Wim Wenders Collection on DVD

David Jenkins from Birmingham, England , 08/12/2003

Wim Wenders as a European looking in on America captures the essence of it that captivates the imagination of so many foreigners; the landscape, the andering nature of the whole country, the gas stations and neon lights, boxes of ice and huge soda's for a dollar nineteen and couples it with a beautiful story of families, of redemption of loss and regret. Breathtaking and wonderful

  12 out of 14 people found this review helpful

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A customer from London , 15/09/2004

I love Wim Wenders, and Paris Texas still stands as a classic European view of American society's interesting underbelly.

I watched Wings of Desire last in 1987 when it first came out and thought it was a work of genius - deep, philosophical, meaningful, well photographed, etc etc.

I watched it again last night and found it still interesting - but for other reasons. The Berlin Wall features a lot in the movie, representing a physical barrier not unlike the barrier between the spiritual and material worlds represented by the angels and humans. I never really noticed that before.

Also there's a strong sense of the mid 80's German Zeitgeist - lots of existential angst, guilt about the war, confusion as to their identity as a nation split in half by the wall.

The musical interludes which were avant garde at the time look and sound frankly loopy now (what were we thinking back then ?)

There are some lovely, subtle ideas in this movie, but it's about 40 minutes too long - there's so much ethereal deep and meaningless monologue you just feel like saying ok,ok now get on with it.

Peter Falk brings a sense of reality and much needed humour to an effort which without him was in serious danger of disappearing up itself.

What I used to think was profound in this now looks dated and somewhat pretentious (like most of Peter Greenaway's work). This movie is hard work - however a definite German art house classic.

  12 out of 16 people found this review helpful

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sam19661 from South Yorkshire , 26/02/2004

This film is a visual feast, a spiritual and uplifting journey through the thoughts and experiences of common, everyday people in Berlin pre the fall of the wall, as eavesdropped on and observed by angels. Mortality, seen at once as brutal, beautiful, noble and painful, is ultimately seen as a better choice over the pain-free state of immortality in the angel, played sensitively by Bruno Ganz. It will make you appreciate the simple sensation of drinking a cup of coffee, being able to taste, feel pain and the cold. It looks fabulous and the soundtrack adds to this meandering, dreamy film-watching experience. My top choice, try to watch it on a big TV with a good sound system!

  10 out of 10 people found this review helpful

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juno from London , 05/03/2004

Paris Texas is a gorgeous visual poem of how Wim Wenders sees North America. Through the tale of a man dealing with his disturbed past we are feasted with beautiful images, almost with the pace of photographic stills. Ry Cooder's soundtrack music adds immensely to this sense of cinematic poetry.

Paris Texas is not a film for everyone, it certainly will not satisfy film viewers educated on expensive Hollywood productions, it has its own quiet pace and needs to be seen with full attention and time.

  9 out of 9 people found this review helpful

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