Film Script. In the following documentary script, the portrayal of angels in three films and cultures are explored.
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celestengooi (student)
Film-Independent Studies Title: The Cinematic Portrayal of Angels Across Different Cultures --Documentary Script-- Rationale In the following documentary script, the portrayal of angels in three films and cultures are explored. The script will aim to prove the commonality of the cinematic portrayal of angels in the three films. Using stills and clips from “Dogma”, “A Matter of Life and Death” and “Wings of Desire”, both the physical portrayal as well as the depiction of angelic behavior will be analyzed. The similarities between the three portrayals are highlighted in order to show evidence of how the portrayal of angels on screen is common through cultures (German, British and American) and through time (1999, 1946, 1987). AudioVideoMusic fades in: Robbie Williams-Angels[1]VO: “Angels, the divine beings or holy messengers have been depicted countless times throughout history.With countless portrayals of Angels in art piecesas well as literary works.”Music fades out.VO: “It comes to no surprise that Angels have its place on screen.” (Fade in Audio from clips) VO: “When thinking about an Angel, the first thing that comes to mind is a figure complete with outstretched wings.” This portrayal has transcended culture and time. This documentary will explore the similarity between the portrayals of angels in three films “Dogma”, “Wings of Desire” and “A Matter of Life and Death”, all three films originating from separate countries. This will reinforce the similarity between the on-screen depictions of angels in different cultures.VO: “Looking closely at “Dogma”,and “Wings of Desire” the physical portrayal of angels is similar although both originates from two different cultures, American and German as well as being set in different times, 1999 (Dogma) and 1987 (Wings of Desire) As seen before in “Angels in the Outfield”…(Cut in audio from clip)(Fade out audio from clip)VO:…and “Constantine”,…(Cut in audio from clip)(Fade out audio from clip)VO:…angels on-screen seem to be majorly portrayed as a physical being with wings.VO: “Looking at “Dogma” released in 1999, the same rule applies. When we, and Bethany first meet Metatron, the voice of God, he shows her his wings to prove he is an Angel.Furthermore, when the two antagonists of “Dogma”, Loki and Bartleby, finally reveal their true physical Angelic form at the climax of the film, they too are shown with white wings.”(Fade in audio from clip)S: “His wings have been cut off…Loki.”(Fade out audio from clip)VO: “This traditional portrayal does not only have it’s place in Western culture, as seen in a German film, “Wings of Desire”, released in 1987.The depiction of a winged angel is also present in this film.The director, Wim Wenders coordinated with Henri Alekan (HA), his Director of Photography for “Wings of Desire” in order to create this depiction of Damiel as an angel[2].HA: “Wim said, all right, we're not going to have our angels walk around in Berlin with their wings. The wings will disappear right away…the angels who then were going to wear a large gray overcoat - likely, modern, contemporary - would have wings for a few seconds and then the wings would disappear as if by magic.”VO: “In the British film, “A Matter of Life and Death”, the section officer greets the newly dead wears shiny wing badges on her collar.VO: Although not the traditional white feathery wings, the portrayal of angels with wings is still as important in this film.Furthermore, when the newly dead are admitted, they are each given a pair of white wings.It is evident that all the angels, whether newly dead or those in
charge, are physically portrayed with some form of wings.VO: From these three films, originating from different cultures, one British, one American and another Franco-German, it is evident that the portrayal of angels as figures with wings are similar across countries and can therefore transcend culture.VO: Furthermore, not just a physical portrayal is common to “Dogma”, “Wings of Desire” and “A Life Less Ordinary”. Each of the three movies also depicts an angel’s ability to slide into humanity or to enter the human world.In both “Dogma” and “Wings of Desire”, Angels can make the choice to become human.Similarily in “Wings of ...
