IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE(WONG KAR-WEI 2000, HONGKONG)

Overview: In 1962, journalist Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife move into a Hong Kong apartment, but Chow’s spouse is often away on business. Before long, the lonely Chow makes the acquaintance of the alluring Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk), whose own significant other also seems preoccupied with work. As the two friends realize their respective partners are cheating on them, they begin to fall for one another; however, neither wants to stoop to the level of the unfaithful spouses.

Scene: Restaurant scene.

Shot list:

1. Full shot on the wall lamp in the restaurant. The director uses dull light shows to audience Chow and Su’s secret meet-up.
2. Cuts to a full shot that Chow asks Su have a meal, and ask her where she bought the bag. The director positioned camera like a peeper perspective.
3. Cuts to a close up, Su drinks her coffee and praise Chow love her wife so much.
4. Cuts to a close up, Chow said wants to give his wife a birthday gift.
5. Cuts to a close up, Chow take out his cigarette and lighter.
6. Cuts to a close up, Su smiled.
7. Cuts back to a close up, Chow light his cigarette and the camera tilts up, still a close up to Chow, he asks Su if possible buy a bag for him.
8. Cuts to a close up, Su answer Chow say if the bag was same, Chow’s wife won’t be happy.
9. Cuts back to a close up, Chow smiled, agree Su’s suggestion.
10. Cuts to a close up, Su says woman mind they have both thing.
11. Close up again to Chow, he asks her other color of the bag
12. Cuts to a close up, Su says the bag was his husband bought for her, she didn’t know the details.
13. Cuts to a close up, Chow smoking and said never mind
14. Close shot, Su stir her coffee slowly.
15. Cuts to a close up, Chow drinks his coffee.
16. Cuts to a close up, Su asks Chow where does his ties from then camera panning to Chow very fast, a close up, Chow answer Su he doesn’t know, his wife bought it for him then the camera panning again to a close up of Su.
17. Cuts to a close up on Chow’s tie, Chow watch down then follows he look up, camera tilts up.
18. Cuts back to a close up to Su’s face, Chow talks to Su where his ties from, Su look at him and smiled to Chow.
19. Cuts to a close up, Chow looks embarrassed and Su says her husband has a same tie.
20. Cuts to a close up, Chow says to Su his wife got a same bag.
21. Cuts back to a close up of Chow’s face.
22. Cuts to Su, close up, she asking Chow what he want to express.
23. Camera panning, right to left, close up to Chow’s face, he does not saying, lower his head smoking.
24. Camera tilts down, after Chow puts his hand on knees, then stop a seconds on his hand, close up.
25. Close up, cigarette dense mist in the air. (Voice-over) Su thought only she knew her husband unfaithful.

    CAMERA POSITIONED
    
    

The reason I chose this scene is Wong Kar-wai uses almost 20 close up shots to cover their secret meal, using normal lens, giving the audience the feeling of being there with the protagonists, also I think that was perfect to highlight those two characters inner world. Director not only catch their eyes and face emotion by uses close up, but also shows audience their inner thought were not calm. Especially shot 5,7,6 and 14. Those little movement- Su slowly stir coffee, Chow smoking, their embraced smiled, all those shots perfect highlights those two characters not calm inner world. Also the close up cut between those characters over and over again, the audience felt Chow and Su are affected each other and the relationship between them was step-by-step closer. In shot 16, the very fast panning shows Chow’s inner world, personally, I think he was surprised  that Su interested on his tie, that means both of them are noticed each other, not only himself. As he looks down to his tie and heads up, the smiling on his face obvious shows his heart bounded with joy.