By the end of Happy Together , one has reasonable guesses about most of it, but plot isn't the main concern. Suppose I start with a photograph. It has a subject and an integrity of composition, of tonal and color balance. With most photos, there are several ways that I can do this and still come out with a satisfactory result. If the cropping is done at random, no clear subject matter or composition may emerge.
Films are an assemblage of shots and sequences.
Conventionally they are mounted together according to principles of continuity to give the impression of narrative coherence. Unconventional films have objectives besides narrative and their principles of assembly accordingly differ. Happy Together is rather extreme in this respect. Its editing rhythm is often very fast, like an action picture. Lai Yiu-fai rises.