The City as a Space of Multiple, Infinite, Relational Possibilities in Chungking Express Anonymous College

The city depicted in Wong Kar Wai’s ‘Chungking Express’ is one that invites the viewers to ponder about the city as a setting for multiple, infinite and relational possibilities. Chungking Express is a film with two separate plots, comprised of chance encounters between characters, as a result of a shared setting, like the bar and Midnight Express. The characters are lonely and introspective, yet as a result of these encounters that are made possible by the city’s random flux, they form unlikely emotional connections. It is through these connections and the relationships that they establish, that they are able to move on from their failed romances and discover a new sense of purpose and embrace change in their lives.

Wong uses cinematography to capture the multiple psychic possibilities of a single setting. In a slow motion shot, Officer 633 drinks his coffee, while Faye watches dreamily on one side. Meanwhile, the crowd outside Midnight Express passes by in fast motion. Here, a moment is captured between the two of them, even while the rest of the city passes by, oblivious to this moment. As a result, Wong is able to differentiate between the private and the public space of the city - the moment that is shared between Officer...