DVD: Cheun gwong tsa sit (Happy Together) (1997)
Happy Together was my first Wong Kar Wai film and I absolutely loved it. I had seen his name around a lot, and this was the first sent to me of his films that I have Zipped. It premiered at Cannes in 1997 and earned Wong the Best Director Award.
Apparently, Wong belongs to Hong Kong’s Second New Wave. Great, another “wave” for me to learn about. Anyway, the camera work was amazing. The actors were intense and riveting to watch. He switched a few times from black & white to color (I’d like to state my theory about why he did this, but I don’t want to be wrong). The picture was often grainy and bleak. There isn’t much story, but through the actors’ performances and his directing style, Wong gives us a stark and convincing portrayal of isolation, intimacy, disorientation and companionship.
I loved this movie and I can’t wait to see more. Oh, I just realized that I have also seen his contribution to BMW Film’s The Hire - a piece entitled The Follow.
