Movie Notes: Wings of Desire

Wings of Desire (1987)
Director: Wim Wenders

Re-writing myths is hard, but can reap great benefits for a story-teller.  Western society's conception of what an angel is, and the way in which Wim Wenders presents them are not the same, but they are in tension and dialogue.  He's using your idea of angel to give power to his story, but we also have to be careful to let his distinct concept breath within the world he's constructed.

The angels in Wings of Desire are observers with very little influence.  They seem to have no special connection to God, and to be somehow dependent on humanity for their understanding and the fullness of their lives.  So, we should pay attention to the movie's theme of engaging life to its fullest rather than be too critical of whether or not it's a true myth. It's a movie that beautifully explores this theme, in commentary with art, especially film, which is a medium that specializes in observation (see Rear Window).

However, despite this intriguing use of angels, the movie lacked emotional resonance for me.  The first part of the movie, seen from an angels' point of view, is long and its lack of engagement makes it hard to watch.  After it takes on color, there's more human feeling, but it's not something I'd condone.  All in all it's an interesting, worthwhile, but imperfect film.