Wings (1927)

Since this edition of Rapid River Magazine is going to be our Oscar edition, this month’s special DVD pick is the very first movie to win the Best Picture Oscar. It has just been released on Blu-Ray and DVD in pristine condition. The movie is Wings, a World War I drama about two fighter pilots from the same town who happen to be in love with the same girl. The film was made in 1927 which means that it is a silent film. Now that The Artist has piqued interest in the silent film format, why not start with one of the very best.

Paramount Pictures has pulled out all the stops in this first release commemorating the studio’s 100th anniversary. The movie has undergone a frame by frame digital restoration with the original color tints restored (yes, silents had color), a new recording of the film’s original orchestral score, and even period sound effects. This makes the 85 year old film look and sound as good as the less than year old The Artist.

The film is remembered as one of silent star Clara Bow’s best movies and as the jumping off point for Gary Cooper’s career. But what makes Wings truly special is its aerial photography which remains unequaled, even after all these years. Director William Wellman had been a World War I pilot and he not only knew what it was like but he hired several WWI pilots to fly the planes in authentic fashion. Cameras were mounted to the planes (no sound to have to worry about) and they were able to capture dogfights in the sky with stunning accuracy.

If you really want to experience what an authentic, period silent film was like, go no further than Wings. It has comedy, drama, pathos, thrills and all in the larger than life (in a good way) world that is the silent movie. A world where emotions and visuals take center stage and where what you see is exactly what you get.

Review by Chip Kaufmann