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Early Wai Wong Kar "Fallen Angels:" hard to like, unless

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you're a major fan of Wong and his long time collaborator, cinematographer Christopher Doyle.
Two stories, more or less independent of one another, about a killer and a strange fellow that takes over closed businesses late at night and extorts money from the customers. Their women are also important characters and, in the case of the killer's, one of the most beautiful women I've seen on the screen.
As I've mentioned before, story or plot is incidental to enjoying Wong's films. The mood created by the edgy soundtrack, the "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari-" like framing, and the juxtaposition of black and vivid color hypnotizes the viewer. Altogether, a different experience from other films.
The beauty of the actors and the director's sense of humor also add to the fun.
No, this isn't one of his best films but there is so much excellence, originality, and cleverness here that it overshadows the best efforts of many more undeservedly famous directors.

Follow Ups:

It's an inadequate follow-up to Chungking Express. - Donald 06:13:19 03/19/06 (1)
I'm a major Wong and Doyle fan, but this is their weakest effort.
(It's Wong Kar-wai, not Wai Wong Kar.)
- I've got Chungking next in my queue so I'll let you know. There were - tinear 07:48:27 03/19/06 (0)
  many scenes I can't forget in Fallen Angels though it does fall short of the other Wong movies I've seen. I thought the beginning scenes of the girl cleaning the apt. and then the killer's moves there were brilliant.
  The girl's activities later on in the apartment were... fascinating.
  Last night there Patriot was on tv and I surfed to it by accident. Gibson's emoting is so over the top I laughted long and hard. That's what so refreshing about Asian films. The acting is free from all the mannerisms which "stars" like Mel and many others feel is "acting."
  (Thanks for the name correction: Asian ones are tough for me because of the unfamiliarity factor).
The unusual and striking beauty of Chinese film is beginning to make me think they are really No. 1. * - mr grits 20:25:23 03/18/06 (2)
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- This is Hong Kong. Check out S. Korea, too, in the film - tinear 05:44:05 03/19/06 (1)
  "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... Spring."
  - Saw it. Perhaps I should say Asian, particularly Chinese derivation. * - mr grits 14:34:05 03/19/06 (0)
    .

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