Wong Kar-Wai: An international auteur in Hong Kong film-making

Wong Kar-Wai is the premier auteur of Hong Kong cinema. This article analyzes his 1994 film, Chungking Express, using the “auteur as structure” approach. This approach emphasizes the influence of the director on a film. It can only be applied to films that were mainly controlled by the director and not the studio or production company. Using this approach requires researchers to find the signature of the director within the film. This research introduces the work of an internationally-acclaimed film director to communication scholars, and it deciphers a film inherently complex to interpret. The authors’ analysis reveals Wong utilizes a French New Wave style to represent his view of a Hong Kong undergoing social and political transformations. Wong’s style is similar to French directors such as Truffaut and Godard because of his spontaneity and use of movement within the movie image. Even though Wong is influenced by the French New Wave, his films are also influenced by their physical and social environments. This is especially true in Chungking Express, with its crime urban surroundings, and constant references to expiration dates, the latter referring to Hong Kong’s hand-over to China.