Tuesday 1 September 2009

Getting older - knowing less

Some days ago, the ARTE channel featured Wim Wender's movie "Paris,Texas". Wow, I said to myself, another one I better avoid.

Many years ago I saw "Wings of Desire" directed by WW and starring Peter Falk, you know this Colombo character. Well, I didn't like this movie. It is about my home town, Berlin, I was born there, lived there for many years, love the city, have been there in her darkest hours.

Young Wim made a modern art movie, lots of talking but saying not much relevant. Kind of abstract painting where you are invited to swoon without knowing why. So Wim landed on my black list "You got me once but it won't happen again".

Coming back to present-day telly, I thus by-passed "Paris-Texas ", told my wife "that's a bore" and chose "Bones", this good looking young doctor dissecting cheerfully dead bodies having been murdered. One session of "Bones" lasts about one hour, so when that came to an end I tried to find something else before going to bed (hitting the sack in good American).


While searching the channels, I passed Wim Wender's movie "Paris, Texas", had a moment's look and got stuck. Got stuck badly. It is a kind of road movie, and the roads in the USA are long, so it was near midnight when we reached "The End". In a nutshell, this is a masterpiece, exactly the kind of stuff I like.

In this special case I clearly jumped to conclusion. Nobody was hurt, one might say but that is not totally true. While looking at the movie I asked myself "how many occasions did I loose by prejudice, judging without knowing?" Getting older means I have to fight this tendency to narrow my views and to being less and less open to all those countless new possibilities.

There is a job waiting for me. But first, tomorrow morning, I am going for some days to the Pyla Dune at the Atlantic coast for some joyful flying. If weather permitting.



Have a look at this video, if you feel like it. Well made, showing some average pilots like me. I don't like the music, though. Would have preferred some less "teenager dum dum stuff" as Glenmed once said on YT to give his preferences.

12 comments:

  1. That sounds fun, have a safe flight :))

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  2. hola herr Georg! i cannot comment on the youtube video 'cause i am at work and can't see the embedded file...

    but surely i can comment on Win Wenders, oh herr Georg, i am SOOOO HAPPY you gave Wenders a second chance, he's amongst my favorite directors of all times... and i can see why some people don't like his films, there are a couple i don't appreciate much, but mostly i love his work!! :)

    and yes Paris, Texas is a superb film, love Nastassja Kinski's and Harry Dean Stanton's acting, and yes!! the ample American landscapes...

    and indeed sometimes Wenders films seems like a bore, but i feel it's 'cause they have these subtle messages hidden on them..

    now that you've forgiven your co-patriot, i'd recommend you 2 of my favorite films from him

    Until the End of the World
    Bis ans Ende der Welt
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Until_the_End_of_the_World

    and Lisbon Story!
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_Story_(1994_film)

    on Lisbon Story he showcases this beautiful wonderful band from Portugal call Madredeus, i am sure you'll love this band too herr Georg!
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madredeus


    here a couple of links for you
    http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/video/youtube/search/wenders/video/X7SIvQPDLEw

    and one of my favorite Madredeus songs: Alfama
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At1aYBQ6ZK0

    you are going to love the singer's voice and personality, one of the most beautiful women i've seen singing

    welcome to Wenders world herr Georg! it's a beautiful and confusing one, let yourself get lost...

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  3. oh and forgot to say, both films are Road Films too, that's one of Wim's specialties, enjoy!

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  4. Losing by prejudice, judging without knowing! I guess we all suffer from this malaise in one form or the other. But I don't know how many even give it a second thought, much less fight "this tendency".

    Have a great time Georg!

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  5. Have fun! I'm sure the weather will hold up...:)
    'Getting older means ...narrow my views and to being less and less open to all those countless new possibilities.' ...I am not sure I want to agree with you there, but that will be fodder for another post.
    Enjoy the break.

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  6. Here I am back again - thanks to all for your kind comments.

    To Hiva
    Thanks, yes I survived, still alive and kicking. Had a wonderful flying nearly 400 feet above the dunes and the fur trees.

    To Berenice
    Thanks so much for those references. So you are a fan of Wim Wenders.
    I'll look at all of them at Wiki and YT. Let's hope those movies will be projected sometime here at the telly.
    It's not that I especially like road movies, in the case of Paris, Texas, it is the content, what is told.

    To Vinod
    You are a philosopher, Vinod. I really like those comments of you. Your readers in "India Retold" might appreciate, too. I mean, in addition to those political comments, given nearly on a daily basis. However, I am well aware of the fact that those political comments nearly always have a moral or ethical ground.

    To Id it is
    Fortunately, not everybody's mind narrows by getting older. But the tendency seems to be pretty widespread. Same for complacency.

    Georg

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  7. Grüezi Georgy,
    I must once again commend you for your ability to recognize when you judged the film director too soon. Most people (unfortunately) aren't secure enough to do that, I think. I think we all are prone to it and it is really a mark of good character to be able to detect it in ourselves. I hope that when I face with the same situation I'll have it in me to do as you do (call myself out and don't make the same mistake twice). :o)

    Hope the weekend brings you good flying conditions! It really looks perfect here today for a flight off Torrey Pines' cliffs... though I'm settling for going to look at some artworks being shown at the Embarcadero Marina Park this weekend.

    Sending you all the best! :o)

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  8. To Smorgy,

    Thank you for your friendly comment.
    Flying conditions were indeed top.
    When you talk about artwork, do you mean big sculptures displayed in this Marina Park near the sea side??

    Georg

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  9. Servus Georg,
    I hope you has had a great and save flight?! You´ve asked me for posting some "man´s room"...I´ve tried my very best... ;o)
    Wish you a great start in the new week! geisslein

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  10. Très intéressant.
    Bonne soirée
    Bisous
    Viviane

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  11. Hallo Georgy,
    Well, there were some sculptures indeed, but mostly it was painting, photography, and metal-working shows. Pretty interesting walking around looking at how different folks see things. They're all local artists and so many of the area's famous landmarks show up on their canvases. :o)

    Happy weekend!!

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  12. "Wings of Desire" is a film you DON'T like? Check out my pal, Collin Kelley(his blog is "Modern Confessional")for an interesting discussion. If you Google his name(Collin Kelley) with Wim Wenders(on whom he has written articles and reviews), you'll be surprised....
    I love "Paris, Texas", too. ;)

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