ThewidelyacclaimedfilmsofWongKar-waiarecharacterizedbytheirsumptuousyetcomplexvisualandsonicstyle.ThisstudyofWong’sfilmmakingtechniquesusesapoeticsapproachtoexaminehowform,music,narration,characterization,genre,andotherartisticelementsworktogethertoproducecertaineffectsonaudiences.BettinsonarguesthatWong’sfilmsarepermeatedbyanaestheticofsensuousnessand““disturbance““achievedthroughtechniquessuchasnarrativeinterruptions,facialmasking,opaquecuts,andothercomplexstrategies.Theeffectistojoltthevieweroutofcompleteaestheticabsorption.EachofthechaptersfocusesonasingleaspectofWong’sfilmmaking.ThebookalsodiscussesWong’sinfluenceonotherfilmmakersinHongKongandaroundtheworld.
TheSensuousCinemaofWongKar-waiwillappealtoallwhoareinterestedinauthorshipandaestheticsinfilmstudies,toscholarsinAsianstudies,mediaandculturalstudies,andtoanyonewithaninterestinHongKongcinemaingeneral,andWong’sfilmsinparticular.
