Unbelievable
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moviefixer — 20 years ago(July 05, 2005 01:00 PM)
I just saw this in a 1926 movie palace (the Orpheum in L.A.), with live organ accompaniment. It was fantastic! And the organist was 90+ years old. He played the same score, for this film, when the movie was originally released.
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ChicagoToffee — 15 years ago(February 06, 2011 08:20 PM)
Actually, the organist at the Orpheum, Bob Mitchell, was born in 1912 and thus was 15 years old when he accompianed "Wings" on the organ. Bob Mitchell started accompanying films when he was only 12 years old, and so he was a "veteran" of sorts when Wings was released. Mitchell accompanied films at the Orpheum until his death at age 96. Pretty amazing.
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beesting_12_dot — 19 years ago(June 10, 2006 06:11 PM)
I would die if I saw this film in theatres. It was no doubt one of the best flicks I've ever seen. I was so amazed at the acting I was awe-struck. Not even kidding here. The flying scenes and the characters and the situations were all just TOO perfect. I'm so glad it's around! I have no idea if it's on DVD, I have it on VHS from amazon.
"A sex symbol is a heavy load to carry when one is hurt, tired and bewildered."
Clara Bow -
wrenniejen — 18 years ago(May 28, 2007 11:32 AM)
Chronic complainer - he didn't say what year he saw this performance.
I would love to see it in an old movie place with live accompaniment I'm not aware of any places like this in England.
I have a chinese DVD with subtitles (ebay)! -
twistedude — 17 years ago(August 01, 2008 12:16 AM)
Available and in stock on amazon.com.
Any of you see a little old foreign movie called "Sunrise," that won "best artistic acheivement," that year. It' like 10,000 miles ahead of "Wings." I..umlike "Wings" better. Just to be perverse.
"Thus began our longest journey together." To Kill a Mockingbird -
artistathome — 16 years ago(April 06, 2009 05:06 PM)
This is 2009 and I believe Wings will stand up against any modern movie in any decade. The story is great, the camera work is great, but it is the naturalness of the 3 leads that gives this story heart.
And I just love to see how normal the homes are. We forget that we are not that far in advance of that time except for our plumbing and heating and cooling.
Frankly many people are living in homes built at that time and loving it.
i can't recommend this movie enough. I give it 5 stars out of 5. -
picmajik — 17 years ago(May 29, 2008 02:28 PM)
I was lucky enough to see this in Americus, Georgia (least likely place I expected to find a great theatre showing a CLASSIC) with a live accompanist who had driven down from Atlanta (3 hours from Atlanta to Americus). The theatre (http://www.rylander.org/) has a Moeller (spelling) organ that would rock the rafters. The theatre has just undergone a massive renovation and is divine! Well worth the drive for these surroundings, large screen, and live music.
In the meantime, I would LOVE to have this film on DVD and did sign up on Amazon to be notified. For now, I have a copy I recorded from TCM but I'd rather have a pristine, restored copy (are you listening, powers that be?)! -
Thrift_Store_Junkie05 — 18 years ago(February 13, 2008 03:09 PM)
Wings is an amazing picture. Everything from the incredible action flying sequences, enthusiastic performances, innovative camera techniques to the plot that has been copied so often that some modern viewers will unfortunately see it as dated and clich, this is film wizardry. However, never in the entirety of my life have I ever heard a knowledgable film fanatic make a claim like "The Jazz Singer should've won best picture." The only film that deserved the first best picture was without a doubt F.W. Murnau's Sunrise, which was never nominated but took the only ever Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production award. Wings won the Best Picture, Production award and was certainly up against two great silent films in Seventh Heaven and Lewis Milestones The Racket. However, Murnau's Sunrise is obviously the superior of the group and is undeniably one of the greatest films ever made.
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kilgomr — 19 years ago(March 29, 2007 03:50 PM)
Yes, I believe that this movie is very underrated. I think that the main romantic story line is just as good as the technical, fighter pilot, scenes. I have never seen a silent movie before and I'm sure there are other great ones, but I have no complaints with this one. I think the academy awards started with a great choice! I think the drunk scene in Paris is especially challengine for its time. Really good movie. was entranced.
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wtl471629 — 17 years ago(July 28, 2008 06:57 AM)
I agree. I hadn't seen this movie till last night on TCM. I had seen Sunrise, The Jazz Singer, and The Racket and while these three were great outstanding movies Wings was the right winner. The war scenes were fantastic especially when you consider they were made in the 20s. A great movie well worthy of being voted Best Picture.
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joan_freyer — 15 years ago(September 02, 2010 01:39 PM)
I have been seeing a lot of silents but I honestly must say Wings is quite possibly one of the greatest films ever done by Hollywood.
The director (one of the best in Hollywood then or now) was in the war and he wore his heart on his sleeve when he made this film. Every frame and image is wonderful and heartbreaking.
The ground breaking visuals of the battle scenes are still great even today and back then would have been amazing indeed. No computers were used. pilots took cameras up in the planes to film the scenes!
The film balances the romance and the horror of war. The film is also one of the few American Films to balance the American effort. Too many American films imply America won the war! The director was careful to show the totality of war for all the countries involved, the totality of the war relating to the airforce and the infantry on the ground, and the totality of the war front and the home front. The director even showed an image of a German dying on flowers forming an Iron Cross implying compassion for the German fighting man.
The final scene (being famous for the kiss) was also about friendly fire. This is something not talked about much in films or real life as the Tileman(?) friendly fire incident shows. To include death by fiendly fire is daring and pushes the film conclusion to greater tragedy.
So for many reasons I offer this as one of the best films ever made by Hollywood.
J E F Rose -
netshopper-2 — 15 years ago(March 06, 2011 08:02 PM)
Finally saw Wings today and agree with your assessment. A much better film than I thought it would be. In fact, this films is iconic. It is much more than amazing early era flight scenes that we have heard about. A sweet and tragic story, great acting and a few laughs as well. Some of the effects were quite funny as welllike the bubbles and sketched flames from the crashing planes.