High Concept ...

High Concept in Infernal Affairs, a Hong Kong phenomenon

Infernal Affairs is a matter not because it’s a revolution of Hong Kong Cinema, where gangster movies are published every years, also it’s not necessary the best crime movie in Hon Kong. The term ‘evolution’ is a better association. It’s a long time for a real blockbuster movie in Hong Kong after the Asian financial crisis in 1997, a blockbuster that is big enough to attract western market.

High concept is a complicated concept to understand for the first time I heard. Take a look at some definitions around websites,

- ‘High Concept: Designed to appeal to a mass audience, as by incorporating popular, glamorous features’ (freedictionary.com)

- ‘High concept, in film, is a term typically used to refer to the style and mode of production developed by Hollywood studios in the late 1970s' (wikipedia.org)

, they simply describe high concept as style, type, popularity, appeal that a movie can made them universally. Some typical elements: script, story oriented, memorable story, character, moment, some may say music, fashion or even marketing, advertising’s influence on the movie.

The first indication to high concept movie is to guarantee that it’s worth the money of moviegoers by the casting of stars. Tony Leung Chiu Wai, a popular actor to Western art-house audiences through Wong Ka-wai’s stylish titles ‘In the Mood of Love’, ‘Chungking Express’; plays an undercover cop Yan, going underground of Hong Kong Triads. Andy Lau, probably the most popular actor in Hong Kong, plays a gangster sent to police department. Anthony Wong, experienced actor for offbeat roles (in John Woo’s Hardboiled and Jonnie To’s The Heroic Trio), has won the Hong Kong Critics Award for best actor, boss of the cop in the movie.

The marketing also contributes to the popularity, effectiveness of high concept movie. One example is the use of pop star Kelly Chen, Hong Kong's 'queen of dance music’, plays Yan’s psychiatrist. Soundtrack, score are some of the emotional, memorable moments of high concept. Infernal Affair favors orchestral score that rarely emphasized in Hong Kong, and also don’t forget to advertise pop hit song which is not necessary used in the film, but an effective ads associated with the motion picture due to performance of 2 stars in the movie: Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu Wai.

The script

At some extent, it’s true to say high concept is a marketing trick. With captivating ideas, high concept plot is easy to conceive, to pitch, and studios would like to cash in on high concept movies, for return on investment. The story of Infernal Affair can satisfy one high concept title:

- Universal theme: the chase of policeman and gangster ; triads, crime are extraordinary familiar issues to Hong Kong cinema, as well as Hong Kong society and it’s never to be too old, just like people talk about love story.

- Fresh twist: what makes old theme becoming a high concept? By adding few twist to the plot, put in the question ‘what if’. What if two main characters twist their roles, cop twists gangster, the good and evil, and satisfying the curiosity form the audience really drives the narrative interestingly.

- Hero involving in big problem: a good high concept story features characters evoking audience’s emotion. The internal and external conflicts of main characters towards their internal and external position, situation; which all sum up the matrix of good and evil.

The visuals

Sometimes the film does not look like feature film, but refer commercial. I mean the appearance of memorable moments such as images of the rooftop scene in the blue sky background, Ming’s shirt, Sam’s mobile phone; some is in smooth blue-green color scheme (color is primary use in HK cinema). As one of the film’s most eye-catching features, these ads’ influence becomes foundation of representation of high concept films, and integration of marketing and film technique.

The rooftop scene is a turning point of the film, of two main characters; and being symbolic, metaphoric, and remarkable image associating the high concept. At this moment, time is put on hold, slow-motion clouds move on the top one of the Hong Kong's polished, post-industrial office buildings. To simply say, high concept films are integrated by the set of production technique comprising backlighting, minimal use of color scheme, the flaunt of dominant and reflected images; all in neat composition.

Infernal Affairs continues the success the Hong Kong Cinema, and again represents the professional and harmony combination of production value, storylines, character, visuals to the high concept behind, with purpose of attract global audience .Someone may argue this leans toward marketing, financial issue; but it’s not necessary a bad thing that overshadow the general value of the movie.

http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/03/26/internal_affairs.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_concept

http://www.absolutewrite.com/screenwriting/high_concept.htm

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/high-concept

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