Heavens above!
Rebel Reel Cine Club curates an angelic list of holiday viewing
Ding dong, the festive season has arrived. And what better way to get in the spirit than a themed movie playlist courtesy of cinema curator Rebel Reel Cine Club. This time the theme is ‘Angels’, and as you’ll see, this has many interpretations – from angelic six-packed lovers to sultry Berlin businessmen. The commonality? They’re all five stars out of five.
It’s A Wonderful Life, dir. Frank Capra, 1946
“Clarence Odbody – the original Angel in an Overcoat (see also Wings of Desire…) Clarence is neither judgy nor annoying. James Stewart, in fairness, is the world’s most likeable man, even when he’s deep in the depths of despair. It’s THE Christmas film, openly talking about suicide and despair and yet uplifting and life-affirming.”
(Come and see It’s A Wonderful Life at Westwell Wines on 9th December with food, drinks and a Christmas DJ set from Moshi Moshi records founder Adrian Pike!)
Still It’s A Wonderful Life, dir. Frank Capra, 1946
Wings of Desire, dir. Wim Wenders, 1987
“This should be creepy and but it’s not – angels wandering about in trench coats in a monochrome Berlin peaking over the shoulders of the living. This is however, a beautiful and heartbreaking film. Bruno Ganz is transfixing as Damiel the angel who falls in love with a beautiful trapeze artist. The scene of him standing on the edge of a building is beautiful and vertigo-inducing in equal measure.”
Barbarella, dir. Roger Vadim, 1968
“An Angel is love! Well, John Phillip-Law as Pygar is Love. Jane Fonda’s Barbarella certainly thinks so. He’s lost the will to fly, but Barbarella makes him rise (sorry, not sorry). Pygar is the only angel on this list that looks remotely like one, albeit one that’s serving in Studio 54!”
Still, Barbarella, dir. Roger Vadim, 1968
Heaven Can Wait, dir. Buck Henry and Warren Beatty, 1978
“James Mason is a first-time Angel inadvertently taking not quite dead Warren Beatty to heaven (unfortunately, not before Beatty’s body is cremated…) Is this the only time Beatty had something to do with anything premature?! (sorry, actually this time I am sorry). Julie Christie and Warren Beatty are so good together in Shampoo (and soooo good in this) with Charles Grodin (watch Midnight Run with him and Robert De Niro) and Dyan Cannon!”
Still, Heaven Can Wait, dir. Buck Henry and Warren Beatty, 1978
Being There, dir. Hal Ashby, 1979
“Is Chance an Angel, is he the pre-curser for Patrick Bateman with more benign motives? He’s wearing a beautiful overcoat… What is it with Angels in overcoats? The version of instrumental track Also Sprach Zarathustra that plays when he leaves the house for the first time – it’s worth the watch for this alone (Jack Warden pops up again here – he’s in Heaven Can Wait too!)”
Still, Being There, dir. Hal Ashby, 1979
A Matter of Life and Death, dir. Powell And Pressburger, 1946
“Would you die for her?”
“I would. But I would rather live”
“It’s hard to overstate the genius of Powell and Pressburger and whilst this film is pretty much all delivered in clipped received pronunciation (RP) accents, it takes nothing away from the heart. A favourite of Martin Scorsese, it’s a war classic starring David Niven (read his autobiography The Moon’s a Balloon – it’s a brilliant snapshot of London and Hollywood).
A Matter of Life and Death was also known as Stairway to Heaven – did A Matter of Life and Death inspire Led Zeppelin? Who knows, but 262 stairs were built by Powell and Pressburger, as well as a 106-step motorised version. Now, that’s an exit!”
Still, A Matter of Life and Death, dir. Powell And Pressburger, 1946