The State of Things
dir. Wim Wenders · 1982
Feature
Artistic Obsession
Mood
Contemplative / Melancholic
Look
naturalistic cinematography with a focus on landscapes and ambient light
Structure
episodic with a focus on character interactions and philosophical dialogues
Plot
On location in Portugal, a film crew runs out of film while making their own version of Roger Corman's Day the World Ended (1955). The producer is nowhere to be found and director Friedrich Munro attempts to find him in hopes of being able to finish the film.
Why watch
A film crew in Portugal grapples with the sudden absence of their producer while struggling to complete their project, a remake of a Roger Corman film. As director Friedrich Munro wanders through the landscape, the film unfolds like a meditation on the nature of creativity, the absurdities of the filmmaking process, and the isolation that can accompany artistic ambition.
Cultural context
1980s European cinemathe decline of traditional filmmakingthe influence of the New German Cinema movement