The Old Dream of Legendary Shanghai

-- The Narrative and Visual Constructions of the Film “Song of Eternal Sorrow”

Abstract

The film “Song of Eternal Sorrow” derives from an adaptation of the classic novel with the identical title by Wang Anyi. Director Guan Jinpeng developed an individual history that parallels the course of Chinese history, with the route and destination of the characters exiled from Shanghai to Hong Kong and then dispersed from Hong Kong to the other parts of the world, the implicit narrative of Hong Kong in the shift of the main perspective, as well as the characteristics of the female narrative, all of which constitute a dynamic and multi-perspective perspective of Shanghai. With regard to environmental styling, the film places great emphasis on integrating the urban culture of Shanghai by means of scene design and prop design, such as the settings of the alleyway, the film set, as well as the Shanghai Apartments. With regard to character styling, the cheongsam, which serves as the aesthetic label for Shanghai females, is the core and highlight of the clothing design of the film. The variations in texture, color, pattern and style of the cheongsam tends to underline the variations in personality and the transformation of fate and mentality of the characters.