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By having these locations represent the ideals of the west and east, we can go into detail about how these locations, east and west, are represented in the film. The film can be seen as a mirror for Western audience on their own lifestyle of consumerism/captialism in contract to a more Eastern lifestyle. The film is also a mirror of its main creator, Stephen Chow who starred, director, produced, wrote and composer for the movie.
This film was made in China, and because of this there are some rules that must be followed. One of the major rules, is following within the censorship.
In Asahi Shimbun, a newspaper, reported that These topics listed below are to be censored either limitedly or completely remove from modern culture in China:
*democracy, corruption, police brutality
*Tiananmen Square protest of 1989
*Maoism, food safety, disparity of wealth
*Falun Gong
*Ethnic independence movements
In The City there are some mise en scene that alludes to it being more about Western, or Consumerism, ideals:
The police can be bribed. in the opening scene we see this to be true when the police department is bought to look the other way when the Axe Gang kills Crocodile in the middle of the street during the day. Due to the censorship, this can not be placed in the realm of China, because corruption, to the ruling party, does not exist. Even if there was corruption in China, if the film showed the corruption it would have to be censored or changed so that China and Chinese belief are not shown in a negative light.
There are many cars on the road as well. After WWII companies switched back to making consumer goods instead of military goods. This lead to an increase in automobiles and started the 1950's car craze. In most cases, cars are seen as being a western creation.
If you look around at the buildings, there are not many if any normal stores. There are mainly places of entertainment like the casino, we don't really see people having to work or state that they are heading to work. We do see individuals around town, but no one is hurrying to work. Instead everyone walks around, or goes to the Casino to spend money. The main character even states that all you need in this town is money in order to have power.
Pig Sty Alley is more based on eastern lifestyle. This can be seen through the mise en scene in the film.
The whole apartment complex is one large home for all the people around. No one complains about having to live so close to each other. Though there is an argument about water supplies, it mainly helps to show that this apartment is a small community. Even the owners of the building live within the building. This helps to show that class does not dectate a better life. That all people, even your landlord, is economically your equal.
Even the location of their work is tide to their home. This mimics history in China. During 1958-1983 the people's commune was a lifestyle of rural people in China. Kitchen, bathrooms, etc were not owned by one person, instead people shared a communal bathrooms and kitchens. People were given one job to do that would help the group. This mirrors what is scene in the movie. There are not competing bakers or hairstylist. There is only, visibly, one person who does each of the jobs. This way of life is not something that Western, consumerism, way of life would understand or agree too. The idea of sharing a kitchen would limit the amount of items needed and therefor does not promote spending money.
The faith of Pig Sty Alley is more Eastern as well. Everything is ran by fate. If you are the choosen one, you will be the choosen one. Stephen Chows character was fated to be a great warrior though his chi was blocked. Only after the Beast beat him did the chi get unlocked. People do not pick their fate or destiny, it is something that no one can run from. The three masters that died in the film could not run from their destiny, to protect people. Because they could not see their neighbors get burned alive, they stepped up to protect each other. This is not something that is dominate in Western culture. It is assumed that if there is a problem or danger, one would call the police instead. This is not the case for Pig Sty Alley.
The cast in the film are all of Eastern desent. There are no caucasians playing asian. instead there are asians playing causaians. As stated before, The City is a representation of Western lifestyle, though there are no Western faces. It begs the question, who's eyes are we seeing from.
This can be seen as a voyeuristic view for Westerners into an Eastern lifestyle. If the people in the city were Caucasian the Western audience might have tried to connect with a white character instead of the main character who is asian. So by having asians in both places, it gives the audience members, western more so, the abilty to look in on their own lifestyle, like a mirror, more subjectively. By tricking audience members into believing negative association with consumerism/capitalism, it makes the western audience subconsciously start to question its own lifestyle.
It is also a mirror of Stephen Chow. Stephen Chow, produced, Directed, was one of the screenwriter, he is the main Actor and he composed for the film. In all these areas he made sure the film fit his vision. Because Stephen Chow is in all aspects of the film, his influence in the film would be the strongest. With the strong influence in the film, his thoughts and ideas would be more dominate in the film than someone else. So this film mirrors Stephen Chows belief about both lifestyles. The cast is all asian people, just like Stephen Chow. The cast, too, are famous Chinese actors and actresses, people he grew up watching or atleast knows their body of work. There are looney tunes type graphics and sounds representing Stephen Chows start as a comedian. It also shows that American movies/ cartoons have had an impact on his life as well. He is the main character in the film, and his action solely drive the plot/narrative. There is some influence from Bruce Lee as well, being a big fan of Bruce Lee. Stephen Chow even has his love and admiration for Bruce Lee placed in his IMDb biography.
In the movie Kung Fu Hustle Western audience is given an opposition to their lifeftyle of consumerism by highlighting positive aspects of communism. There are two distinct location that are metaphors for these ideals:
*One is The City where the movie begins.
-In The City is the only location you see cars regularly.
- Buildings are there for entertanment reasons more than there for survival reasons
- False sense of protection
*The other main location is Pig Sty Alley.
- Everyone lives in the same apartment
- Everyone works within the same location that they live in
- Nothing is privately owned