Himmel Uber Berlin

Well, last week I went into the Borders with Amalia to get a coffee and a bottle of water before going to Pac Bell Park (I refuse to call it STD Park or whatever the initials are. And yes I still make out the checks for my phone bill to Pacific Bell. They cash 'em) and did my customary glance at the sale DVD's.

Imagine my great surprise and delight (that phrase is an inside joke for people who listened to KQED (more on the old Bloated Pig of a Public Radio Empire later) a few years ago. Say it with an Indian accent) when I found a copy of Wem Winders's Wings of Desire for ten bucks!!!

I have only watched it once since buying it, but I have also watched the deleted scenes and the little mini documentary on making the film. At some point this week I will watch it with the commentary turned on.

One thing that bugs me is the subtitling. Since we speak German and French in Haus Keilholtz, they are not essential, except that there is that scene in the club where Damiel listens to the thoughts of the Japanese girl. In the old version it was subtitled. Now all we get is Damiel's chuckling. I remember the comment being something along the lines of "I wonder if there are angels listening."

Does anyone have the old version or speak Japanese who knows the answer?

Also, why are Peter Falk's lines put into subtitles? I am talking English to English here. Was the translator practicing to be a court reporter and had the lines done already, so, hey, why not? Perhaps the Japanese subtitlist was protesting something and decided to translate Falk from English to English to make a point.

Anyway, the film is still absolutely gorgeous after all these years (going on twenty now, which is hard to believe). It still ranks among my top five films

OK. here are the rest:

The Night of the Shooting Stars
8 1/2
Singing in the Rain
La Strada

OK, sometimes it is not La Strada. At least it always makes the top ten cut, but sometimes it is in the top five list, othertimes it loses out to other films.

Watch out. In a really goofy mood I might put The Party on the list. Imagine my shock and horror. Birdy num num!