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charge, are physically portrayed with some form of wings.VO: From these three films, originating from different cultures, one British, one American and another Franco-German, it is evident that the portrayal of angels as figures with wings are similar across countries and can therefore transcend culture.VO: Furthermore, not just a physical portrayal is common to “Dogma”, “Wings of Desire” and “A Life Less Ordinary”. Each of the three movies also depicts an angel’s ability to slide into humanity or to enter the human world.In both “Dogma” and “Wings of Desire”, Angels can make the choice to become human.Similarily in “Wings of Desire”, Damiel actively makes the choice to become human and he describes what it will be like to Cassiel.Here, Damiel describes himself actively participating and being in the mortal world as compared to what Cassiel described angels should be earlier on.Cassiel here describes angels as merely observers, not participating in the material world, but instead keeping the distance.We see Damiel becoming human, as shown by his world transforming from black and white to color, which is the state of human sight as depicted in the film.VO: We also see Damiel being physically wounded, and him being entranced by the blood on his hand.This is a clear sign of his new mortality.Even in “A Matter of Life and Death”, when Conductor 71 is sent down to Earth to bring Peter Carter to heaven, he seemingly enters humanity in a way reminiscent of “Wings of Desire”. The colors on-screen also change from monochrome to full Technicolor. This symbolizes his movement into the world of humanity as well.C71: One is starved for Technicolor up there.VO: “As “A Matter of Life and Death” came out before “Wings of Desire”, this indicates how the use of the color change was still approachable to audiences during Wender’s time.Moreover, these three movies, “Dogma”, “Wings of Desire”, and “A Matter of Life and Death” have further similarities in their portrayals of angels in the way that although they are considered divine beings, they are also shown to be fallible.In “Dogma”, Kevin Smith’s angelic antagonists, Loki and Bartleby have been kicked out of heaven due to them being under the influence. By the fact that they can be kicked out of heaven, shows that angels are not infallible, but rather the opposite.M: “So very inebriated, Loki tells God he quits, throws down his fiery sword and gives him the finger. Which ruins it for the rest of us because from that day forward, God decreed that angels could no longer imbibe alcohol.”VO: “Here, we see that angels seem to have a crass side as well as a penchant for alcohol.VO: Furthermore, the two angels, Bartleby and Loki have no capacity for sympathy or conscience, certainly different from what angels are traditionally seen as: pure and holy.Instead, Loki and Bartlebygo on a mass killing spree and are in fact the primary antagonists of the “Dogma”. Cut to audio from song: “Angel With a Shotgun” by The Cab[3]”Fade out audio.VO: “These portrayals definitely do not depict angels as pure, divine beings. But instead they are flawed and murderous.VO: Similarly in “Wings of Desire”, Damiel, the guardian angel portrayed is unsatisfied with his heavenly existence and through his observations of man, begins to desire to be human.”D: But sometimes I get fed up with this spiritual existence. I don’t want to always hover above. I’d rather feel a weight within casting off this boundless freedom and tying me to the earth. VO: “Here Damiel yearns to end his existence as a heavenly being. He is discontent with just observing, and instead desires to participate. This indicates the fallibility of angels, where they themselves can be unsatisfied with their divine existence and yearns to be human instead.“VO: “Damiel also shows an angel’s desire to lust.”D: To be excited not just by the mind, but by a meal, the curve of a neck, an ear.VO: “Damiel has begun to feel desire for sensuous things. Rather he has begun to feel desire for desire itself. By wishing to have a separate reality outside his angelic existence, it indicates how angels are fallible. By denying his state of angelic purity, in order to “feel” some human emotion, Damiel becomes mortal and rejects his divine state because of his desire to ‘feel’.VO: “Furthermore, “Wings of Desire” depicts an angel’s ability to be tempted into sin.”D: To lie, through one’s teeth!VO: “This further shows how angels themselves can be swayed by their own desires rather than remain the pure, good figures we seem to perceive them as.VO: In “A Matter of Life and Death”,Angels are flawed, they make mistakes. Angels here are given the task to ensure that when humans die, they can make their way to heaven. However, Conductor 71 fails at this and misses Peter, who was supposed to die and thus does not.C71: