Intertextual otherness between Shanghai and Hong Kong: the localisation of space and collective nostalgia in Kung Fu Hustle

This article investigates the construction of cinematic space and the collective cultural consciousness of nostalgia in Stephen Chow’s 2004 Hong Kong film Kung Fu Hustle. Set in 1930s Shanghai, the narrative follows Sing, a vagrant who inadvertently ignites a conflict between the Axe Gang and the residents of Pig Sty Alley, a space emblematic of Hong Kong’s lower classes. By integrating the local experiences of Hong Kong, the film connects the lower-class residential enclave of Pig Sty Alley – where kung fu underpins the narrative logic – with the demolished Kowloon Walled City of Hong Kong. This cinematic space as a heterotopia makes Shanghai a signifier through which Hong Kong’s historical and cultural identity is reconstructed. Through its intertextuality, Kung Fu Hustle navigates the complexities of urban experience, depicting Pig Sty Alley as a microcosm of community resilience against external threats. The film’s portrayal of kung fu transcends mere action, embodying a universal humanistic ideal that challenges the violence of the Axe Gang and provides a framework of intertextual otherness between the two cities, which allows the other to become its own cultural mode of expression. Ultimately, this article argues that Kung Fu Hustle effectively intertwines nostalgia with spatial dynamics, offering a poignant reflection on the cultural memory of Hong Kong while simultaneously engaging with the broader historical narrative of Shanghai.