Surveying the use of Bellini’s operas in 2046 and the repurposing of “Yumeji’s Theme” in In the Mood for Love, chapter 3 charts Wong Kar-wai’s progress from “borrower” to “owner.” It’s a passage sanctioned by the carefully curated recordings of the soundtracks, sold as specialty items. For all the attention lavished on the meticulously compiled soundtracks, and their afterlife as exemplars of musical curation, however, Wong’s rebranding only works because of the effectiveness and brilliance with which the music is recast in the films themselves. In a move redolent of the silent-film era, Wong recycles oldies, well-known classics, or esoterica for their generic—rather than specific—qualities. This allows him to bend preexisting music to the tried-and-tested recipe of story, locale, and character. Self-citation, as demonstrated by the appearance of “Siboney” in 2046, brings the process of taking over to a close.
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