Review of Wings of Desire (1987) by Ben W — 15 Nov 2009

A remarkable humanizing film that speaks volumes by telling the story of an Angel whom envies humans and their mortal lives. The story is told through the eyes of two angelic observers (Damiel and Cassiel) who wander the streets of Berlin listening and cataloguing the thoughts of mortal humans until one day comes where Damiel begins contemplating his place in the universe.

He starts to let himself wander what it would be like to live life as a human and to experience things the way that humans do, to inherit their fragelities and weakensses and all the experiences a life as a human could offer.

Feeling the curve of a neck, the smell of a freshly brewed coffee, to feel a weight within tying him to the ground rather than his boundless and limitless freedom. Damiel envies humans and the short existence they have.

It is not until he wanders into a travelling circus after centuries of watching over humanity that Damiel becomes captivated by a young trapeze artist who fills him with a desire he has never known and this is when Damiel decides casts off his to wings to live among the humans in the pursuit of love.

Wings Of Desire is part one in a two part story directed by Wim Wenders. The film is like moving poetry where we hear the thoughts of random people as we follow two angels moving from place to place listening in on the world.

They record and discuss with eachother significant events they discover by listening to the thoughts of people. The film weaves in and out like poetry in motion as we watch Damiel and Cassiel travel from one persons thoughts to another and it is so very intersting to hear the thoughts of people that can be at times quite beautiful at other times very tragic.

Their place in the universe has no smell, no touch, no color, no weight and they are free to roam wherever they may. Nobody but young children can see them but their presence is always felt. When you scratch the itch on your nose it is probably an angel touching it.

The film is shot with sepia tone throughout much of it. It is only when we don't see Angels on screen that we are treated to the color of the world. This is a great decision by the director to separate the world of the Angels with the world of the humans and without it the two worlds would look exactly the same.

Wings of Desire is Damiels story through and through. It is not until Far Away So Close (the films sequel) that we get to see how Cassiels' story unfolds, yet Wings Of Desire is the perfect epilogue to Cassiels' darker in tone journey.

The actors who play the roles of Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) are particuarly striking and believeable as angels. They bare a presence on film that I have yet to witness on film to day.

You actually believe that they are Angels and for this, much credit is due. When you witness Damies'l and later Casseils' transition from angel to human, it becomes even more apparent what greatness these two actors have achieved in devoting themselves to their respective roles.

Bruno Ganz is unrecognizeable when seen playing as Hitler in the historical masterpiece Downfall. He is one of those rare individuals who is devoted to his craft that we rarely see in film. Wings of Desire does move quite slowly and is not for everyone.

People have a visual eye for cinema and can see the poetic strengths of a beautifully shot piece of art that this film is, will get the most out of this. It shows us things about ourselves from a perspective outside ourselves and explores all that makes us human.

I highly recommend the Blue-Ray Criterion version of this film as the film stock holds up well and is the definitive way to see this film. Highly recommended and deserves a spot in my top 20 list of favorite films of all time.