The video is called A World Without Writers from AWorldWithoutWriters.

Update: I should mention that I first heard about this movie on Steve Hayes’ blog. He has a good discussion of it here, and there are a number of interesting comments bringing out points I left out. But I would see the movie first: the comments give away a lot of the action.

Will she jump? Or is she just looking for Anna? Could be either one or both.

In 1957, the same year as “Seventh Seal,” Mr. Bergman also directed “Wild Strawberries,” his acclaimed study of old age. In the film, the 78-year-old Isak Borg (played by the silent-film director and actor Victor Sjostrom), drives through the countryside, stops at his childhood home, relives the memory of his first love and comes to terms with his emotional isolation. “I had created a figure who, on the outside, looked like my father but was me, through and through,” Mr. Bergman has said. “I was then 37, cut off from all human emotions.”

I think I first saw the movie and became fascinated with it in the early 1960’s when I was in my early thirties, but now I’m the same age as Isak Borg in the movie, although I’m certainly not suffering the way he did. It’s interesting that I was so fascinated with it at the time, and perhaps still am.

UPDATE 7/31/2007: Eric Alterman’s first Bergman film was Wild Strawberries and he has interesting comments on the film here.

See an earlier post of mine entitled, Lost Highway, a movie by David Lynch. Here’s a review.

Update: On second thought and after reading some material on conspiracy theories, for example, here, I’m not quite so enraptured by David Lynch. Yes, he’s a creative genius, I feel, but one must take much of what he preaches with a grain of salt. For example, I’m not at all convinced by his questioning of 9/11. However, I do agree that proper meditation, whether transcendental or not, would be good for the soul. I’ve tried it but haven’t gotten very far. Ah well, I can’t do everything.

As the film begins you see Berlin from an aerial view in monochrome. Then you see a man way up on a high tower and it is his view that we are seeing. He is in another world, the world of the supernatural, of angels. He is dressed in a conventional overcoat, looks totally human. Then we see another angel. They are back on earth sitting in a car. The two are comparing notes. Their job is listening to the voices of people, consoling the troubled, the disturbed, the sick, unbeknownst of course to the person being consoled — or are they somehow a part of the person’s feeling?

Later one of the angels falls in love with a beautiful trapese artist and decides he’s had enough of being an angel. He wishes to become mortal. This takes place. The other angel helps but does not cross over. The real world is shown in color; the world as the angels see it is in monochrome.

Peter Falk is in the movie, lending it a touch of folksy humor and reality. Turns out though that he was once an angel. He helps the angel who wants to become mortal.

There is much beauty in the film. Many touching scenes. Great and mysterious music. Even the rock star Nick Cave appears. But the haunting music, as though of a million voices blending in a never ending quest for reality in the world, really got to me.

The poetry was written by Peter Handke and the film was directed by Wim Wenders.

Check out the reviews.
Do a google on “Wings of Desire” Ebert, for example.

– Mardé

PS. I got my dvd through Netflix.