I've just watched Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders (1987). It's excellent. It's a very "European" movie, meaning it's philosophical and thoughtful, and you shouldn't watch it if you're in the mood for a movie with guns and car chases, trust me.
One of the central questions of the movie is, if you could be like an angel and be outside of everything, would you do that, or would you rather be inside, where it can be painful, but things are real and affect you for better and worse?
One of the good things about it is Solveig Dommartin, who sadly died in 2007 by heart attack. She was a find for Wenders, and I don't get why she's been in so few movies. She spoke three languages fluently, she was gorgeous and fit, she was an excellent actress, and she was an accomplished trapeze artist, which she learned in eight weeks just for that movie!
Johnnie Walker says in a comment that he feels I implied European moview are superior. "You implied it. What's the harm in admitting that? You said "it's a very European movie, meaning it's philosophical and thoughtful." You often deal in generalities, mainly because of your laziness."
I don't think I implied European movies are better. I might as well have said of Speed: "it's a very 'American' movie, it has lots of action and excitement". That to me does not imply superiority or inferiority, merely a difference.
Did it seem to others that I implied that?
The reason I said it was to give an impression of what the movie is like overall, so people who hate slow, philosophical movies can avoid it. Because it really is slow, and one has to be in the mood for that to enjoy it. (In fact sometimes it was almost too slow for me.)
Just because some people consider European movies to be superior does not mean I do. In fact I watch many more American movies, and usually enjoy them a lot.
I don't write full, fleshed-out reviews, and I know some people like that. If one wants it, one can find lots of those easily on Amazon and rotten tomatoes.
19 comments:
t's a very "European" movie, meaning it's philosophical and thoughtful
Europe produces just as much crap as anywhere.
This movie sounds like something Oprah or Dr. Phil would like, which is no recommendation.
Angels don't exist, so I'm not sure what value there is discussing a question like that.
I didn't claim European movies are better.
Like vampires or ghosts, angels can be used as metaphors in storytelling.
I'm glad you discovered it... Even more glad you liked it and about what you liked about it.
You're always interesting. You see things carefully but, unlike others, you notice metaphor and meaning -- you're not as likely to miss what you weren't looking for.
I had a "painful" reminder this weekend that the French are the people who like Jerry Lewis.
I've seen a bunch of Jean Reno movies, and liked them all (Dernier Combat, Leon, Rosannes Grave, Empire of the Wolves, Big Blue). However this weekend I tried "Les Visiteurs", and it was just too full of fart jokes and heavy handed slapstick for my taste.
As for Wim Wenders, I saw "The Keepers Fear of the Penalty" a few decades ago. It just didn't grab me. I won't dismiss a director just for one movie though.
Having said that, I find it far easier to find a good European movie than US. Indeed all the US films I've enjoyed of late I checked up on and found were either independent or Canadian.
Yes, I think I tried once to watch "Les Visiteurs", it was awful. It was like Mel Brooks without the intellect (and he doesn't have much).
You might also like In weiter Ferne, so nah! (Faraway, So Close!) (1993) or even Paris, Texas (1984)
I didn't claim European movies are better.
You implied it. What's the harm in admitting that? You said "it's a very European movie, meaning it's philosophical and thoughtful." You often deal in generalities, mainly because of your laziness.
You're always interesting. You see things carefully but, unlike others, you notice metaphor and meaning -- you're not as likely to miss what you weren't looking for.
Congratulations. You missed the point.
I'm interested to know what value there is in this metaphor. It's the fashion these days to talk of angels and other supernatural things in terms of metaphor, but of what use is this? How does it add to knowledge? I'm almost certain this will be beyond you lot.
DDD, I'll get to them, I have a big box set of Wenders movies.
Johnnie, I don't have a ready answer for why use metaphors or supernatural beings, but I'll consider it. I don't see why not, I like them.
I don't think I implied European movies are better. I might as well have said of Speed: "it's a very 'American' movie, it has lots of action and excitement". That to me does not imply superiority or inferiority, merely a difference.
Did it seem to others that I implied that?
The reason I said it was to give an impression of what the movie is like overall, so people who hate slow, philosophical movies can avoid it. Because it really is slow, and one has to be in the mood for that to enjoy it. (In fact sometimes it was almost too slow for me.)
Just because some people consider European movies to be superior does not mean I do. In fact I watch many more American movies, and usually enjoy them a lot.
I don't write full, fleshed-out reviews, and I know some people like that. If one wants it, one can find lots of those easily on Amazon and rotten tomatoes.
Eolake said...
"...Did it seem to others that I implied that?"
No, Eo. I didn't *get* that at all from what you stated. How I understood it was that you were simply giving us your interpretation of how you view European-made movies: that of being "philosophical and thoughtful". Nothing more; nothing less. I didn't *get* any implication from what you wrote of *better than*. Funny 'nuff...I think most of us know that you mainly seem to prefer to watch American-made movies. Sometimes it just feels like people want to come on here to gripe about and pick apart what you have written, instead of just reading about something that you are [so generously] sharing with us. Seems disappointing to have to waste energy and effort having to *defend* what you have written, all the time. :-(
Not to worry, I don't bother with defending. Sometimes I bother with clarifying, for me or for others. I see it as a learning process.
eolake said...
"Not to worry, I don't bother with defending. Sometimes I bother with clarifying, for me or for others. I see it as a learning process."
Yes...I used a poor choice of word, in *defend*; I know better. Thanks for making the effort. It's greatly appreciated. :-)
To see an Americanized version of this film, check out "City of Angels" with Meg Ryan. Not badly done, but not as introspective as the original.
Ian
This film was one of the favorites amongst my friends group in high school. I saw it back then, but still remember it quite well. Would be funny to see it again.
Quite different film, have you seen Avalon? Japanese-polish film, by Mamoru Oshii, 2001. I came to my mind as another film I liked and remember quite well.
No, but I'll rent it.
I can see it has very mixed reviews, but that's not always bad.
I think I've seen "City of Angels", and I've just been reading about it. I don't like the way they've changed the story (he falls in love with her because she's so compassionate in her work as a nurse...).
And I don't really like Nicolas Cage in this sort of role, I think he is best in roles which are sort of over the top, like Face/Off or Vampire's Kiss. I am not sure why, maybe I don't find him *that* likeable. Hmmm, on the other hand, he was good in Family Man. Maybe I just don't find him sexy.
On the third hand, I found the love story the least likely bit of Wings Of Desire. I thought he was just too old for her. Might work in real life, but this was film, and they'd barely met, and I didn't see the attraction.
"No, but I'll rent it.
I can see it has very mixed reviews, but that's not always bad."
I think mixed reviews can be a very good sign.
But reading the reviews can just take the surprise side away. The director is leading you somewhere trough the film, but reading the story can short-cut the road you're meant to travel on. So when I can, I try to see good films that I don't know anything about. (For this, I need some trustable friends. :-)
I remember I just saw the cover in a dvd-rental, rented it without knowing anything about the film. So I also had to discover what it is about, and that was part of the experience.
Yes. That's another reason I write short reviews. Just enough to give people an impression of whether they might like a film.
And what reviews are *you* reading? :-)
Customer reviews. How many depends on circumstances. If a film has actors I like, and a high average of stars, I may not bother to read any reviews at all. Especially if it's a comedy.
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