Days of Being Wild is a 1990 Hong Kong romantic drama film written and directed by Wong Kar-wai. Set in 1960s Hong Kong and Macau, it explores themes of longing, identity, and emotional disconnection through fragmented storytelling, evocative visuals, and a jazz-tinged soundtrack. The film is widely regarded as a key work in Wong’s early filmography and an influential piece of world cinema; it also serves as the first chapter in an informal trilogy that continues with In the Mood for Love (2000) and 2046 (2004).
If you type "Days of Being Wild Internet Archive" into your search bar, you will get several results. Here is how to navigate the Archive to find the best version:
Pro tip: Use the Internet Archive’s "Download Options" instead of streaming directly. Download the MPEG4 or the original file. Streaming the compressed version inside the Archive’s browser player causes buffering that ruins the rhythm of the film—and rhythm is everything to Wong.
Not everyone is thrilled. When a Reddit user discovered their 1999 blog—detailing their high school eating disorder—had been saved in the Days of Being Wild index, they were horrified. “I was 14. That wasn’t ‘wild.’ That was a cry for help.” days of being wild internet archive
Chen admits the ethics are thorny. Unlike the main Archive, which respects robots.txt and removal requests, the Wild collection operates in a grey area. “We argue we’re preserving cultural history,” Chen says. “But we’re also preserving the worst Tuesday of someone’s sophomore year.”
The collection now includes a prominent “Opt-Out” form. Still, the tension remains: between the right to be forgotten and the historian’s urge to remember.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Days of Being Wild files on the Internet Archive is the inclusion of "deleted scenes" that are rarely found elsewhere. The film famously ends with the introduction of a young Tony Leung (in a cameo role that launched his career). But there were entire subplots set in the Philippines that were cut for time. Days of Being Wild is a 1990 Hong
Some obscure uploads on the Archive contain the extended Philippine cut, which features more time with Yuddy’s downfall. For the obsessive fan, the Archive is the only place to see these fragments, salvaged from old TV broadcast masters.
The official Internet Archive (Archive.org) is the Library of Alexandria for the mass-produced web. It saves CNN.com, WhiteHouse.gov, and Wikipedia. It is sober, methodical, and institutional.
The “Days of Being Wild” archive is its feral younger sibling. Named in homage to Wong Kar-wai’s 1990 film about restless, doomed youth, this unofficial (and now semi-official) movement focuses on what most archivists ignore: the personal, the broken, the embarrassing. Pro tip: Use the Internet Archive’s "Download Options"
We’re talking about:
These aren’t polished artifacts. They are diaries left open on a park bench.
© 2026 — Sapphire Node Society
Days of Being Wild is a 1990 Hong Kong romantic drama film written and directed by Wong Kar-wai. Set in 1960s Hong Kong and Macau, it explores themes of longing, identity, and emotional disconnection through fragmented storytelling, evocative visuals, and a jazz-tinged soundtrack. The film is widely regarded as a key work in Wong’s early filmography and an influential piece of world cinema; it also serves as the first chapter in an informal trilogy that continues with In the Mood for Love (2000) and 2046 (2004).
If you type "Days of Being Wild Internet Archive" into your search bar, you will get several results. Here is how to navigate the Archive to find the best version:
Pro tip: Use the Internet Archive’s "Download Options" instead of streaming directly. Download the MPEG4 or the original file. Streaming the compressed version inside the Archive’s browser player causes buffering that ruins the rhythm of the film—and rhythm is everything to Wong.
Not everyone is thrilled. When a Reddit user discovered their 1999 blog—detailing their high school eating disorder—had been saved in the Days of Being Wild index, they were horrified. “I was 14. That wasn’t ‘wild.’ That was a cry for help.”
Chen admits the ethics are thorny. Unlike the main Archive, which respects robots.txt and removal requests, the Wild collection operates in a grey area. “We argue we’re preserving cultural history,” Chen says. “But we’re also preserving the worst Tuesday of someone’s sophomore year.”
The collection now includes a prominent “Opt-Out” form. Still, the tension remains: between the right to be forgotten and the historian’s urge to remember.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Days of Being Wild files on the Internet Archive is the inclusion of "deleted scenes" that are rarely found elsewhere. The film famously ends with the introduction of a young Tony Leung (in a cameo role that launched his career). But there were entire subplots set in the Philippines that were cut for time.
Some obscure uploads on the Archive contain the extended Philippine cut, which features more time with Yuddy’s downfall. For the obsessive fan, the Archive is the only place to see these fragments, salvaged from old TV broadcast masters.
The official Internet Archive (Archive.org) is the Library of Alexandria for the mass-produced web. It saves CNN.com, WhiteHouse.gov, and Wikipedia. It is sober, methodical, and institutional.
The “Days of Being Wild” archive is its feral younger sibling. Named in homage to Wong Kar-wai’s 1990 film about restless, doomed youth, this unofficial (and now semi-official) movement focuses on what most archivists ignore: the personal, the broken, the embarrassing.
We’re talking about:
These aren’t polished artifacts. They are diaries left open on a park bench.