Fallen Angel
Directed by	Wong Kar-wai
Produced by	Jeffrey Lau
Written by	Wong Kar-wai
Starring	Leon Lai Takeshi Kaneshiro Michelle Reis Charlie Yeung Karen Mok
Distributed by	Kino International
Release date(s)	Sept. 6 1996 (Hong Kong) Jan. 30 1998 (U.S)
Running time	90 min 96 min (France) 96 min (Germany)
Language	Cantonese
Budget	???
IMDb profile

Fallen Angels (Traditional Chinese: 墮落天使; Simplified Chinese: 堕落天使; pinyin: 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. This is a DVD cover. ... Wong Kar-wai, (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Cantonese Yale: Wòhng Gà Waih; Shanghainese Latin method: Wan Kawe; born July 17, 1958) is a Hong Kong based film director known for his unique visual style of romantic art films. ... Wong Kar-wai, (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Cantonese Yale: Wòhng Gà Waih; Shanghainese Latin method: Wan Kawe; born July 17, 1958) is a Hong Kong based film director known for his unique visual style of romantic art films. ... Leon Lai (黎明; pinyin: Lí Míng; Cantonese: lai4 ming4; born December 11, 1966) is a Chinese actor and a Cantopop singer. ... Takeshi Kaneshiro Takeshi Kaneshiro (Traditional Chinese: 金城武, Simplified Chinese: 金城武, Hepburn: Kaneshiro Takeshi, Pinyin: JÄ«nchéng WÅ­, born October 11, 1973) is a male actor and model. ... Michelle Monique Reis (李嘉欣, pinyin: Lǐ Jiāxīn) (born June 20, 1970) is a Hong Kong actress. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Karen Joy Morris, or Karen Mok Man-Wai (莫文蔚, born in June 2, 1970) is a Hong Kong-based actress and singer. ... Kino International is a film and video distributor, based in New York City that specializes in art-house films, such as low-budget current films and classic films from earlier periods in the history of cinema. ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... A minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour and to 60 seconds. ... A minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour and to 60 seconds. ... A minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour and to 60 seconds. ... Cantonese is a major dialect group or language of the Chinese language, a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... Traditional Chinese (Traditional Chinese: 正體字/繁體字, Simplified Chinese: 正体字/繁体字) refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that Pinyin method be merged into this article or section. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the cinema of Mainland China. ... Wong Kar-wai, (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Cantonese Yale: Wòhng Gà Waih; Shanghainese Latin method: Wan Kawe; born July 17, 1958) is a Hong Kong based film director known for his unique visual style of romantic art films. ... Leon Lai (黎明; pinyin: Lí Míng; Cantonese: lai4 ming4; born December 11, 1966) is a Chinese actor and a Cantopop singer. ... Takeshi Kaneshiro Takeshi Kaneshiro (Traditional Chinese: 金城武, Simplified Chinese: 金城武, Hepburn: Kaneshiro Takeshi, Pinyin: JÄ«nchéng WÅ­, born October 11, 1973) is a male actor and model. ... Michelle Monique Reis (李嘉欣, pinyin: Lǐ Jiāxīn) (born June 20, 1970) is a Hong Kong actress. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Karen Joy Morris, or Karen Mok Man-Wai (莫文蔚, born in June 2, 1970) is a Hong Kong-based actress and singer. ...

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. Chungking Express (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; literally Chongqing forest) is a 1994 Hong Kong film written and directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Takeshi Kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung, Faye Wong and Valerie Chow. ... Chungking Mansion Chungking Mansions is a famous building in Hong Kong, China. ...

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. A hitman (alternately, hit man), also referred to as a contract killer, is a hired assassin, usually in the employ of organized crime. ...

Fallen Angels, being shot and conducted in a modern way - using fast cuts, hand-cameras, strange light visuals - reminding one of a hip, glossy photo-magazine, is regularly compared to the 1960s films of Jean-Luc Godard, where you will end up not with conclusions but with impressions. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Jean-Luc Godard (photograph by David Horvitz) Jean-Luc Godard (born 3 December 1930 in Paris) is a French filmmaker and one of the most influential members of the Nouvelle Vague, or French New Wave. Born in Paris to Franco-Swiss parents, he was educated in Nyon, later studying at...

Soundtrack

Featured in the "Fallen Angels" soundtrack is "Forget Him" by Shirley Kwan, one of the very few comtemporary Cantopop songs ever used by Wong Kar Wai in his films. Psychedelic and a little surreal, this track captures the aura of Fallen Angels, but could have also been chosen for its message-conveying title. Forget Him (忘記他) is arguably the most widely known Cantonese pop song ever produced. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

Critical reception

In the Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert gave Fallen Angels three stars out of a possible four: The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago. ... Russ Meyer (left) and Roger Ebert, (1970) Roger Joseph Ebert (June 18, 1942 - ) is an Emmy Award-nominated American television personality, author, and film critic who began writing for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1967. ...

"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."[1]

Stephen Holden of the New York Times was also admiring: The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ...

"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."[2]

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.

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)

Hong Kong Film Awards (香港電影金像獎), is the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong. ... Karen Joy Morris, or Karen Mok Man-Wai (莫文蔚, born in June 2, 1970) is a Hong Kong-based actress and singer. ... Christopher Doyle (Left to right) Christopher Doyle, William Chang, Wong Kar-wai on 2046 set in Shanghai, China Christopher Doyle (born May 2, 1952 in Sydney, Australia; Chinese name: 杜可風) is an Australian cinematographer and member of the HKSC. Doyle has worked with Chinese directors like Wong Kar-wai, Zhang Yimou... Wong Kar-wai, (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Cantonese Yale: Wòhng Gà Waih; Shanghainese Latin method: Wan Kawe; born July 17, 1958) is a Hong Kong based film director known for his unique visual style of romantic art films. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards (Traditional Chinese: 香港電影評論學會大獎) are an annual award given by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society in Hong Kong, China since 1995. ... Golden Bauhinia Awards(金紫荆奖) is a film awards in Hong Kong organised by Hong Kong Film Critics Association. ... Karen Joy Morris, or Karen Mok Man-Wai (莫文蔚, born in June 2, 1970) is a Hong Kong-based actress and singer. ... Christopher Doyle (Left to right) Christopher Doyle, William Chang, Wong Kar-wai on 2046 set in Shanghai, China Christopher Doyle (born May 2, 1952 in Sydney, Australia; Chinese name: 杜可風) is an Australian cinematographer and member of the HKSC. Doyle has worked with Chinese directors like Wong Kar-wai, Zhang Yimou...

See also

• Cinema of Hong Kong
• Hong Kong in films
• List of Hong Kong films

The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan. ... While most of local Hong Kong movies are set in the Special Administrative Region, several foreign movies are also, at least partly, set in Hong Kong. ... Cinema of Hong Kong This is an A-Z list of films produced in Hong Kong and in the in alphabetical order. ...

External link

• Fallen Angels at the Internet Movie Database