watching them together provides an interesting perspective, small links between the films are rewarding to discover. Kar-Wai has an incredible attention to detail in his films, his experimental style being created by himself and his cinematographer Chris Doyle – going as far as to create their own type of camera lens to be able to fit in the cramped and compact buildings they shot in. His attention to detail is not limited to the cinematography, his use of sound as a tool of immersion is beautiful – for example, Kar-Wai uses a Cantonese cover of Massive Attack’s Karma Coma, which perfectly reflects the recurring sound of the train speeding by the assassin’s apartment in Fallen Angels. I highly recommend these films and believe they are truly essential viewing for any Quentin Tarantino fan, anyone who vibes with fun cinematography, and anyone who enjoys melancholy vibes laced with comedy. These films have everything, and you will truly miss out if you don’t see them on the big screen.

Marnie McCrudden