I re-watch the film a few times a year just because every time I see something new, and it never fails to do something for me, it's life affirming in this amazingly sad, real but fantastic way - it's a testament to Berlin and to the beauty of human experience, and in my experience, these two things often go hand in hand. It's also largely inspired by Rilke, who happens to be one of my favourite poets.
A few days ago, I was idly looking through some of the deleted scenes included on the DVD I have of the film - I was curious to see what the director thought worth leaving out, how he thought about his work and what belonged in it. And I found out what has to be the best bit of movie trivia ever, in the original raw footage for Der Himmel Über Berlin, there was a pie fight! Wenders actually used all four cameras and shot two takes of the three lead characters fighting...with pies! If you've seen the film, you'll know how brilliantly weird this is, and admittedly, it is a really good thing the scene was left out. I guess it was so obvious that it should be left out that the raw footage was never even cut. So, on the DVD where the raw takes are, Wenders, in his commentary, says jokingly that if someone wanted to edit the scene themselves and send it to him he would be really happy to see it finished, he even goes so far as to say that the best one he receives might get some pie.
So! I decided to have a go, I've always been fascinated by film-making, I love movies, and actually have a dream that I keep very quiet to some day make movies myself, unpopular, self-funded, bankrupting movies that I'll love forever. As well as making the cut, I've tracked down a middleman address for Herr Wenders in Berlin, and have written a letter (in my not so good German) to go with the DVD, I'm going to send it in the morning.
What's really cool about it is that I basically did it because I wanted to, it was a great opportunity to cut a raw bit of film from my favourite movie, and the process was great fun. I also got to, in a very small way, show someone whose work I've enjoyed and admired for a long time that I appreciate what they do, and that's cool. If Wim Wenders ever does reply to my letter, which is unlikely, it'll probably happen months or years from now on some terrible day and suddenly all will be awesome. If not, that's fine, getting a reply isn't the reason I did it. I used to do this kind of stuff a lot, just throwing myself at things, sometimes it really pays off, and it can't really go wrong, so I'd really like to start doing it again (on that note, I need to write to Joanna Newsom's press agent, I have a press pass for End of the Road and getting an interview would be amazing). If nothing comes of these things, it's still really fun and exiting to try.
So, here's the cut, obviously the audio wasn't intact or prepared so it's basically a silent with music, bar one moment at the end. The film was pretty damaged and there were various chunks cut out of it that I had to edit around, but there were some really nice shots I think I managed to include. Solveig Dommartin (the most beautiful woman that has ever been) and Bruno Ganz have some great moments, and Otto Sander pulls off some great facial expressions/slapstick moves. -It's all really weird that this was ever a part of this movie!
Here's the cut, the quality should be high enough to watch in full screen:
And here's my letter to Wenders:
I am really happy I did this. First post to Berlin tomorrow! I hope Wim Wenders checks his mail.
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