Review of Wings of Desire (1987) by Jc R — 06 Oct 2014

Wings Of Desire, directed by Wim Wenders, is a film set in Berlin that is designed to leave it's viewer with a new outlook on life by the movie's end. Wenders directs a very inspirational movie as he simply implies the idea that one should simply appreciate life along with who they are and what they have in life. The movie overall is a very good movie and the director really does a great job portraying his intended lesson to his viewers.

Wings Of Desire is a film designed to teach its viewer to appreciate life and not take it for granted. One should simply just accept who they are and make the most of their life. In today's world people often doubt themselves and fail to recognize how good they truly have it. There are others out there who would love to be in the shoes of someone better off than they are. This is what Wim Wenders is trying to portray throughout the movie. Set in poverty stricken Berlin (post WWII), the film follows the lives of two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander). The director set them as an audience to spectate the everyday lives of those in the city. Wings of Desire isn't exactly an action packed film as it is more of a drama designed to teach a lesson. Being as the movie is set in a post WWII setting where times are pretty rough for many during this period, a great deal of realism is displayed throughout the course of the move. At one point in the movie Cassiel bears witness to a man deep in depression who commits suicide by jumping off of a building.

Wings of Desire is filmed from the point of view of two different kinds of people, angels and humans. Damiel, serves as a spectator over the lives of those the city of Berlin. As an angel, Damiel cannot be seen by many throughout the movie and can only watch and wonder what it's like to feel experience what these people really do. As the movie develops, he soon would long for the love of a young lady, Marion. Marion (Solveig Dommartin), is a trapeze artist who performs for the local circus. Unfortunately the local circus finds itself in turmoil as it is essentially broke and is forced to close down. Marion is full of despair as her dreams are shattered and she is essentially lonely leading her to begin doubting herself in her now secluded and helpless state.

Wim Wenders cinematography adds to the depth of the movie. As the point of view shifts throughout the movie, so does the variations of portions that are filmed in black and white. Angels, wishing they could experience life first hand, are portrayed to see life in black and white while they watch over the lives of humans. Humans on the other hand see life just as it is, full of color. The shifting between color and black and white aids in contrasting the differences in the conflicting views of humans and angels in the film. Wenders very boldly goes so far as to incorporate the point of view of children in the movie accompanied by the poem, "Song of Childhood." This is plays a very significant role in the movie; shifting the main focus of the movie from the angles and their one dimensional point of view on life as they overlook humans (adults) to that of children. Unlike adults though, children don't exactly have a full understanding as to the meaning of life. The child in this scene questions who he is and why he isn't the other kid in front of him and wonders why is he even here. But despite that lack of understanding in their adolescence, children appreciate even the littlest of things in life and will more often than not try to get the most of their young lives which is something the adults in the movie and many people in today's society fail to do once reaching that certain point in life.

Wings of Desire turned out to be an exceptional film. The cinematography and realism throughout the film really made the movie. A lot of depth in the move is made up through the varying use of black and white and color filters. The black and white really brought out that one dimensional outlook on life as the angels would spectate the lives of the people of Berlin. Subsequently, a lesson on life can be learned by the end of this great film. Don't take life for granted, and appreciate the little things life has to offer.