The Look of Paris, Texas

I’ve always been haunted by Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas, not just the story of love lost, and yearning, but the quality of the art direction, the cinematography. There are no ‘sets’ – and while it appears that most of it is done with natural lighting, it does not have that bleached-out quality that so many realistic films have. It has a hyper-realism. A heightened sense of reality and beauty and desolation. It is NOT realism. Sidney Lumet did not “light” Dog Day Afternoon in a traditional way. He used the available light, the actors aren’t wearing makeup, that’s real sweat pouring off of Cazale and Pacino. The look of the film makes it feel like a documentary which was quite deliberate.

Paris, Texas is not like that, although it has a very unprepossessing manner in and of itself. It is not in-your-face. Sunsets are beautiful, rain on a windshield is melancholy, but Paris, Texas digs into these things, submerges itself in these prosaic things, into the colors, the textures, the LOOK, so that the landscape itself becomes poetic, evocative of something else – like images seen in a dream. Good dream or nightmare is unclear. Most of the movie takes place on the road, in crappy little motels, and convenience stores – which are most definitely not sets. It was filmed on location. I love that kind of “found object” movie-making – and so the location scout is to be congratulated. Because that’s the thing, isn’t it. Reality is often more vivid, and beautiful, and creepy, and transcendent than we can ever let ourselves believe in real life. That’s the beauty of movies, good ones. They can help us to see. To look.

And so. Let’s look.

The look of Paris, Texas reminds me of the look of some of Kwik Stop. The landscape as HYPER reality, poetry seen in the mundane, the sets look “found”, not created by the filmmakers, they exist outside of the movie, in reality. However, they seem like poetic backdrops. A dreamspace entire. Life is sometimes bizarre, motels are sometimes absurd … down the rabbit hole. Yet they exist.


Same look and feel. Intense colors, dream-like, and yet not surreal. It looks hyper real … the way reality feels like in a dream.

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17 Responses to The Look of Paris, Texas

  1. redclay says:

    i didn’t hardly know what to do with that movie.
    it all looked like life, but when you were paying attention.

  2. ryoushi says:

    I watched this several nights ago. I hadn’t seen it since the ’80s. I was first drawn in by Ry Cooder’s soundtrack but as you mentioned, the locations just jump out at you. The desert in the opening sequence, the house overlooking the airport and the 405The scene under the freeway with Harry Dean Stanton and his son. And you get the feeling David Lynch must have watched the peep show sequences over and over.

  3. red says:

    ryoushi – Oh God, that soundtrack. Unbelievable, right?

    And the peep show … what a weird weird place! I listened to the director’s commentary this morning, and that is an actual place that they found – not a set … Truth is way stranger than fiction!

    And you’re so right – that house above the 405 – and the looping freeways – Just amazing stuff, visually.

  4. red says:

    Speaking of David Lynch – I’m watching Blue Velvet tonight! I’ve already seen it … but not in years!

  5. DBW says:

    To post shots from Paris, Texas, and not have any of Nastassja Kinski is some kind of crime against humanity–at least this little piece of humanity. There is something about her that makes parts of me ache that I forget I own. Her whole affect and effect hits me right dead in the heart. Sorry this is slightly off-topic. LOL.

  6. red says:

    I know, I know – but I SAID this one wasn’t about the acting, didn’t I???

    Be patient! Kinski awaits! Many more posts to come!

    I’m all about le Stockwell, naturally … but Kinski is just AWESOME in this movie. Luminous, tragic … Love this film. I love any movie that STARS Harry Dean Stanton. Like – when does that happen??

  7. red says:

    Oh – and that last scene – with her and the kid in the hotel room.

    Gulp. I am NEVER not moved by that scene.

    The kid is great, too.

  8. red says:

    Okay, DBW – because it’s you, and you’re my friend, please refresh your page and look at this post again.

    Mkay?

  9. DBW says:

    SCHWWWINNG! All is forgiven. Now, if you’ll excuse me for a few….

  10. red says:

    That’s cool. I’m busy with Robert Dean over here. So it’s all good.

  11. red says:

    We’re both nuts.

  12. DBW says:

    Agreed. Isn’t it great?

  13. red says:

    Wouldn’t have it any other way!

    Now. Back to Blue Velvet. If you’ll excuse me.

  14. Jen W. says:

    Wait…is that…Harry Dean Stanton AND Dean Stockwell…in the same movie? I think my head just exploded. hahaha It’s like when someone travels into the past and they’re not supposed to see their current self or there will be a rip in the space-time continuum. :)

  15. red says:

    Jen – You know what – when you made that comment the other day, I just didn’t put it together in my mind for some reason!!

    It’s a really good movie – I totally recommend it!!

    And it’s great to see Harry Dean Stanton NOT be a lecherous religious wacko like in Big Love (even though he’s so good in that part!)

  16. Jen W. says:

    I will put it on my list to see! The photo clips from it make it look really cool. Thanks for the recommendation!

  17. Pingback: Paris, Texas | Frank's Film Reviews

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