The Brothers Skladanowsky

(aka A Trick of the Light, Wim Wenders, Germany, 1995)

A corny, naïve, childlike tribute to the invention of moving pictures, presented as a jerky, pantomimic pastiche of silent movie comedies – and all under the guiding hand of Wim Wenders, a director who in this era (mid '90s) was best approached with great caution.

It does not sound promising. But The Brothers Skladanowsky is nothing short of a small miracle, and a ceaseless delight.

Wenders, collaborating with his students at the Munich Film School, combines two fanciful short stories about the little-known achievements of the Skladanowskys (which slightly predate those of the Lumière brothers) and a contemporary interview with the wiry, 91 year old Lucie Skladanowsky – who complains to the crew during the final credits: "Your film is not historically accurate!"

In retrospect, this was the project that managed to spin the ailing career of Wenders around and re-launch it in a much healthier direction.

MORE Wenders: The Blues, Buena Vista Social Club, The End of Violence, Hammett, Land of Plenty, The Million Dollar Hotel, Paris, Texas, Alice in the Cities, Wings of Desire, Until the End of the World

© Adrian Martin August 1996