Although the term “national cinema” is commonly applied to numerous film theories and critics, there is a lack of recognition of the characteristics of national cinema and how cinema is transmitted. I argue that national cinema is reflected in films associated with a specific nation-state, as highlighted through the comparison of two unique national films: Ida from Poland and Chungking Express from Hong Kong. The stylistic choices in the aspect of staging, cinematography, editing and sound for these two films can demonstrate national cinema in multiple ways. With these four cinematic styles creating the characteristics of films, Polish and Hong Kong cinema can be better understood through their history and nostalgia, search for identity and manipulation of techniques. This essay will examine the similarities and differences of four styles for the opening scene of Chungking Express (00:45-02:47) and the scene returning to Ida's convent (56:54-58:04) which resonate unique characteristics of national cinema. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay First of all, staging plays an irrefutably important role in conveying national styles. Both Ida and Chungking Express created a magnificent staging. Ida's scene communicates the stylization and standardization of the Polish film school that characterizes the national character of Poles. It is set inside a cathedral with a huge dome, which allows little artificial intervention to create a relatively raw environment, adapting as closely as possible to reality. Props rarely exist inside the convent. This embodies the minimal realism of Polish cinema. The Divine Cathedral is period-accurate and community-based, given how closely intertwined nationalism and Catholicism are in Poland. The Chungking Express scene unfolds in a relatively artificial environment where aggressive "shoulder to shoulder" gestures take place between people of different races in chaotic, vibrant streets. This echoes Hong Kong cinema, reflecting the hustle and bustle of everyday Hong Kong life and the cosmopolitan nature of Hong Kong. The costumes and makeup of Ida and the other nuns are unified and boring, which seems repressed and lacking individuality, while Brigitte Lin's costumes and makeup are very powerful and in vogue. Brigitte wears a blonde wig, raincoat, and black, red-rimmed glasses to match the red lipstick stereotype of Marilyn Monroe in the scene. These elements serve to emphasize his attempts to become more Western, which symbolizes his confusion regarding his own cultural identity. This is a representative feature of the Hong Kong era during the handover period of Hong Kong to show the confusion surrounding the city's cultural and ideological identity (Hu 2006). Soft lighting is adopted to let the nuns' natural light shine which conveys a metaphysical aura and a sense of peace. Strong lighting is used to amplify the movement of Policeman 223 and Brigitte through the claustrophobic crowd. Both sequences use soft lighting to ensure a high contract which helps create a dramatic atmosphere and sculpt the character. This suggests that most Hong Kong cinema and Polish cinema place importance on the production of tension and the development of plots. The color processing in Hong Kong and Polish cinema is evident. Bright colors, especially red, blue and green,are emphasized in the opening scene of Chungking Express to provide a deep emotional impact on the screen, symbolizing loss, longing, and the search for comfort. Ida, on the other hand, is a black and white film which connects it more to that period in terms of black and white. In Polish cinema it is normal to make a film as a reflection of history. Secondly, the cinematography of Ida and Chungking Express is very distinctive and plays a special role in conveying Polish and Hong Kong style. Ida's aspect ratio is 1.37:1, the standard academic ratio often used in Polish cinema. Chungking Express's aspect ratio is 1.66:1 frame, performing impressively in Hong Kong cinema to produce widescreen effects. Ida's daily life in the convent is presented from a straight angle with shots blocked parallel to the horizon. These are calm, meditative approaches without the complicated handheld camera work. While Chungking Express uses the handheld camera to travel in a hasty and unstable manner, this adds to the realism by being shaky. Canted frames the imbalance of Cop 223 and the people in the background to embody the chaos and urban alienation in Hong Kong. Regarding the shot, the extensive use of long shots and negative space effectively isolates Ida from the other components of the sequence, creating uncertainty and confusion. The use of off-screen space shapes the audience's experience and draws attention to Ida's movement. This refers to the trend in Polish cinema that encourages the role of the individual as opposed to the collective (Bill 2015). Ida's distinctive composition also highlights Polish cinema as it embodies the Polish film school movement by exquisitely manipulating the techniques and knowledge of the film discipline. In contrast, Chungking Express applies tracking shot, remaining medium, to follow the actor's movement. The opening scene is producing more curiosity in the audience's mind through proper framing. A highlight of the cinematography in Chungking Express is the special effect called step printing. Slow motion and slow motion worked together to make the scene play at less than 24 frames per second, creating the sensation of jerky motion as Cop 223 chases down the street. The resulting blur makes individual faces impossible to define and instead encourages viewers to see the crowd as a singular entity. It is therefore about exemplifying the isolation and insecurity within a large and indistinguishable megalopolis. At the same time, viewers will feel disoriented, claustrophobic and relate to the characters. This fulfills Hong Kong cinema's goal of engaging exhausted Hong Kong citizens in the chaotic world of cinema and then comforting them by regaining a sense of belonging. Third, it is noteworthy how the editing subtly manifests the national style in these two films. The shutter is 180 degrees in both films, supporting the continuity of their stories. Chungking Express applies a non-linear editing process that is disruptive and fits the “neo” characteristics of Hong Kong cinema. The opening scene is interesting in which the director beautifully juxtaposes shots of busy streets with the running of the two main characters using cross-cutting. A jarring effect is achieved that gives the audience little sense of connection between the characters and the events displayed on screen. A kind of distortion and intertwining are successfully conveyed to disorientate the viewer in this sequence, almost a convention that embodies Hong Kong New Wave films (Hu 2006). Dissolve is used among several. 2 (2006): 67-79.