On Disc Two of Criterion's Wings of Desire DVD, the name brand in art house and foreign home video outdoes itself, yet again. Though the centerpiece of the special features -- Wim Wenders's insightful commentary track and The Angels Among Us -- existed on the previous MGM DVD edition, the bonus disc offers an incredibly thorough account of the film's production and its key players.
Henri Alekan -- The Visionary Who Brought The Angels To Life
Much of the bonus material is dedicated to Wings of Desire cinematographer Henri Alekan, and rightfully so. Several times in the extras, Wenders mentions how when thinking of a director of photographer for the film, he knew only Alekan (whose in-camera innovation served Jean Cocteau for years) was right for the job.
Excerpts from a 1985 documentary, Alekan la lumière, illustrate just how thorough of an artist Alekan was. His lighting schemes were elaborate, to say the least. More than the over-arching 2003 documentary, The Angels Among Us, Alekan la lumière and Alekan '85 (an unfinished documentary) get into Alekan's visual philosophies. It may sound a bit dry, but for true cinephiles (and those interested in production), the Alekan-focused extras really bolster subsequent viewings of the film.
An Admiration For Craft -- Deleted Scenes, Commentary and Remembrance: A Film for Curt Bois
While the actual deleted and extended scenes offer nothing revelatory as standalone scenes, seeing the bits that stayed on the cutting room floor is quite a treat, thanks to Wenders's guiding narration. Berlin has changed, as has Wenders the artist, and in about 30-minutes worth of material, the German New Wave auteur has a lot to offer on how he shaped Wings of Desire -- and the wealth of footage that didn't make the film.
The guy has a sense of humor -- he pokes fun at his decision to shoot an alternate ending where Cassiel loses his wings at the Nick Cave concert, ending in a three-way pie fight, but encourages viewers to take the raw footage and edit their own scenes. His wit and artistic drive comes through in the larger commentary track, pulled from 6 1/2-hours worth of interview material.
From the commentary, we hear much Wenders's worries of shooting with little more than a concept and some dialogue. He gives something of a historical tour of Berlin through the footage, touching on love, death and everything in between. Some of the most interesting anecdotes surround the scenes with actor Curt Bois (as Homer, the elderly man whose voice-over ends with film: "We have embarked").
Bois's life in German film and Hollywood gets further fleshed out in Remembrance, an unfinished documentary by fellow Wings of Desire cast members Bruno Ganz and Otto Sander. Though not quite as central to the production history, Remembrance does add to the greater story of Berlin and cinema, which after all, was Wenders's focus all along.
Wings of Desire Criterion Transfer Quality
As for the technical specs, they are, in a word, impeccable. Criterion's transfer is gorgeous (especially the black and white), presented in Wenders's intended aspect ratio, 1.66:1. The print appears to be pristine, preserving Alekan's visual dream world as it should be: ideal.
The sound quality is equally strong, especially crucial to the film for its meticulous structure of the overlapping voices matched with Jürgen Knieper's haunting/contemplative score. There is nothing present to take the viewer away from the film, which is all you can really ask of a restoration and remastering job.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
EXTRAS: 5 out of 5 stars
VERDICT: The definitive presentation of an essential, thoughtful work of cinema. If you're evenly remotely interested, don't hesitate. It's the sort of film that begs to be replayed the second the credits start rolling.
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