Misc en scene in Fallen Angels

The 1995 film, Fallen Angels by Wong Kar-wai is a visually stimulating story presenting urban life in Hong-Kong. Within the film there are two main storylines; that of the hit man, Wong, and the mute, Ho. Fallen Angels is a film that rests on its powerful visual imagery. With a minimal plot, it is the characters, the set pieces and visual effects that invest the viewer in the film.  I aim to take a deeper look in understanding how the misc en scene within Fallen Angels compares and contrasts Wong and Ho.

Fallen Angels does an excellent job of showing its characters in their world as they interpret it. The Hong Kong presented in the movie is the one shown to us by the characters in the film; extorted and self-focused. Constantly the audience is presents with the visual signifier of a mirror; it is often unclear at first whether a shot is of a character or their reflection. This represents both the introspection of the characters, and their uncertainty of whether they have become the image they created. The focus on the character’s interpretation of their world is supplemented by the music in Fallen Angels. Rather than the music being selected as a personal choice by the director, the music is chosen by the characters themselves, with their actions synched to the beat and flow of the music. Even the angles and perspective were based on the character’s self absorption. By using close ups, and a hand camera shots, the viewer was forced to be very ‘close and personal’ with the characters in the film, yet removed by the strange angles and perspectives, mimicking the way the characters are the focus in their environment but also removed from it.

Fallen Angels relies on its visual and auditory signifiers of urbanity to create the striking interpretation of Hong Kong which is presented to the audience. Throughout the film, unnatural lighting and strong use of shadow were used to emphasize the unnatural character of urban life. The characters in the film further build upon this, living unnatural lives in an unnatural city. Shadow also adds to the urban trope of the film, creating a gritty, dark, and unwelcoming atmosphere.  Use of shadow often emphasizes the characters themselves, at once integrating them within their environment and also drawing attention to them within the frame. The music chosen in the film is often co notated with the cool or carnivalistic, both associated with urban living.

Wong, the killer, is constantly trying to achieve ‘cool’ in his life. In the first scene that he is shown, Wong appears to be the essence of cool. Portrayed not in old fashioned, but edgy, black and white, Wong’s face and chest pops out, perfectly framed against his partner. Stylish, but not too formal, Wong holds a cigarette, nonchalantly looking away, contrasting his shaking partner.  When his partner asks him for an explanation, he simply chooses to ignore her and speak to the viewer instead. In these respects Wong is ‘cool’, displaying his indifference while seeming edgy.

However, it is also in this scene where it is possible to see the first hints that perhaps Wong isn’t so cool, that he is simply crafting his image in attempts to fill the cool stereotype. Although his partner has clearly ‘lost her cool’ with her shaking hands, Wong also shows signs that he is uncomfortable with the situation. He is unable to look his partner in the eye, and instead looks downward. On closer inspection, rather than giving the feeling of brushing his partner off, Wong rather seems submissive and afraid. His inability to answer her question also shows his lack of confidence, rather than lack of caring. Wong clearly has ties to his partner, and is unable to fully deal with the situation, undermining his cool appearance. Fallen Angels plays with this front of cool, showing humanity underneath Wong’s crafted image, which feels as if it is simply a barrier set up in reaction to the urban world around him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCFFJbREVN0&feature=player_detailpage&list=PL9581FFA169E080E9#t=566s
                The clearest example of Wong’s ‘lack of cool’ is the bus scene. This scene begins as Wong is fleeing his last hit; a restaurant. During the restaurant scene, he again seems to be the cool, calm and collected killer, and even his theme song; Robison Randriaharimalala’s ‘coz I'm cool’ plays. Wong steps to the beat of ‘coz I’m cool’, tying together his perception of himself and his job as a hit man, which also fulfills his cool image. However, on entry of the bus, his theme song instantly dissolves and the audience is left with a relatively mundane looking scene of Wong on the bus. No longer feeling cool, but stressed, we see Wong’s cover fade.

On the bus, Wong’s eyes dart from side to side, obviously unsettled. The bus on which he sits is ordinary, if not a bit old. Through the windows the viewer is able to see city lights, acting as a reminder that the mundane bus is still located in the urban landscape. Suddenly caught off guard, Wong is confronted by an old classmate.  His cool atmosphere is now interrupted by a figure from his childhood. No longer is Wong able to act as if he is a nameless hit man with this very human figure present.  The two converse about mundane topics, Wong staying cool and collected with his responses, but not in his actions.  Again, Wong does not display the confidence to make eye contact, and rubs his face, showing his obvious agitation. Tellingly, as Wong admits that even killers have pasts, the view shifts to Wong’s reflection in this buses’ mirror. Looking at his reflection, Wong sees both his cool image, and also through introspection, the competing view of Wong’s uncool flaws and history. Wong’s reflection appears small against the night backdrop, making him seem very alone; unable to deal with the human contact that is his classmate. Wong wears a strained smile, for once making him feel relatable and human.

