Wong Kar-Wai’s, In the Mood for Love, tells the story of two neighboring tenants that realize their respective spouses are having an affair. Its mise-en-scene depicts a heightened memory of 1960s Hong Kong, reflecting on the feeling of entrapped felt by the two-main character, in a physical and mental state; "psychologically and physically constrained environment will rule their lives and, by keeping them from acting on their justified impulses, stunt their happiness forever"i. Through the use of mise-en-scene depicted through the constructions of different sets and various costumes a theme of entrapment is created and enhanced throughout the film, providing commentary on how time and space may make one feel confound but it is a self-choice to stand behind and uphold the social norms of society; one allows oneself to be trapped in their own beliefs, exposing the issue of being contempt with the idea of watching time flying by.
Through the construction of juxtaposing setting of interiors and exteriors and similar actions taken place in both, this notion of entrapment is exposed, but not only within the world around the characters but also within their psyches. The interior sets …show more content…
Wong uses historically accurate costumes to express the social norms of 1960s Hong Kong. Specifically, Mrs. Chan wears high heels and multiple different tight, high necked dresses called cheongsams. The Cheongsams connotes towards traditional China's social expectations for women, “ [the] dress reminds us of past societies’ expectations of women...she is first and foremost a woman and her womanhood is defined by her responsibilities to her husband and society at large”iv The costumes alone depict the notion of being caught in a cycle that these characters cannot escape because of their place in
Through the construction of juxtaposing setting of interiors and exteriors and similar actions taken place in both, this notion of entrapment is exposed, but not only within the world around the characters but also within their psyches. The interior sets …show more content…
Wong uses historically accurate costumes to express the social norms of 1960s Hong Kong. Specifically, Mrs. Chan wears high heels and multiple different tight, high necked dresses called cheongsams. The Cheongsams connotes towards traditional China's social expectations for women, “ [the] dress reminds us of past societies’ expectations of women...she is first and foremost a woman and her womanhood is defined by her responsibilities to her husband and society at large”iv The costumes alone depict the notion of being caught in a cycle that these characters cannot escape because of their place in