Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 1987, Criterion Collection, wim wenders, wings of desire
Director: Wim Wenders
*** This is a special extended blu-ray review written for killerfilm.com.
The Film:
Guardian angels are no strangers to film, but I don’t know if they’ve ever been depicted quite like they are in Wim Wender’s “Wings of Desire”. They’re humble looking men dressed all in black – curious observers longing to be human. They have the power of suggestion and can elicit hope into some of the wary, but in other cases their inability to interfere with the human world is a tremendous burden.
Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) are angels in the divided city of Berlin. They have, as we find out, existed since the beginning of time – before humans inhabited the Earth. Their purpose is left ambiguous. They simply eavesdrop on fantasies and thoughts, the power to listen to an entire city’s deepest fears. Their prescence seems to be felt by some, but they cannot touch or manipulate the world in any way.
Their world is black-and-white. They have the transcendent power of absolute freedom, but that freedom is also restricting. Damiel wonders what it would feel like to take off his shoes and wiggle his toes about. The simple pleasures are what make us human. Being an angel, a being incapable of such simple pleasures, is a world completely void of color.
The film is shot by the legendary Henri Alekan, who photographed Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast”. The camera is always in motion, a sweeping effect that not only echoes the movement of angels, but entrances us in the film’s intoxicating beauty. It’s effect on me was perhaps only parallel to the lush visuals of Resnais’ “Last Year at Marienbad” – it’s a movie with the power to completely envelope you in it’s world.
When Damiel decides to shed his wings for the human world, the film looks like another universe entirely. The writing, however, a purposely meandering and relentlessly curious sort of uncensored thought process, weds the segments together beautifully.
“Wings of Desire” is, for it’s visual beauty alone, one of the best films of it’s decade. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen before – a meditative, surreal dance through a war torn city, the angels as our tour guides.
The Blu-ray:
Audio/Video: The new high definition transfer of “Wings of Desire”, presented in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, is absolutely stunning – you’ll be floored by the beauty within just a few minutes. Comparing screenshots with MGM’s prior DVD release of the film, this is unquestionably the best “Wings of Desire” has ever looked. The black-and-white sequences are crisp and sharp, and when colors are incorporated they are vivid. It’s a remarkable presentation, and unquestionably one of Criterion’s best blu-ray transfers to date.
Supplements:
Audio Commentary: I have not heard the commentary track from the original release of the film, but this appears to be somewhat close to it in terms of content. Independent DVD producer Mark Rance recorded six hours of interviews between Wim Wenders and Peter Falk, and the new Criterion edition of the film contains a newly edited version of the interviews. I’m not sure how much carries over from the previous DVD release, but there are some interesting stories told throughout the runtime.
The Angels Among Us: This documentary, originally released in 2003, interviews the key figures behind the making of the film: director Wim Wenders, writer Peter Handke, composer Jurgen Knieper, actors Bruno Ganz, Otto Sander, and Peter Falk, and Brad Silberling, director of “City of Angels”. The piece is very satisfying – an indepth study of everything from pre to post-production. One of the most interesting bits discusses how Peter Falk was first approached, and how he initially responded to the concept (“i’ve heard of ex-convicts and ex-wives… but ex-angel?” (43 min).
Cinéma cinemas: This is an episode, entitled “Wim Wenders Berlin Jan. 87″, from a French television program. The piece is a behind-the-scenes short recorded during the making of the film. There are some intimate looks at Wenders directing his actors, particularly a lengthy conversation between he and Falk (9 min).
Deleted Scenes and Outtakes: The Criterion issue of the film includes a total of nine deleted scenes. The original sound from the film is unavailable, so the audio track only includes the score and a commentary by Wim Wenders. There are some bizarre scenes that would’ve completely changed the tone of the film completely, such as a scene where one of the angels begins a sort of comedy routine by mocking humans. More startling is the infamous slapstick scene involving a pie fight, which Wenders reveals that he had never really intended to use. The outtakes are also silent, only accompanied by the film’s score (32 min of deleted scenes, 7 min of outtakes).
Gallery: This is a well-presented gallery of production notes and images from the shoot. It’s very informative, particularly in discussing individual frames from the film (such as the iconic image of Damiel peering down over Berlin from a Church’s roof).
Alekan ’85: In 1985, a documentary was to be made about the legendary cinematographer Henri Alekan. That film was left unfinished, but this disc presents some excerpts from an interview the filmmaker had with Alekan. He is well-spoken, elegant, and unsurprisingly, has a wealth of insight about the role of a cinematographer (10 min).
Alekan la lumiere: This is another excerpt from the unfinished documentary on Henri Alekan, presumably what was meant to be the first half hour of the film. The documentary is a hands-on look at how Alekan works on set with lighting and how he achieves several in-camera effects – it serves as a wonderful tool for the aspiring filmmaker, and yet it is still equally charming for the curious admirer. A wonderful, indispensable feature (27 min).
Remembrance: Bruno Ganz and Otto Sander directed a film about about actor Curt Bois in 1982 entitled “Remembrance”. This feature gives us several lengthy segments from the short, autobiographical features about the nature of acting. It’s not quite as illuminating as the Alekan documentary, but it’s still a terrific brief character study (30 min).
Trailers: The disc includes two trailers – one, a more traditional edit, entitled “German Theatrical Trailer”, and another hilarious piece entitled “Wen Wunderts Promo Trailer”. In the latter, Curt Bois confronts Wim Wenders and criticizes him for not making comedies. “Are you telling me that all your films are-” “Deadly serious.” (4 min).
Conclusion: This was my first exposure to “Wings of Desire” and I completely fell in love. It’s first ninety minutes or so merely meander – the camera literally soars through Berlin and introduces it’s inhabitants. It’s truly subversive entertainment, as deeply profound and intoxicating as anything i’ve ever seen. “Wings of Desire” is, truly, one of the best movies of the 80′s. With a flawless transfer and a wealth of special features, this is an easy recommendation – an essential addition to any blu-ray collection.
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment
