Wong Kar Wai [Paperback]

Wong Kar Wai (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 1997

Wong Kar-Wai, the brilliantly manic Chinese film director, is right above Quentin Tarantino on the theoretical film flow chart. With films such as As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, and Ashes of Time, Kar-Wai has been at the forefront of Hong Kong cinema. On the surface, Kar-Wai follows the rules, presenting the usual fare of car chases, explosions, and sex, but in reality his films are much deeper. His characters live and die on the fringe of acceptance and existence, in a nebulous gray area between good and almost evil. Wong-Kai has managed to invent an art that refuses the affluence of the West: by sticking his guns (and knives, fists and chains), this film director has created a bridge between Hong Kong and the rest of the world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Dis Voir (July 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2906571679
• ISBN-13: 978-2906571679
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #773,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent phtography, quality production, worth reading., December 1, 1998

By 

Julia ([e-mail]) (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wong Kar Wai (Paperback)

A great book. The photography is well selected. An insightful analysis. A little excessive in intelltualizing the ideas of Wong Kar-Wai's art.

I only wish it would emphasize more on how seductive and sensual his works are, and how skillfully he uses the props and sounds(cigarettes , blood-red bedcover, the Falls, wallpapers etc.), the lighting (mastered by Christopher Doyle), colours (like stained glasses), and the make-up (thick, dark eye-brows rendering a Latin flavour) to exude nostalgia, time, sensuality, sorrow, and romanticism. It's very Hong-Kongish. Wong's art is all about feelings.

(P.S. Try to get Christopher Doyle's Photo Journal on Happy Together. Magnificient photography from the footages. Well written in both English and Chinese).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very informational, and explains his works well., June 11, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Findlay, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wong Kar Wai (Paperback)

This is the only book out on one of the most inspirational director around now. Wong Kar-wai inspired me to become a scriptwritter, and a film director. His films are so filled with real energy and feeling that he shows the asian mind on film better than anyone ever has. This book talks about his achievements, and also explains his films. From his first film, As Teas Go By, to his last film, Happy Together, the writters of this book explain the fundamentals of his writtings and goes further by explaining what every film tried to express. If there was ever an aspect in his movie that you never understood, then it is explained in this book. Although costly, the book is worth all the money because of the rich photographhic pictures included. This is a must have for all film enthusiastics, and any Wong Kar-wai fanatic like myself.

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent critical review of Wong Kar Wai's films., June 19, 1998

By 

Jonah L. Walker "Video Editor, Compositing Ar... (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wong Kar Wai (Paperback)

Every fan of the Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wei should immediatly check out this book. It contains a critical review of all of his films to date, going into depth on the possible meanings and significant aspects of each film. As a graduate of a Film Production program, it can be a bit heady, but still very interesting. The best part is at the end when two interviews with the famed director are combined. It is a real treat to her Wong Kar Wei talk about his own work! The photography, mostly by Christopher Doyle, gives a great glimpse into the world of Wong's films.