The “Wings of Desire” Reflection PDF

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Michael Pfremmer...

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Emily Magistrale The “Wings of Desire” by Wim Wender’s is a movie through the perspective of two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, who watch over the distressed citizens of Berlin in attempt to give them hope/comfort. Damiel falls in love with an excellent trapeze artist, Marion, and before long he yearns the desire to become a physical being. This film is part of the movement called “New German Cinema” which occured from 1962-1982. New German Cinema was a response to the artistic and economic stagnation of German film and the movies served the purpose to inform viewers by intertwining art and politics. Wim Wender’s and other producers condemned middleclass organizations and commented on their poor endeavors to restore society after a brutal past (specifically from the Nazi regime’s deteoriating affect on German society). Various aesthetics of New German Cinema are shown in Wings of Desire which supports the main idea behind the film which is even when the world seems cruel/depressing, desire is a powerful force that could provide hope. The most prominent stylistic device in the film to support this message was the contrast between black-and-white vs color. The majority of the film is in black-and-white, which signifies the angels sensual privation, but the film also converts to color in various scenes, the first being when Damiel observes Marion in the circus. This switch in color reveals Marion from the “human perspective” in which Damiel longs for. As the movie continues we are shown more and more glimpses of color which shows how Damiel’s yearn to feel/love turned a depressing, black-and-white world, into a colorful bright world. Another prominent aesthetic of New German Cinema in the film is the portrayal of the angels watching over German society. The angels for the most part are portrayed as high up (such as on top of buildings or statues) where they can quietly watch over everyone, hear their deepest thoughts, and sometimes offer their guidance. The camera smoothly floats/drifts over the city showing the audience all angles- we can see

everything (just like the angels). This suggests the angels are removed from society and have an outsider perspective. Later the camera angles change to a more increasingly powerful or dynamic, street-level perspective when Damiel “steps into time.” The angels outsider perspective could echoe the viewpoint of a citizen witnessing the German culture/economy stand still which is the idea behind what New German Cinema is criticizing....