Review of The State of Things (1982) by Keith ? — 26 Aug 2008

[center][size=3][color=DarkOrange]The [size=3]State of Things[/size][/color][/size].

[size=3][color=DarkOrange]directed by Wim Wenders[/color][/size].

[size=3][color=DarkOrange][size=3]1982[/size][/color][/size].

[size=3][color=DarkOrange]Wim Wenders has made a career of not telling stories in a straight forward manner, Wenders loves to explore the emotions, not the psyche of his characters. The State of Things is slightly different, it doesn't explore a person, but a collective of people and the process of making a film. The film's utilization of the vast Portuguese beach and a decrepit old hotel create a community of people who are together yet completely apart. While the shooting of a remake of a Roger Corman film is delayed, the crew of the film exist away from each other while together. One scene that strongly backs the idea that the crew is together but apart is a scene in a bar where the camera pans across the bar, observing each person, each couple all drinking together but while one couple argues, another woman sings to herself, the man nest to her absorbed in his drink. This idea of alienation and separation in close quarter seems to be a recurring theme in the cinema of Wim Wenders.[/color][/size].

[size=3][color=Black][size=2] [/size][/color][/size] [size=3][color=DarkOrange]Another important element of the film is the struggle of film making, the trouble of working with people to achieve singularity in the vision. When the film begins, we're taken on a kind of arthouse odyssey adaptation of Roger Corman, for around 20 minutes we observe the work of the film maker and his crew, then we're introduced to the crew. The intense disinterest on the set is apparent as two actresses go off the hotel's balcony to visit the sound man, how one of the actresses simply reads poetry given to her by the director instead of acting. We see the parts of the whole as the whole and then simply as parts. The strength of the film is keeping the viewer interested in what's happening in this lonely place while sitting and observing nothing important happen. The film's characters do see development, we meet the story writer who lies through his teeth, the actress who plays the violin every day, the two jaded little girls who constantly comment on others flaws.[/color][/size][size=3][color=DarkOrange] The film shifts into it's final half hour into LA, where Friedrich is trying to find Gordon, Wenders makes LA look like the loneliest city on earth as the audience and the character try to find one man in what is actually a city of millions. The film's conclusion is sudden, yet a perfect way to end a film about the frustrations and delays of making a film. The legendary Henri Alekan's cinematography paired with Wender's sublime direction makes the film a feast for the eyes, the images on screen are deeply sensual, filled with a natural looking beauty.[/color][/size].

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