Background of the Director:
Wong Kar-Wai grew up in the backdrop of Hong-Kong in the inner city. Where political change was always on the horizon. The idea behind 2046 began with the theme of promises and blossomed into something entirely different when he began the actual production process. Originally the two films In the Mood for Love & 2046 were going to be shot back to back but when In the Mood for Love production went over the scheduled time for shooting 2046 was forced to change to accommodate, thus cutting a large portion of the sci-fi elements originally planned for the film.
The name of 2046 originally began as a joke that Wong Kar-Wai thought of when they were shooting In the Mood for Love. After seeing the hotel room number, he decided to change it from 30- to 2046, as a small connection to the film 2046. This began the change for 2046, which was originally intended to be two different films now joined together. With this in mind the films began to change, as Wong Kar-Wai decided to add Tony Chow as a connecting character. In the Mood for Love can be seen a s a prequel to 2046 or a “lost chapter” to the film. The two films show the change from a once kind and decent family man to a playboy who is unable to sit still.
Thematic Statement:
Refusing to move on, can only lead to the prolonging of pain.
Characters:
Chow Mo-Wan
A writer barely scraping by, who once loved someone deeply (Su Li-Zheng from In a Mood for Love), but now womanizes for the sake of his own satisfaction. He finds his way back to Singapore in search of Su, only to be constantly searching for her in different women. He’s a charismatic man who’s honest with his wants, and never lies about his intentions.
His career reflects his inability to let go and his need to constantly be dreaming of the one that first took his heart away.
Su Li-Zhen (Old)
A woman who haunts Chow’s past. The same person who was in In the Mood for Love. It is unknown what happened to her after the events of the film but it is speculated that she was killed or traveled away never to be seen again. She is the representation of everything Chow wants but can never attain. A ghost that haunts him in every relationship. A ghost of his former self.
Bai
The loud neighbor next door that moves into the room next to Chow. She brings a large variety of men to her place and is thought to be a call girl. She eventually falls for Chow and has a one sided love for him which he never reciprocates. She continues to search for love in a one sided relationship.
Wang Jin-Wen:
The hotel owner’s daughter falls in love with a Japanese man. She is unable to go with the one she loves because her father opposes the marriage due to the negative history with China and Japan. Wang symbolizes the hopeful aspect of love where in perseverance happy endings do exist. She works for her father, eventually gaining autonomy and finding work. She helps Chow with his novel and eventually becomes a love interest. She never reciprocates the same feelings for him.
Su Li-Zhen (New):
A gambler capable of winning. She finds Chow before the events of 2046 and has the same name of the woman he once loved.
Setting:
A hotel, a place where people are constantly coming and going a lot like Chow Mo-Wan’s life and how he has a cycle of revolving woman who he uses to relive his past. He is man unable to plant roots or settle down and will constantly be searching for something to make him feel that same sensation. The film is primarily set in the hotel rooms, with some shots being a ball room or in a taxi. The film overall is very minimal in its location.
Camera-Work:
The signature Wong Kar-Wai style with Christopher Dole at the helm. He uses stutter frames, saturated colors, intimate close up and few camera movements. The lighting in the scenes are glowy with hardly any hard shadows with mostly soft lights deeply saturated yellows and reds. You can see the sweat on their face as the light reflects.
Overall Impressions:
The film is a dive into the pain that not letting go can cause in both yourself and others. It also shows that not all love is doomed for failure. Sometimes we meet the right people at the wrong time.
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