HAPPY HOUR(WANG KAR-WAI,1997,HONGKONG)

SCENE:’HO HOLD BLANKET TIGHTLY AND CRYING’

1. Camera tilts up from the cigarette table to Ho Po-wing (hand-held, medium shot), then Ho moves to his cabinet, top on his bed and the camera follows up.
2. Cuts to mid-close-up to Ho’s face, he was put his cigarette in order..
3. Cuts to medium shot to Ho moving to the kitchen cabinet, camera follows up, a mid-close-up to Ho then camera move back give Ho a medium shot again then the camera follows Ho turn around.
4. Cuts to Ho knelt and wipe the floor from his back
5. Camera cuts to a look down perspective, Ho still wipe the floor. Then follows Ho get up, the camera tilts up and follow his to the bathroom then the camera tilts down. Shot Ho wipe the floor again.
6. Cuts to a long shot, the camera positioned in the corner behind his bed. Then the camera move forward first, Ho is getting up.
7. Cuts back to Ho get up at the front of his bedside.
8. Cuts to Ho open the door, camera positioned out of the door, a medium shot
9. Cuts to a close up of Ho’s hand that Ho’s fixed the light
10. Cuts to a long shot, camera positioned out of the door, the opposite of the corridor. Shot Ho fixed his light in his room.
11. Cuts back to a mid-close-up, a look down perspective, shot Ho look at his light, the camera tilts down, follow Ho looking down his light then the camera give the light a close up and follow Ho slowly pick up his light the camera slowly tilts up
12. Cuts back to over the shoulder shot of Ho looking at his light
13. Cuts to a close up shot to the light
14. Cuts to the camera rotation from the outside his door and slowly shot then a clos up to his door
15. Cuts to the camera shot at the glass on the door outside, Ho hold the blanket tightly in his arms and crying
16. Cuts back to inside his room, a medium shot to Ho hold his blanket tightly in his arms crying then follow Ho’s head get up, the camera move forward gives Ho a mid-close-up on his face then camera move back follow Ho lying on his sofa.

 

Overall, Wang Kar-wai uses the hand-held camera to highlight a unique perspective through this movie, the camera always follow the actor’s movement, allows the audience to understand the character’s emotions. As the unique perspective, the camera positioned at the glass outside the door, shot inside that Ho hold his blanket tightly and crying, this shot just like a peeper who is spying about Ho’s every movement and tracking his inner world. This shot not only draw audiences’ attention, but also cause their psychological induction. I especially appreciate Wang kar-wai uses hand-held camera shot his film, makes me feel it’s real, just like you are the person into his story and witness all the thing happens.