The first time I saw this, I frankly did not get it. In fact it bothered me that Peter Falk of "Colombo" (sic, at least according to the subtitles) has been an angel all along. This second time I enjoyed it a bit more. I also enjoyed Falk's participation and was actually able to recognize Nick Cave (and the Bad Seeds), of whom I was not aware of at the time of release.
Humans live among fallen angels, who apparently are sort of like guardian angels for humanity, but who really don't make much of a difference in people's lives. Children can see them, but the angels for the most part don't bother to interact with them. It's difficult to see that they actually do any good, or what the point of their existence is, altough the same could be said for the existence of humanity.
According to bits and pieces, the angels were here before humanity, but until humanity's arrival they did not have a language or culture (the angels, parasitically, adopt current dress and language, and listen to our music, but do not make any of their own.) The angels also do not see color. They remember all, so it might be that that is somewhat part of their function. Maybe they are here to record, and remember humanity, as it seems they still will be here, even long after we are gone.
The other way in which they can affect humanity is by becoming human themselves, as I've said, Falk is one of them, and he claims that many more have taken that step.
The movie plays as a series of aural streams of consciousness of various people, among them a few repeat individuals. The angels can read our minds and for the most part that is how they experience or accompany us. The movie is very cool and very Teutonic, there is very little, if no, hot passion or violence in evidence. For example, we wear the thoughts of people at a library, and it's hard for me to see that that is somehow representative of any society or humanity in general. But maybe that is the preference of these particular angels, they seem to be a calm, brainy, group. They do go to a Nick Cave concert, for example (again, quite cool, and reminicent of the concert presented in Antonioni's Blow-Up.) We also see a suicide, but we don't hear erotic fantasies or passionate or murderous or violent thoughts, as for example, I'd expect.
The story is also set in Berlin and there is a lot of wall and fence imagery, possibly representing the isolation of individuals, despite living close together (for example while traveling in a subway.)
Ultimately one of the angels gets the thirst (the Desire) to experience the full range of human experiences, and becomes human himself. He meets with the girl he had been listening to and embarks on the human journey, while his companion remains angelic.
The photography is beautiful, and the few color sequences come almost as a shock to the senses, which in a way is meant to represent the awakening of the angels to their humanity. But this is a slow, reflective film which is not meant for everyone. It is likely that multiple viewings are required for the average viewer, (or at least, me.)
Would make a good double feature with Brewster McCloud (1970) which seems to be an alternate, more American, take on the same subject. But also possibly Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981,) a horror film also set in Berlin, depending on which direction you'd take.
Wenders directed a sequel 1993 In weiter Ferne, so nah! (Faraway, So Close!) which I have yet to see.
Humans live among fallen angels, who apparently are sort of like guardian angels for humanity, but who really don't make much of a difference in people's lives. Children can see them, but the angels for the most part don't bother to interact with them. It's difficult to see that they actually do any good, or what the point of their existence is, altough the same could be said for the existence of humanity.
According to bits and pieces, the angels were here before humanity, but until humanity's arrival they did not have a language or culture (the angels, parasitically, adopt current dress and language, and listen to our music, but do not make any of their own.) The angels also do not see color. They remember all, so it might be that that is somewhat part of their function. Maybe they are here to record, and remember humanity, as it seems they still will be here, even long after we are gone.
The other way in which they can affect humanity is by becoming human themselves, as I've said, Falk is one of them, and he claims that many more have taken that step.
The movie plays as a series of aural streams of consciousness of various people, among them a few repeat individuals. The angels can read our minds and for the most part that is how they experience or accompany us. The movie is very cool and very Teutonic, there is very little, if no, hot passion or violence in evidence. For example, we wear the thoughts of people at a library, and it's hard for me to see that that is somehow representative of any society or humanity in general. But maybe that is the preference of these particular angels, they seem to be a calm, brainy, group. They do go to a Nick Cave concert, for example (again, quite cool, and reminicent of the concert presented in Antonioni's Blow-Up.) We also see a suicide, but we don't hear erotic fantasies or passionate or murderous or violent thoughts, as for example, I'd expect.
The story is also set in Berlin and there is a lot of wall and fence imagery, possibly representing the isolation of individuals, despite living close together (for example while traveling in a subway.)
Ultimately one of the angels gets the thirst (the Desire) to experience the full range of human experiences, and becomes human himself. He meets with the girl he had been listening to and embarks on the human journey, while his companion remains angelic.
The photography is beautiful, and the few color sequences come almost as a shock to the senses, which in a way is meant to represent the awakening of the angels to their humanity. But this is a slow, reflective film which is not meant for everyone. It is likely that multiple viewings are required for the average viewer, (or at least, me.)
Would make a good double feature with Brewster McCloud (1970) which seems to be an alternate, more American, take on the same subject. But also possibly Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981,) a horror film also set in Berlin, depending on which direction you'd take.
Wenders directed a sequel 1993 In weiter Ferne, so nah! (Faraway, So Close!) which I have yet to see.