Therefore, I miss him.VO: This further emphasizes the angels’ fallibility.Even the angels admit they are prone to making mistakes. We see the section officer in this clip admit there has been a mistake before.”FOT: He hasn’t reported, so he’s either AWOL or there’s been a mistake.SO: There hasn’t been a mistake here for a thousand years.FOT: Oh, so there have been mistakes.SO: The girl that was here before me, she was here for 6 hundred and 40 years.FOT: Holy smoke!SO: She said when they records don’t balance, all the alarm bells start ringing in the records office.Song fades in softly: Angel-Sarah Mclachlan[4]VO: “Wings,An ability to enter the world of humanity.And fallibility present in all of them.”D: To lie, through one’s teeth!FOT: Oh, so there have been mistakes.VO: “Indicates that the portrayal of angels on-screen are similar between “Dogma”, “Wings of Desire” and “A Matter of Life and Death”. And thus similar throughout these cultures and times.”Audio from song slowly fades out.Black screenFade to:Picture of “Monadnock Angel” by Abbott Thayer[5].Quick fade in:Picture of “Archangel Michael”[6]Quick fade in to: Picture of “Angel”[7].Quick fade in to:Page of “Paradise Lost”[8]Quick fade in to:Image of “The Angel”[9]Quick fade in to:A clip from “Angels in the Outfield”[10] in which two angels fly out of the sky and pick up Ben Williams so he can catch the baseball.Quick fade in to: A clip from “Constantine”[11] in which Gabriel lands on John Constantine with wings outstretched.Fade in to:A picture of the “Victorian Angel”.[12]Quick fade in to:A picture of movie poster of “Dogma”[13] Quick fade in to:A picture of movie poster of “Wings of Desire”[14]Quick fade in to:The same clip from “Angels in the Outfield” in which two angels fly out of the sky and pick up Ben Williams so he can catch the baseball.Quick fade in to:The same clip from “Constantine” in which Gabriel lands on John Constantine with wings outstretched. Quick fade to:A clip from “Dogma”[15] in which Metatron is in Bethany’s bedroom where he slowly unfolds his white wings to further prove to Bethany he is an Angel.Quick fade to:A clip from “Dogma” where we see Bartleby carrying the cardinal whilst flying with his wings outstretched.Quick fade to:A clip from “Dogma” in whichSerendipity (S) walks over to Loki where we see jagged bloody stumps of feathers sprouting from his back.Fade outQuick fade in to:Still from “Wings of Desire”[16]in which we see Damiel perched at the top of a cathedral with white wings.Continuation from the previous still:A clip from “Wings of Desire” in which Damiel is standing on top of a cathedral with his wings behind him, they begin to fade, and finally disappear completely.Quick fade in to:A still from “A Matter of Life and Death”[17] showing the costume of the air force section officer up in heaven, with two wing badges pinned to both sides of her jacket.Quick fade in to:A clip showing white wings hanging behind the heavenly personnel where the officers report after dying.Cut to: The dead aircrew carrying their white wings in bags.Quick fade in to: Montage of stills.Bartleby with his wings outstretched landing on the church from “Dogma”.Damiel with his wings seen briefly from “Wings of Desire”.White wings hanging on a rack behind the angelic workers from “A Matter of Life and Death”.Fade to black.Quick fade in to:Picture of “El Angel Caido” by Ricardo Bellver.[18] Quick fade in to:Clip from “Dogma” in which Bartleby (B) and Loki (L) are in the airport on the travelator having a discussion about becoming mortal.B: If we cut off our wings, transubstantiate to complete human form, we become mortal.Quick fade in to still of Damiel (D) and Cassiel (C) when Damiel tells Cassiel he is “going to take the plunge”Continuation of movie still into clip.C: Well?D: I’m going to take the plunge.Quick fade in to:Clip of Damiel and Cassiel walking, Damiel is still an angel.D: On my first day, I’ll let everyone wait on me. If someone wants something he can ask the next guy. If someone trips over my legs, he’ll apologize profusely. I’ll be jostled around and I’ll jostle them back. I’ll get a table in a packed restaurant. The mayor’s own car will stop and give me a lift. I’ll be familiar to everyone and suspect to no one. Quick fade in to:Clip of Cassiel in the same car talking to Damiel.C: Do no more than look, gather, testify, verify, preserve. Remain spirit. Keep the distance, keep the word.Quick fade in to:Clip of Damiel and Cassiel smiling at each other, camera pans and there is a gradual change in color, from monochrome black and white to full-blown color indicating Damiel has changed into a human. Camera pans down right to show Cassiel looking down at series of footprints on the ground that were previously not there.Quick fade to:Clip of Damiel walking with his armour, reaching up and touching his head to revealblood on his hand. Damiel