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Wings of Desire |
Movie quanta discussed. Some thoughts on Wim Wenders’ film “Wings of Desire”.
Sometimes my movie watching is quantized. To relieve the tedium of the gym I watch movies on my laptop and suddenly I am elsewhere – In the hills of Tuscany, Behind the DMZ in North Korea, Tracking down strange happenings. Anywhere except the sweaty elliptical trainer at Crunch Fitness. That is the wonder of movies.
I am doing quite a disservice to Wim Wenders’ film “Wings of Desire”, but these days this is the only way I will see it. The movie opens in black and white and we hear murmurs and whispers of peoples’ thoughts. We realize that the narrative is from the point of view of a supernatural being that cannot be seen or heard, yet is capable of observing peoples’ most intimate details and perceive their inner thoughts. We find out that he is immortal, but at the same time he can only observe, not participate.
How wonderful it would be to be invisible and to observe life in its minute details with all the twists and turns of thousands of miniature dramas. To see life and death, a thousand story arcs, a thousand random and beautiful actions. And to have eternity to do it…(sigh!)
I do NOT believe this is the point of the film. I think the black and white symbolizes the colorlessness of his situation, of being able to see and smell the fruit but to never be able to eat it. The fact that he is forced to watch life in its varied forms seems more a form of torture, rather than a delight.
My movie watching is quantized – I have not seen the end yet. Perhaps I may post a conclusion to this review or I might distracted by another bright bauble elsewhere…