Why In the Mood for Love Pushed Wong Kar Wai to the Edge

In the Mood for Love is a cinematic masterpiece, but the journey to create it was filled with challenges. Discover the production difficulties that turned Wong Kar-wai’s vision into a 15-month-long struggle for the cast and crew.

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Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love (2000) is known for its breathtaking visuals and emotional storytelling, but behind the scenes, the film’s production was a demanding and chaotic process. With constant script changes, lengthy shoots, and a director known for his spontaneous style, the cast and crew, including stars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, faced an uphill battle. The intense demands on both actors pushed them to deliver their iconic performances amidst the chaos. Cinematographer Christopher Doyle, a longtime collaborator of Wong Kar-wai, even departed the project midway, adding to the film's complications. In this documentary, I explore the hardships that shaped the making of In the Mood for Love through unseen footage, deleted scenes, and interviews, revealing the untold stories of one of the most challenging productions in modern cinema.

// Chapters:
00:00 - The Most Difficult Experience
01:11 - 1. Genesis
02:43 - 2. Deleted Scenes
05:28 - 3. Production Nightmare
09:30 - 4. The Matured Director
12:18 - 5. Problem Child
17:03 - 6. The Bygone Days
19:30 - Epilogue

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[GawxArt]

Such an incredible video. Thank you for this.

[MYMOTHERISAFISH-cits]

Wong kar wai makes films the same way romantic poets wrote their poetry. It's an act of spontaneous inspirations and ideas bleeding into their works. In the Mood for love is one of those films that make you realise that sometimes making just one masterpiece like that is enough

[alisat]

her accent is so charming. It's a bit British, a bit French, a bit Chinese all in one. I love it

[ChryskylodonInstitute]

but in the end they made one of the most beautiful pieces of cinema

[thatRyzzle]

Wong Kar-wai lighting a ciggy before answering a question during an interview is a baller move.

[peggylee]

It interesting to find out they shot so many different scenes that didn't end up in the movie.

[julientyt]

Agreed that Wong Kar Wai peaked at In the Mood for Love. Breathtakingly beautiful like no others, even for himself.

[wepmajoe]

I've seen In the Mood For Love roughly 10 times in my life, and I consider it a favorite. it's a film I'm almost sad to feel I know too well. This video brought that spark of life back to these characters and this world for me; along with a real rush of nostalgia, and genuine love and admiration for the cast and crew. For that, thank you.

[troygaspard]

It is one of my favorite films. This doesn't surprise me that such an intense unrequited love story wouldn't be easy to film. The dresses alone!

[DonYang]

Love the mood in In the Mood for Love. Its crazy. And Maggie Cheung truly became a goddess in those timeless CheongSam. Absolutely stunning.

[sapienproductions]

I've watched it twice, each time was incredible. It is one of those films I want to cherish each time I watch it, so I don't over watch it so that I can get that thrill again. Probably due another watch, been about 10 years...

[amanforalltheseasons]

Watched it years ago and still in awe of its completeness and poetry. Now I know it was a labour of so much love and sweat and commitment .. gosh!

[meytecc]

Crazy how it transformed. And for the better, because the end product is perfection. Easily one of the best 10 films of all time.

[snowywinters-xw]

16:40 "And I promise you I will be your safety net." How reassuring that must've been for the actors to hear. Director or not, we all need a friend like that in our lives.

[orpheus]

Sounds a lot like the shoot on Casablanca - incomplete script, chaos on the set and basically a "by-the-seat-of-your-pants" production that, for all it's disparate parts, somehow miraculously came together in the end, going on to become one of the most celebrated films of the twentieth century. And of course In the Mood for Love now sits in the top ten of the Critics BFI list, making it one of the greatest films of the early twenty-first century. Few people can make a great film when they start with chaos, incomplete ideas and an unfinished script, but I suppose the distinction that Casablanca and In the Mood for Love share is they both were made by extraordinary talents.

[hunkhk]

So much depth and incredible intensity and beauty. Ive watched it so many times. Each time find some new nuance. WKW is a genius and total legend

[meticmusic]

i've always seen bits and pieces of info re: the filming of In the Mood for Love, but this is an amazingly detailed piece that encapsulates it all. really inspires you to watch the film again in a new light-

[idiokit]

These mini-documentaries you do are really special. I love ITMFL and knew a little about its production, but i had no clue about a lot of what’s here. The idea of both couples being played by Leung and Cheung is crazy lol. Also, the title cards you made for each section are great.

[Ironheart]

This is a movie that is so well done, you can turn off the subtitles, heck you can watch this muted even, and you will still understand why this is a masterpiece. This is nearly a flawless art film. From the story, the acting, the amazing visuals, and the scoring. I can not find one fault in it.

[FaceEast]

Thank you for covering this film. It is the one which literally pauses me in my steps should I think of it for a single moment, bringing a stillness to every chamber of my heart. Its the one I look for every 10 years when Sight and Sound update their best film list - and if it is still in the top 10 then I know there is still hope and beauty in the collective world consciousness. It was the first WKW film I showed my son, who has since chosen to go into film making.

A real masterpiece.