Neon love: The lonely nights of Fallen Angels

Fallen Angels (Wong Kar-Wai/1996)

Wong Kar-Wai’s work is often characterized by his camera, his rapid movements and stylistic shifts. In his best films the camera always reflects the mood, and in Fallen Angels, his camera has the same amount of personality as his characters. Fallen Angels is a neon sprawl exploring a spectrum of characters, in the most simplistic of terms we have a man who kills for a living because he doesn’t like to think. A lonely woman who arranges everything for the him. A mute man who internalizes all his thoughts and pan handles everyone into giving him money. And a desperate woman who only wants to be remembered. However, using such simple terms to describe the people who inhabit Fallen Angel’s frames is disrespectful to the masterful characterizations within. The city that nurtures these strange personalities is the star. The city is a manifestation of nightmares and romance, where many things happen without anyone noticing. While Fallen Angels is always romantically detached. This feeling clings to everything, and somehow the film feels warmer because of it. Fallen Angel’s unique brand of warmth feels so similar to the conditions I, as a viewer inhabit in the real world. I find comfort in isolation. In myself. But also in others. If only for a moment. The connection is made for that moment, and in that moment we became friends. This kind of philosophy seems to be the one Fallen Angels takes in stride, no character has a real friend, only a brief moment that’s shared.

By abandoning the traditional narrative form. Kar-Wai allows intimacy. Each shot seems carefully selected to reflect the mood,the neon signs bleed into the frames. Inner-monologues unveil the niches of the characters. There is a recurring theme about the busy places and the intersections of people’s lives and where they have to decide to go. Kar-Wai maps an unnamed city where there is no peace, only solace in small shops and crammed hotels. long after the film faded, the city was still there. One monologue from the film is stuck in my head, it is Fallen Angels in my mind.

“We rub shoulders with many people every day, some may become close friends, or confidants. That’s why I’m always optimistic. Sometimes it hurts. Not to worry- I try to stay happy”

The film’s world of insane romantics and killers is full of dreams stuck in tight places; they rub shoulders with all kinds of people looking for the right partner. Whether it be professional or personal. They are looking, and sometimes, they find the right one. Even if it’s only for a ride home. They’ll speed into the unknown city, with each other in mind.