Wem Wenders on Leica

[johnastovall]

A nice video by one of my favorite directors on the Leica M8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFT-duedoV4).

Wender used a Leica when scouting locations for "Paris Texas" and a Makina-Plaubel for "Written in the West (http://www.wim-wenders.com/news_reel/2001/0109_written_in_the_west.htm)."

[crawdiddy]

I'm a big fan of Wenders also. Interesting to see him "working."

At the same time, I hate to see artists "sell out".

[rogue_designer]

At the same time, I hate to see artists "sell out".

Often better than starving.

This doesn't bother me as much since he clearly used these tools well before Leica offered him money to. He's sharing his appreciation and love of them, and being reimbursed for the trouble. That's alot better than true sell outs who will go for the highest bidder, regardless of appropriateness or product.

[FrankS]

In the "related videos" section, I thought this one was funny, in a childish way: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSJcQiLcl4&feature=related

[DwF]

Reminded of the scene in "The American Friend" where Dennis Hopper is playing on the pool table with the Polaroid, I wonder whether Wenders would have been too nervous to hand Hopper a Leica :) Of course Dennis Hopper is also a pretty serious photographer.

Wenders' films are so visually rich, it is not too surprising that he likes to make stills.

[amateriat]

Oh, yes. "Wings of Desire" may well be my all-time favorite film.


- Barrett

[aizan]

leica is making tv commercials? it's about freakin' time. kudos for getting wenders to do it, too.

the funniest thing is that the shutter sound isn't right, even when they made the commercial.

[sirius]

In the "related videos" section, I thought this one was funny, in a childish way: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSJcQiLcl4&feature=related

Frank, in the movie he "got lucky" because of the camera, haha.

[DwF]

...and he needs a soft-release and a wrist strap!

[tom.w.bn]

...and he needs a soft-release and a wrist strap!

When you look at the phots of Wim Wenders...what does he need a soft-release for? He normaly does not take photos with slower times.

[tom.w.bn]

Btw. you all should look at photos of his wife Donata Wenders. She takes photos too and I have never seen so beautifully unsharp portraits.

Some examples here:
http://www.donatawenders.com/gallery/permanent-collection/permanent-collection-room-6.htm

I have her book islands of silence and really like it.

[GMcD]

Leica were showing this film at Photokina and I have been looking for it on the net for a while. Thanks very much for posting the link.

[noimmunity]

Makes me want an M8 so bad!
I met my first wife around a festival showing of Wenders' Lisbon Story.
Watching this Leica ad made me go out and shoot some landscapes on Presto with my C Sonnar... A gorgeous light filled the mountainside by sunset. And by some telegraphic design, while up on the mountain soaking in the views, I ran into a dear friend with whom I'd lost contact a while back just the day after she got married. :angel:

[historicist]

I'm a big Wim Wenders fan but all of that Leica mysticism stuff gets on my nerves a bit, and what was he thinking with that hat?

[bcambern]

In the "related videos" section, I thought this one was funny, in a childish way: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSJcQiLcl4&feature=related

"Eurotrip" is a surprisingly funny movie (in a childish way). Especially after a few beers.

[chut]

I wouldn't categorize Wim Wenders as selling out to Leica. He's a celebrated filmmaker and I believe him when he says his father had a Leica. He probably owned one even before they got him as an endorser.

It's a bit different from George Clooney pitching for Nespresso.

I loved the film Wenders made on Yamamoto called Notebook on Cities.

[J J Kapsberger]

Cue Walquiria...

[DwF]

I wouldn't categorize Wim Wenders as selling out to Leica. He's a celebrated filmmaker and I believe him when he says his father had a Leica. He probably owned one even before they got him as an endorser.

It's a bit different from George Clooney pitching for Nespresso.

I loved the film Wenders made on Yamamoto called Notebook on Cities.

Wenders has a thing about recording devices, and cameras that show up all over his film as a link to, a bridge to or a shield maybe from reality. In Paris, Texas the use of the tape recording from mother to son at the end and prior to that the use of the booth and the microphone for Nastasia Kinski and Harry Dean Stanton to become "reacquainted".
It's been too long since I saw the other films but I recall at least one camera in a train station punctuating a violent scene in the American Friend.

So I agree with Chut; a fascination with his dad's camera as a youth is not so difficult to imagine.