In The Mood For Love

Theory Discussion

French Impressionist Cinema was popular on 1919 until 1928 in French. It is a films term applied by a group of French films and filmmakers. French Impressionist basically explores psychological causes; gives narration considerable psychological depth, revealing play of the character’s consciousness. In short, French Impressionist emphasis on what character thinking, saying or acting. French Impressionist also manipulates plot time and subjectivity; showing flashback or memories to show it. This is one of the hint can give the audiences know what was happened before. Besides, the characteristic of French Impressionist also tend to use visual depiction of mental states via cinematography and editing. This can be the guiding for the audiences and know what the actor trying to express. The film of In The Mood For Love is directed by Wong Kar-wai and released on 29 September 2000.This film is using a lot of French Impressionism technique to bring out the two main characters feeling, thinking or saying. This help the film become sensible and unique also.

Synopsis

The story is in a small apartment, the main characters Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen move in to an apartment on the same day and they become neighbour. Both of them already married and their spouse was also busy for their work and did not go home. They slowly notice that their spouse was derailed because they found their spouse using the same thing with each other such as tie and handbag. They understand each other’s feelings and then slowly become closer. After that, they fall in love with each other because both of them are lonely. Then they slowing feel that they are doing wrong and also afraid of gossip. At the end, they left each other and keep this as a secret.

Theory Analysis

Firstly, Chow Mo-wan call Su Li-zhen and the next scene is she is sitting in the car going to find him. If we pay attention to Su Li zhen facial expression, we can notice that she is feeling very uncertainty in the car. Besides, she was like a little frowning and then she put her finger on her lips. From this action, we maybe can understand it as she is thinking something or worry something. When she arrived the hotel, she looking for Chow Mo-wan’s room. She walking around the stair but still thinking whether meet or not. She waking to the upstairs and downstairs again and again. From this action we can know that she is very hesitate.

Secondly, when the first time they having their lunch, Su Li-zhen ask Chow Mo-wan to order the food and then Mr Chow ask why Ms Su asking that question. Su Li-zhen answer him because I want to know what his wife like to eat. Then, Chow Mo-wan looking at the menu for a while and ask Su Li-zhen how about his husband what he like to eat. In my opinion, I think they are actually want to know about what is their spouse like. What kind of people their wife and husband like. This action is actually a way how they test each other. Besides that, when Ms Su was eating, Mr chow takes some sauce for Ms Su then Ms Su say his wife can eat very spicy food. I think this is an action Mr Chow wanted her to know what his wife love or habit.

French Impressionist also tend to use visual depiction of mental states via cinematography and editing like what I mentions before. We can also notice that a lot of cinematography and editing technique in this film also. This technique can help the audiences think another way and not only focus on the surface. For example, from the beginning of the film until the end a lot of camera shooting is like behind the curtain or only can see them from the mirror and even sometimes you can not see the whole body of the two main characters. In my view point, I think that it maybe is because their relationship. As we know that there are still having their spouse and not formal divorce, what they do is wrong. This is way they relationship become so furtive and become a secret. Besides, because of their relationship is affair they scare the third people know about this especially their owner and neighbors. A lot of the camera angle is like someone is watching what they did.

In my conclusion, In The Mood For Love is a French impressionist film because they using a lot of French impressionist film technique in the movie. For example from the character movement, facial expression we can know that what is the character feeling or thinking. Next is cinematography and editing, this help to enrich the content of the film such as they can easily bring the audiences into each situation because this technique will make audiences to think what the character was thinking. For my opinion, French impressionist film give a lot of aspect to the audiences to think about it. There's no right answer, no completely wrong answer in the film. The true for the film is only based on the audiences itself.

Research :

Pro, V. D. (n.d.). Film Movement - French Impressionism (1918-1929). Retrieved from https://letterboxd.com/vince_dimeglio/list/film-movement-french-impressionism-1918-1929/

Semlyen, P. D., Freer, I., & Wybrew, A. (2016, August 10). Movie movements that defined cinema: French Impressionism. Retrieved from https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/french-impressionism-movie-era/

D. (n.d.). French Impressionism: 1918-1929. Retrieved from http://cinecollage.net/french-impressionism.html