Fallen Angels (1995 film)

Infobox Chinese Film
name = Fallen Angels


writer = Wong Kar-wai
starring = Leon Lai
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Michelle Reis
Charlie Yeung
Karen Mok
director = Wong Kar-wai
producer = Jeffrey Lau
distributor = Kino International
music =
released = Sept. 6 1995 (Hong Kong)
Jan. 30 1998 (U.S.)
runtime = 90 min
96 min (Fra and Ger)
country = flagicon|Hong KongHong Kong
language = Cantonese
budget =
preceded_by = "Chungking Express" (1994)
followed_by = "Happy Together" (1997)
music =
awards =
imdb_id = 0112913
jianti = 堕落天使
fanti = 墮落天使
pinyin = "Duòluò Tiānshǐ"

"Fallen Angels" (Cantonese-tjp|t=墮落天使|s=堕落天使|j=Do6lok6 Tin1si3|p=Duòluò Tiānshǐ) is a 1995 Hong Kong movie written and directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Leon Lai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Michelle Reis, Charlie Yeung and Karen Mok.

"Fallen Angels" is usually considered a companion piece to "Chungking Express". It was originally conceived as the third story for "Chungking Express", but "Fallen Angels" can be considered a sequel due to similar themes, locations and methods of filming, while one of the main characters lives in the Chungking Mansions and works at the Midnight Express food stall.

Plot outline

Set in contemporary Hong Kong, a disillusioned hitman embarks on his last hit but first he has to overcome the affections of his cool, detached partner he rarely sees. Thinking it is dangerous and improper to become involved with a colleague, he tries to find a surrogate for his affections. Against the sordid and surreal urban nightscape, he crosses paths with a strange drifter looking for her ex-boyfriend and a mute trying to get the world's attention in his own ways.

oundtrack

Featured in the "Fallen Angels" soundtrack is a version of "Forget Him" sung by Shirley Kwan, a reworking of the classic by Teresa Teng, and one of the very few 'contemporary' Cantopop songs ever used by Wong Kar Wai in his films. In the film, the song is used as a message from the hitman to his partner.

The Flying Pickets version of "Only You" was used in the last scene of the Wong Kar-Wai film. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112913/soundtrack SoundTrack List]

Critical reception

In the "Chicago Sun-Times", Roger Ebert gave "Fallen Angels" three stars out of a possible four:

"It's kind of exhausting and kind of exhilarating. It will appeal to the kinds of people you see in the Japanese animation section of the video store, with their sleeves cut off so you can see their tattoos. And to those who subscribe to more than three film magazines. And to members of garage bands. And to art students. It's not for your average moviegoers--unless of course, they want to see something new." [cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980619/REVIEWS/806190301/1023|title=Fallen Angels|author=Roger Ebert|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times|date=1998-06-19|accessdate=2007-08-08]

Stephen Holden of the "New York Times" said:

"Fallen Angels" is a densely packed suite of zany vignettes that have the autonomy of pop songs or stand-up comic riffs, all stitched together with repetitive shots of elevated trains, underground subway stations and teeming neon-lit streets. Although the story takes a tragic turn, the movie feels as weightless as the tinny pop music that keeps its restless midnight ramblers darting around the city like electronic toy figures in a gaming arcade." [ [http://movies2.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?title1=&title2=FALLEN%20ANGELS%20%28MOVIE%29&reviewer=Stephen%20Holden&v_id=135838&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes] ]

In the "Village Voice", J. Hoberman wrote:

"The acme of neo-new-wavism, the ultimate in MTV alienation, the most visually voluptuous flick of the fin de siécle, a pyrotechnical wonder about mystery, solitude, and the irrational love of movies that pushes Wong's style to the brink of self-parody." [cite web|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0732,hoberman,77445,20.html|title=Redeeming Feature|author=J. Hoberman|publisher=Village Voice|date=2007-08-07|accessdate=2007-08-08]

Box Office

The film made HK $7,476,025 during its Hong Kong run.

On January 21, 1998, the film began a limited North American theatrical run through Kino International, grossing US $13,804 in its opening weekend in one American theatre. The final North American theatrical gross was US $163,145.

In 2004, Australian distribution company Accent Film Entertainment released a remastered widescreen version of the film [http://www.accentfilm.com/product.cfm?id=MTAwMDAwOA%3D%3D&cat=MQ%3D%3D] enhanced for 16x9 screens. [http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare7/fallenangels.htm]

DVD

Kino International, which currently distributes the film on DVD, is planning a re-release of the film from a new high-definition transfer on November 11, 2008. In India, the DVD of the film is avialable on Moserbaer entertainment which has recently released international titles on high quality DVD format and costs Rs. 399.

Awards and nominations

* 1996 Hong Kong Film Awards
** Won: Best Supporting Actress (Karen Mok)
** Won: Best Cinematography (Christopher Doyle)
** Won: Best Original Score (Frankie Chan, Roal A. Garcia)
** Nominated: Best Picture
** Nominated: Best Director (Wong Kar-wai)
** Nominated: Best Art Direction (William Chang)
** Nominated: Best Costume and Make-up Design (William Chang)
** Nominated: Best Film Editing (William Chang, Wong Ming-lam)
** Nominated: Best New Performer (Lei Chen-mei)

* 1995 Golden Horse Film Festival
** Won: Best Original Song (William Chang)
** Won: Best Production Design (William Chang)

* 1996 Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
** Won: Film of Merit

* 1996 Golden Bauhinia Awards
** Won: Best Supporting Actress (Karen Mok)
** Won: Best Cinematography (Christopher Doyle)

See also

*Cinema of Hong Kong
*Hong Kong in films
*List of Hong Kong films

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0112913|title=Fallen Angels