Ho, existing in the same universe presents a different story. Becoming a mute at a young age after eating a bad can of fruit, conveniently following his mother’s death, Ho enters the movie when he has escaped from prison. He then returns to his father and begins a life of shenanigans. Ho, unlike Wong, is not trying to be cool, rather he wants to escape the trauma of growing up. Reliant on his father, and continually returning to the ice cream that played a part in his mother’s death, Ho cannot seem to let go of his childhood.

 While conning people, Ho continuously runs into a girl named Charlie. Befriending Charlie, Ho helps her seek out her rival, Blondie, and ends up in a restaurant with her while she again plots against Blondie. Again, the camera is focused closely on Ho and Charlie, with both shadow and unnatural lighting present even in the restaurant. Ho is often surrounded by the bizarre and carnivalistic, and this is contingent with Charlie’s appearance of messy hair, wild attitude, complete with crazy pencil topper. Unstable, she is dependent upon Ho for support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9581FFA169E080E9&v=aPqyPJm4_w8&feature=player_detailpage#t=189s

Charlie seems to be the first person whom Ho has taken responsibility for. When a fight suddenly and unexpectedly breaks out in the restaurant at the mention of Blondie, Ho is there to protect Charlie. This scene is so sudden that it almost feels as if it sprang from Ho’s imagination, and his newfound desire to protect Charlie. Contingent with Ho’s personality, we see the restaurant through his mind; a blurred swirl of events complete with action theme music.  The camera follows Ho through the restaurant, in slow motion to emphasize his fighting, while making a path for Charlie. Again, we see through the camera work the focus on self, as Ho imagines himself a hero. The scene only starts to break down when we see Ho accidentally hit Charlie, taking away from his childish hero status. However, he is redeemed when she comes back to drag him away.  In this instance, Ho’s childishness is still clear, with a wild imagination and a desire to cause trouble. However, he now edges towards some responsibility in his need to care for Charlie.

The restaurant scene finishes with the dream like shot of Ho and Charlie sitting in yet another restaurant. Ho states that women are like water, and appropriately the blurred, black and white view of Ho and Charlie almost makes it appear as if water is flowing over the camera lens. Time seems to be slowed down for Ho and Charlie as everyone in the background rushes by.  Because of this, everything is blurry and surreal looking. A relaxed old rock tune plays in the background, its constant beat seeming to match the movement in the background. Again, this deliberate slowness is shown because Ho sees the moment this way. Charlie is still and statue like, allowing Ho to fully take her in, and revel in his newfound love for her.  Yet, in this moment in time, Ho never actually completes any of the more intimate actions with Charlie, such as petting her hair. He merely settles for resting on his shoulder, showing the difference between his desires and true actions.

At the end of the film, Ho has lost both Charlie and his father. Forced to grow because of his tenderness for Charlie, Ho manages to deal with his father’s loss more appropriately and grow from the ordeal. In remembrance of his father, Ho views the videotape he made of his father over and over again. While watching the video, Ho eats ice cream, thus sharing the moment with both his father and his mother. The video mimics aspects of how we see Ho’s life; many close ups, shots made with a hand camera, and a clear presentation of he and his father’s urban life. However, as the film focuses on his father, this presents a key difference from the audience’s view of Ho’s life. Instead of self absorption, Ho has grown into a character that is concerned with the lives of others.

It is this character growth in Ho that differentiates him from Wong. Wong, wanting change but unable to deal with it, must be removed from the storyline, and is ended when his partner places a hit upon him. Ho, although ripped from his situation, has grown enough to start anew. This is especially clear at the end of the film where Ho picks up Wong’s loose ends and again takes responsibility, this time for Wong’s partner. Now with gentle, happy music, the two ride away, in effect, riding away from their past lives. The camera alternates from a long shot to a close up, creating both a sense of distance and closeness. At a promise of ‘warmth’ the camera pans up to the sky; still cloudy, but foretelling of new possibilities and hope.

Fallen Angels is reliant upon misc en scene to reveal the hidden attributes of its characters. With minimal amounts of plot and dialogue, Fallen Angels cannot present the story in any other fashion. Although its characters exist in the same world, misc en scene reveals the subtleties of a character’s struggles and development. While Wong attempts to uphold an image of cool, we see that this contradiction to his hidden self proves to be too much, and in the end, Wong is unable to exist in his environment. Ho struggles with adulthood, but possesses the ability to change, and is ultimately able to continue living.