Review of Wings of Desire (1987) by Cameron P — 06 Oct 2014

Wings of Desire is a movie that can be read on many different levels. Watching the film brings to the light events and themes that parallel our own experiences. The overall theme of the movie is to appreciate the little things in life. We take so much for granted that we often overlook the small details that someone else would kill to experience. If you're willing to read the sub-titles, this is actually a great movie.

This black and white film is based in a divided Germany. It is shown from the prospective of two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander. They have walked the earth for years observing human life. The angel Damiel wants to experience a human life. He longs for the warmth of coffee in his hands, time, colors, and ultimately love. They (angels) stand as a metaphor for an audience. They can see and observe what is happening and are able to give some humans relief from pain, but in the overall scheme of things, they do not have any real power over what happens in our day-to-day lives. Their presence can be felt by people, but they can only be seen by children. The children are able to see the angels because their [children] thoughts and minds are still pure.

There are many different aspects that take part in the overall tone and perception of the movie. The movie in almost completely in German, so unless you're a fluent German speaker, the sub-titles might be your only way of enjoying the movie. Although the most of characters do not speak English, the movie is still worth the watch because of the interesting plot quality acting.

The colors and lighting has a huge effect on the movie. Because the movie is mostly through the eyes of the angels, the majority of it is in black and white; which causes the English sub-titles to be harder to read at times because they blend into the background. This allows the moments of color, as seen through the eyes of humans, to seem more vivid and causes a bigger impact on the plot of the story. The lighting does have some scenes where the shades are lighter (like in the circus) to give a feeling of how the mood of the actors and environment is light and emotion is high.

Other significant parts to the movie would be the actors and the dialogue. The actors bring their characters to life in the film. Their subtle dialogue often includes sayings and quotes that make you think about life. Quotes like, "Isn't life under the sun just a dream?" or "I want to die, and live forever," causes the audience to connect and empathize with the characters as they reflect on what they just heard. There are times when character have a small soliloquy used to make the audience really relate the movie to their own lives. Marion (the trapeze artist) makes a direct point to everyone watching in her last speech that ends in, "Now... it's your turn. You hold the game in your hand. Now... or never." She is telling everyone that we have the power, and that we should no longer strive to only exist; but rather, we should live our lives to the fullest. The poem "Song of Childhood" by Peter Handke is constantly referenced throughout the movie. Its overall message talks about how in life, things tend to stay the same; but as we grow older, our perspective changes.

The point of view and camera angles also add dramatic effect. There are a lot of close-up shots on the person who is speaking. This allows the audience to focus on and empathize more with the character who is speaking. When the camera zooms into Damiel, at times, it is a little unsettling because it jumps right to a blank stare on his face, but it grabs the audience's attention. The camera also pans when showing the angels walking through the snow. It adds dramatic effect as it shifts the background depending of the mood of the characters in the film.

Overall, the themes, plot, and message of the movie was enjoyable. It may have been portrayed in a slightly dull way, but once you actually get into the movie you begin to enjoy it. A quote that helps best describe the plot of this movie would be, "It is not about the number of breaths you take. But about the moments that take your breath away.".