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Summary: A Brilliant Film: At Once Paradoxical and Ironic
Review: Throughout the history of humanity, men and women have longed to know the spiritual planes or realms, with the notion that these represented the ultimate perfection and bliss. Wim Wenders in his highly original "Wings of Desire" turns this idea on its head, and proclaims that, as mortals long for the spiritual, the angels of the spiritual world long to be human. Something "is lacking" on the spiritual planes that only life in the physical world can satisfy.Wenders expresses this paradox via the use of color and black and white. The world of the spiritual beings, the angels, is shot entirely in black and white, making that world appear grey, lifeless and sterile. The physical plane appears in brilliant color implying richness of feeling and sensuality. In addition, the physical plane, we discover, is populated by many "fallen" angels who have made the transition to the world of desire, of love, and of the flesh. This film challenges our basic notions of the spiritual and the physical. Could the pleasures of the mortal realm (love, desire, friendship, etc.) be superior to the mysteries of the spiritual? We, as mortals, who have no knowlege of the spiritual, cannot answer this question with certainty, but it is an intriguing one. If only we could access the spiritual planes as easily as the angels in this film transform themselves into humans; perhaps, then, we would have our answer.
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Summary: thought provoking
Review: One of the most subtle and beautiful film I've ever experienced. Wim Wenders has masterfully grasped a world which we all know, if not subconsciously, exists. Hats off to the wonderful mr.Peter Faulk for his cameo. The original german version has nothing to compare with the empty, glossy, American remake.
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Summary: Watch out: Masterpiece !!
Review: This film is one of the best ever. The lovestory of an angel falling in love with a woman, trapeze artist in a circus. He abandons his wings to become a man and to declare his sentiments to the woman he loves. But as soon as he touches the ground, he realises that the circus has moved... Also nice to see Peter Falk as an Angel who also lost his wings because of an excess of humanity.
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Summary: Inspirational and Timely
Review: I was riding a transit bus recently, and the people around me were quiet and clearly depressed. One could almost read their minds, the quiet dread was everywhere. Would anthrax invade their lives soon? Would terrorism come home? I began to visualize the angels from Wings of Desire silently stepping up to each of them and touching their shoulders. I can't imagine a more appropriate time in history for the release of Wings of Desire on DVD. When I left the theatre quite a few years ago after seeing the film, I imagined angels all around me. I think we could all benefit from that feeling today.
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Summary: Where is the DVD?
Review: If the POWERS THAT BE pay any attention to these, please put this on DVD!!! ADDENDUM: Ah! HERE it is! Nice. This is a wonderful film - forget that Hollywood City Of Angels knockoff. We all know the Angels in this film are not the angels that frequent Los Angeles. Anyway, this is filmmaking at its best. A great tale about the angels who watch over us every day, and one particular lonesome angel who is more than divinely interested in a circus girl - and then finds out he is not as alone as he thought. The opening sequences of this movie are among the most poetic and beautiful of any ever captured as we are gradually let in on the idea that the angels are privy to man's every hope and desire (they stand by in libraries as silent men and women's thoughts come across as whispers, they lay their heads on the shoulders of grieving men, they compare notes on events which really struck them - little slices of humanity that are fantastically concieved) Its really heartbreaking - a wonderful look at the diversity and dignity of man and a compelling treatment of faith and love. Nick Cave makes a brief appearance.
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Summary: An Awesome, Mind-Blowing Film!
Review: Wim Wender's best film is a glorious cinematic experience, a film that dazzles the eye, challenges your mind and touches your heart. In other words, a rarity. No other film that I can think of (save perhaps Woody Allen's Manhattan)better captures the spirit and feel of city than this one's portrait of Berlin does. The film follows two angels who roam around Berlin listening to the thoughts of people and observing, only observing. Except for young children who can sense thier presence, the angels remain invisible to everyone and cannot intervene in earthly matters. When one of the angels (Bruno Ganz) sees a trapeze artist(Solveig Dommartain) in a small circus he becomes entranced and eventually falls in love with her. So much that he yearns to give up the eternal life and become mortal to be with her. Oh, but there's so much more to this film than this sketchy summary. This is also a film about a city, the once divided Berlin and its past. Its about loneliness and alienation, about what it means to be human and so much more. This is just a wonderful film, the best movie released in the 1980's. I've seen this countless times and I never tire of watching it. There are moments in this film that will always stay with me: Ganz's angel perched on the shoulder of a statue, the angels congregating in the Berlin Library, the angels comforting a suicide victim, the brief flashes of color as Ganz becomes more and more human, Peter Falk, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, and so much more. This needs to be released on DVD now. A GREAT film.
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Summary: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW...
Review: Easily one of the BEST Films I have EVER seen! Let's just hope the transfer to DVD does this beautiful film justice. And stay away from that shoddy American impostor of a film;This one is the real deal!
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Summary: From here... to... eternity...
Review: This is indeed one of the greatest films of all time, a poetic masterpiece that can sit alongside the greatest works from Kurasowa, Truffuat, Bergman, Welles, Pabst etc. What is sad is that we only have the VHS tape bestowed upon us. Look at the cover art. It looks like a sweet, syrupy romance not unlike that lousy Travolta movie. The film is 'modified to fit your TV' , which means that the glorious imagery is compromised. The only good thing about this edition is that the subtitles are easy to read. This great film deserves better. This films begs to be delivered by a company like Criterion who will treat it with the respect it deserves.
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Summary: The DVD I Desire
Review: One of the most beautiful and otherworldly films of all time, a true vision. The first third of the film is pure stream of conscenuous. I can go on and on but.....I just want to know again, why is the hollywood piece of garbage out on disc and this masterpiece isn't...Oh I get it, the American market doesn't like subtitles
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Summary: Poetry In Motion Picture Fairy tale Dream a Rant
Review: This is a beautiful film by Wunderkind directer Wim Wenders... The leading Angel in this film is nothing short of the face of Kindess. And the beautiful cinematography blended with the poetic narrations make this flowing story one of the most beautiful glimpses into film magic you will ever witness. The story almost feels like Hans Christian Anderson's the Little Mermaid only with Angels instead of Fish-Tail Folk. The American Remake of this film is an excellent movie to watch side by side so one can see the difference betwen what film should be and what Hollywood does to poetry... it makes it commerce. Witness the addition of hundreds of Angels instead of two - add flowing trenchcoats, sunglasses , and set it in Los Angeles instead of Berlin... also make your leading lady a Doctor instead of a Circus Carnie(must be politically correct) I have nothing against the strong performances of Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage... but come on Hollywood - you aint got nothin on Wim Wenders - You'll probably read reviews of WINGS OF DESIRE that mention this Magic Phrase from the ...Critics' box 'o magnetic words... Well it's an "art" film ... and what may I ask is film but anything else? Film is an artform - but Witness City of Angels in comparison to Wings of Desire - We are HOLLYWOOD we have come to turn your German Uber Art into ...COMMERCE - yes that is the true meaning of an ART FILM a film that is true to the beatuty of the media... but alas couldn't possible be understood by the average American spoon-fed Consumer...amen to the Holy Roman Empire - take us Out if you can...and that's all I have to say aboot that.
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