The Narrative Structure, Urban Loneliness, and Identity Study of Port of Call: A Shift in the Type of New Hong Kong Mystery Films

Abstract

This paper takes Weng Ziguang’s work Port of Call as the research object, and comprehensively uses narrative and film sociology methods to systematically investigate the aesthetic and ideological connotations of the film in the aspects of “anti-suspense” and plate-based narrative, urban space representation and “loneliness” emotional generation, identity and social reflection, and genre film innovation. The article first defines the film’s chapter-like structure and subjective viewpoint system based on “looking for plums, lonely people, stepping on blood, and a room with a view of the scenery”, and points out that it shifts the audience’s attention from “the case” to “human feelings” through the anti-suspense strategy of “removing the mystery” at the beginning. Then, from the perspective of film sociology, it reveals the survival dilemma, viewing system and power relationship of urban marginalized people, and discusses the shaping mechanism of “identity loneliness”. In the genre research part, it is argued that Port of Call (《踏血寻梅》), Night and Fog (《天水围的雾与夜》) and The Sparring Partner (《正义回廊》) jointly promote the “New Hong Kong Strange Case Film” to complete the paradigm shift from sensory spectacle to humanistic reflection. Research shows that Port of Call connects individual ethics and social structure with cold realist brushstrokes, and achieves multiple breakthroughs in narrative, image and value in genre renewal.