tastes it.D: It has a taste. Fade to BlackQuick fade in to:Clip from “A Matter of Life and Death”, of Conductor 71(C71) making the transition from heaven to Earth shown through the rose on his lapel changing to color with the camera pulling out to reveal a world in Technicolor.Fade to Black.Cut to:Montage style sequence of the various angels in the three movies.Clip from “Dogma” in which Loki and Bartleby are on the travelator in the airport. Clip from “Wings of Desire” in which Damiel is sitting in a car reading his observations aloud to Cassiel. Clip from “A Matter of Life and Death” in which Conductor 71 is sent back to Earth.Fade to BlackCut to:Movie still from “Dogma” in which Loki and Bartleby are sitting down at the airport.Cut to movie still of Bethany (B) and Metatron (M) in the Mexican bar whereMetatron is talking to Bethany about why Loki and Bartleby were kicked out of heaven.Continuation of still as a clip:Quick fade in to:Clip where Loki emerges from behind a van holding a bottle of alcohol when Bartleby is slaughtering human beings.Quick fade in to a montage style sequence:Clip of Loki pulling a gun on the adulterous man in the bus.Clip of Loki murdering the business people in the conference room and pulling a gun on the woman.Clip of Bartleby dropping the Cardinal from the sky.Clip of Bartleby threatening to kill Bethany.Clip of Bartleby murdering Loki.Quick fade to:Clip from “Wings of Desire” where Damiel (D) and Cassiel (C) are sitting in a car reporting to each other about their daily observations.Quick fade to still of Damiel in the same car with Cassiel. Continuation of film still as a clip:Continuation of previous clip:Fade to blackQuick fade in to:Movie still from “A Matter of Life and Death” in which a report on the invoiced and delivered number of dead is seen.Still from which Conductor 71 (C71) is seen explaining his mistake.Continuation of the movie still as a clip.Quick fade in to:Clip of the Section Officer (SO) talking to Flying Officer Trubshaw (FOT) about mistakes in heaven.Cut to:Clip of alarm bells ringing.Fade to BlackQuick Fade into:Clip of Metatron showing Bethany his wings.Clip of Damiel with his wings gradually disappearing.Clip of rows of wings in “A Matter of Life and Death”Quick fade into:A clip of Bartleby getting his wings shot off.A clip of Damiel touching his head and bringing his hand down to reveal his blood.A clip of Conductor 71 moving from heaven to Earth.Quick fade in to:A clip of Bartleby murdering Loki.A clip of Bartleby grabbing Bethany and holding a knife to her throat.A clip of Damiel speaking to Cassiel in the car.A clip of the alarm bells ringing. Bibliography: [1] Williams, Robbie, and Tom Jones. "Angels." Angels. Chrysalis, 1998. CD. [2] "An Interview with Henri Alekan." An Interview with Henri Alekan. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://pov.imv.au.dk/Issue_08/section_1/artc2A.html>. [3] The Cab. "Angel With a Shotgun." 2011. CD. [4] McLachlan, Sarah. "Angel." Closer the Best of Sarah McLachlan. Arista Records, 2008. CD. [5] "Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849-1921)." Monadnock Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.monadnockart.org/history-abbott-handerson-thayer.html>. [6] "File:Guido Reni 031.jpg." En.wikipedia.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Guido_Reni_031.jpg>. [7] "File:Persian Angel 1555.jpg." En.wikipedia.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Persian_angel_1555.jpg>. [8] "Milton and Paradise Lost." Www.repearfanzine.co.uk. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.repeatfanzine.co.uk/Rants/paradise%20lost.htm>. [9] "The Angel (Blake)." The Angel (Blake). N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Angel_(Blake)>. [10] [Angels in the Outfield--electronic Press Kit]. 1994. DVD [11] Constantine. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc., 2005. DVD. [12] "Angels." Www.catholictradition.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.catholictradition.org/Angels/angelorum-angel2.jpg>. [13] "Dogma Movie Poster - Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery." Dogma Movie Poster - Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.impawards.com/1999/dogma_ver1.html>. [14] "Wings of Desire Movie Poster - Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery." Wings of Desire Movie Poster - Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.impawards.com/1988/wings_of_desire.html>. [15] Dogma. Dir. Kevin Smith. Cinema Club, 1999. [16] Wings of Desire. Dir. Wim Wenders. S.n., 1987. [17] A Matter of Life and Death. Dir. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. 1946. [18] "{ Feuilleton }." Ricardo Bellverâ ™s El Ã�ngel Caido. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 June 2012. <http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2010/05/01/ricardo-bellvers-el-angel-caido/>.