In the Mood for Love

Work Title: In the Mood for Love
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 2004
Writer(s): Wong Kar Wei
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: Yes
Summary:

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2046_(film): There are 4 main story arcs to the film. [The one that involves telepresence is the science fiction arc.] Set in the far future, a huge rail network connects the planet. The world is a vast dystopia, and lonely souls all try to reach a mysterious place called 2046 in order to recapture lost loves. In the world of 2046 nothing ever changes, so there is never loss or sadness. No one has ever returned from 2046 except the protagonist, a lonely Japanese man named Tak. As the story begins, Tak is on a long train ride returning from 2046. He keeps to himself on the train, and is literally counting the seconds that go by. Set in the far future, for passengers to reach/depart 2046 they must take a long journey on a vast train network. The main character on the train, Tak (who is portrayed by Wang Jin Wen's Japanese boyfriend) is trying to leave 2046 because he lost the love of his life in that world. The train is extremely cold and lonely, especially in the sections 1224-1225 (whose bitter cold represent the need for love that Chow and Bai experience on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). To aid in the journey, throughout the train there are female androids who attend to a passenger's every need. It is recommended that each passenger find an android to be with during the long trip for warmth and companionship. Tak becomes intimate with one the androids (played by Faye Wong) in sections 1224-1225 and later falls in love with her. He then asks her numerous times to come with him. However, each time the android does not answer. Tak has heard earlier that excessive operation causes the android's response time to slow down and decides to wait on the train to see if this is the case. He sits quietly on the train, and counts the seconds that go by, hoping the android will decide to leave with him. However, the android still does not respond. Ultimately, Tak realizes that it is not a delayed reaction that causes that android not to respond, but that she is in love with someone else and that their relationship is simply not meant to be. With this knowledge, he finally has the strength to leave the train and 2046. Completing the story marks a turning point in Chow's recovery.

Era/Year of Portrayal: present_day
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

The world of "2046" is reminiscent of this world, but with very effective and advanced technology. It is crisp, clean, and efficient.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: an andriod
  • Description of the technology: Tak falls in love with an adroid, who (aesthetically) looks exactly like a human being. Her facial expressions, though, are muted. It looks like she is sad. Her mechanics are malfunctioning, as well, and sometimes her movement is erratic and not smooth. Tak knows that she is an android, but falls in love with her nonetheless. The scenes in which they interact are portrayed very vividly and with bluish tones (maybe to represent the insurmountable barrier between them). The behavior of the android is cold and removed.
  • Nature of task or activity: Tak is trying to communicate with the android. Basic communication (asking for a drink, etc...) is understood by the android, but more complex communication (expressions of love) are not.
  • Performance of the Technology: The technology malfunctions, which should break the presence experience with the android, but Tak falls in love nonetheless. It is difficult to ascertain whether it does what it was designed to do throughout the story. It does not--i.e. the technology malfunctions--according to logic of the futuristic world and the purpose of the android. But the breaking of the technology has metaphorical significance, especially as it pertains to the other narrative arcs.
  • Description of creator(s): Presumably, the company that runs the trains to 2046.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): To entertain and distract the grieving passengers who are on their way to 2046.
  • Description of users of technology: Anyone, really. Anyone who is grieving over a lost love and trying to "get back" to a place where, or time when, their love was great [i.e. 2046].
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: The user (Tak) experiences a convincing human interaction with the android. He falls in love, even though he knows she is an android.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Yes.
  • Valence of experience: I believe that he is the only passenger on the train. The story is of the pain of unrequited love with an android, so I guess that Tak experiences both pleasurable and painful feelings.
  • Specific responses: His responses of grief seem to be the same kind of responses he would have to a human who did not return his feeling (which indeed is a theme of the remaining story arcs [not the science fiction portrayal of traveling to 2046]).
Long-term consequences:

He learns from the experience, i.e. comes to terms with the fact that she cannot love him. The consequences are good.

Other:

Coder name: Joan Jasak
Coder email: jasak@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple graduate student in philosophy