WATCH: How Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai influenced ‘Moonlight’

Screenshots: Moonlight (2016) and In The Mood for Love (2000), compiled by Alessio Marinacci
Screenshots: Moonlight (2016) and In The Mood for Love (2000), compiled by Alessio Marinacci

Even prior to its Best Picture win at the Oscars (and accompanying announcement mix-up disaster), Barry Jenkins’ film “Moonlight” was winning rave reviews for its remarkable exploration of the lives of black LGBT people. But what some don’t know is that the cinematography – which has been equally lauded – is heavily inspired by the work of Hong Kong’s very own Wong Kar-wai. In The Hollywood Reporter, critic David Rooney described Director of Photography James Laxton’s cinematography as “fluid and seductive, deceptively mellow, and shot through with searing compassion”. Sounds like Wong (and his indispensable DOP Christopher Doyle), alright!

Check out this video by Youtube user Alessio Marinacci, which shows scenes from the Oscar-winning film next to similarly-framed shots from Wong’s films:




In an interview with video distributor the Criterion Collection, Jenkins talked about watching “Chungking Express” when he first got into film school. “Stylistically, it was made in a way that was different to any film I’d ever seen before.”

Singling out the scene where Tony Leung’s unnamed policeman character wistfully recalls happier times with his flight attendant ex-girlfriend to the tune of Dinah Washington’s “What A Diff’rence A Day Made”, Jenkins said, “That moment always struck me as something that was just like, ridiculously beautiful, even though it was mournful at the same time.”

Regarding “In the Mood for Love” – widely regarded as Wong’s best work, and recently named the second best film of the 20th century by the BBC – Jenkins modestly said, “I can’t even touch that film. I’ve gotta [make movies] for at least another 40 years before I even come close.”

Speaking to The Film Stage, Laxton intimated that the filmmakers had a “Dropbox folder full of images” to reference, including screengrabs from “Happy Together” amongst other Wong Kar-wai films, and work from other directors such as Hou Hsiao-hsien and Claire Denis.

 



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