Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

Screen test for Rebel Without a Cause.

I think I have done about 10 films that have shot within one minute or five minutes of where I live in Hong Kong. That is why I can’t leave, that is why I have to stay there. Chungking Express is actually shot in my apartment. […] The bloody film was shot in my bloody apartment! (laughs) I should’ve stayed in a hotel. I’d be working all day and sleeping on the floor at night. We couldn’t mess up the set. The film’s very special in that way given the connection to my personal life…

The interesting thing is after the film—I guess it was the Hong Kong tourist board put out a map of film locations—for three of four years there’d be people following this map to my door. Especially Japanese tourists for some reason. They’d go on the escalator and look for the apartment. So, I’d be going off to work or to a bar and there’d be people waiting downstairs. Once I found kids literally on my doorstep wanting to go in.

— Christopher Doyle