Wim Wenders returns to the Criterion Closet: The legendary auteur Wim Wenders is undeniably one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the movie industry. Throughout his career, he has delivered some incredible works, for which he has been honored with a BAFTA Award and has been nominated for four Academy Awards and a Grammy Award.
It has been decades since he has been in the industry, providing his directorial vision to some masterpieces. A great artist is not only a great creator but also a great observer and adapter as well. Throughout his career, he has made a varied collection of cinematic gems that he cherishes by all means. Recently, the director gave a peek into the Criterion Collection during a tour, where he explored the curated selection of films. While delving into this vast collection, he revisited his old favorites, pondered over new acquisitions, and shared insights into the artistry that continues to inspire him.
Wenders began by addressing his long-standing relationship with the Criterion Closet. He recounted his last visit to this cinematic treasure trove, which was over a decade ago. For a film fanatic like Wenders, that was quite a long time to stay away from exploring such a rich assortment of films. He mused, “I’ve been here in the Criterion Collection 11 years ago. It seems I have the privilege to be the first one to be allowed a second time.”
The filmmaker reflected on the time when Blu-rays were not available and how revisiting the Criterion Closet ignites a dilemma of deciding whether to repurchase movies in Blu-ray format or choose new ones. He shared that he already has “Story of Floating Weeds” and “Floating Weeds” in his collection; hence, there’s no point in acquiring them again. However, the collection certainly has a lot more in store to satisfy Wenders’ cinematic hunger.
His excitement was palpable as he discovered “Down by Law” in the vast collection. He claimed that it is one of his all-time favorites. Wenders said that when he looks at the cover of “Down by Law,” quoting a line from the film, he said, “Who gives a flying fuck, so to speak? Me? I do.” Other films for which he says he can even take the risk of stealing are “The Cameraman” and “Keith.” On finding these films in the Criterion Collection, Wenders was more than thrilled, and to his astonishment, he said, “I’m trembling because I know this exists.”
Wenders expressed his enthusiasm for finding these films in Blu-ray format and said that now that he finally has them, he knows exactly how he will be spending his Christmas. He said, “I would spend Christmas watching all these movies.” Another gem he found there was “Kagemusha” by Akira Kurosawa. Appreciating Kurosawa’s cinematic approach, he acknowledges Kurosawa’s mastery in depicting weather on-screen. Wenders said, “Kurosawa is just such a master,” and advised, “If you ever make a movie and you have rain on snow or anything, just don’t do it before you see all of Kurosawa’s works and study and read how he produced weather. And then you can go and make a movie with rain. But just don’t do it without consulting.”
As Wenders delved deeper, he stumbled upon some unexpected gems, which elevated his excitement. The next film he found was the 1970 film “Wanda,” written and directed by Barbara Loden. Expressing his disbelief at finding a gem like “Wanda,” Wenders said, “I can’t believe it. This is one of the greatest films in history. This is a film that only a woman could have made.”
Moving on, he found a film by his fellow filmmaker Claire Denis. Giving tribute to her cinematic journey, Wenders said, “Claire Denis was the assistant on films like ‘Paris, Texas’ and ‘Wings of Desire.’ And I’m not even exaggerating, both films would not exist without Claire.”
In the vast collection, Wenders also found his 1991 epic science fiction adventure drama film “Until the End of the World.” The director emphasized that among his works, he regards “Until the End of the World” as his best work to date.
You can watch Wim Wenders’ tour of his film closet on YouTube.
