Wings (1927) – An exhilarating experience

The first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture Production was William Wellman’s Wings in 1927.  It took 83 years until another silent film won the best picture award –The Artist (2012).  I had the honor to see a screening of a restored version of Wings today at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.  An original score composed for this screening was performed live by the Prima Vista Quartet.  This viewing was an exhilarating experience much beyond anything I had expected.  Many of the scenes of the original cuts of Wings had the use of The Magnascope – the early wide screen format created by the use of a device for temporarily enlarging the picture on the cinema screen during a film, using a wide-angle magnifying lens system attached to the projector.  There is now a widescreen Blu-Ray version available.

Although the story is about World War I and reflects the attitudes of the time and some so-so melodrama, the film still has a contemporary entertainment value.  It has some great visuals both in the sky and on the ground.  The battle scenes were powerful in their messaging. One of the things that stood out for me were the large number of dialogue title cards.  Combine these with some excellent lip reading shots and one did not need sound.  The full story was projected strongly.  The score for this showing was strong and very appropriate.  Having an orchestral sound rather than just a piano or an organ I am sure added a lot.

It was very easy to see how future films learned and grew from the filmmaking present in Wings.  A must have in the library of true movie aficionados.  The Music Box is to be commended for bringing this film back for its’ audiences enlightenment.