Wim Wenders ranks among the greatest artistic minds of contemporary film: over the past 30 years his films have consistently demonstrated such clarity and sensitivity that they have transcended boundaries of language and nationality, finding a devoted audience worldwide. Wenders brings to this collection of photographic essays the same literary and cinematic talents, the same command of the art of storytelling that we find in his films. In the tradition of Paris, Texas and Faraway, So Close, the texts and pictures in Once weave ambiguous and moving narratives in fits of rhythmic prose and inventive imagery. Prefaced by Wenders' poetic meditations on the metaphysics of photography and film, Once consists of short, autobiographical sketches relating Wenders' experiences--both meaningful and apparently trivial--on his trips across the world scouting locations for his films, as well as photographs taken during these excursions. The resulting book is at once travel diary, photo album, and a series of short films or short stories--revealing the views and sentiments of an auteur inspired by the poetry of the eye and the melody of speech. Fascinating and revelatory, Once gives us a unique look at the universe Wenders has created out of the hidden pieces of everyday life.
"Once
I entered Australia via Thailand and Indonesia, through the backdoor, so to speak. I arrived in the city of Darwin, in the far north of the country, experiencing a whole continent with the eyes of a newcomer. In the evening of that first day I saw my first baobab tree and the misery of the Aborigines."
Image and text, by Wim Wenders, reproduced from Once.
STATUS: Out of stock indefinitely.
FROM THE BOOK
Once I drove in a silver Mercedes 600
together with Akira Kurosawa, his translator,
Tom Luddy, Monique Montgomery and a few others
from San Francisco
to Napa Valley.
Francis Coppola had invited us to his mansion and winery.
Halfway there,
the big Mercedes broke down.
We spent an hour
at a country fair nearby
where the panoramic picture
of Kurosawa and a Cajun band,
The Louisiana Playboys, was taken.
Then Les Blank came by
with his old van.
We accepted his invitation
and changed cars.
Francis was very surprised
when the boneshaker stopped at his front porch
and Kurosawa stepped out of the vehicle.
The rest of this afternoon
was beautifully quiet and peaceful.
It was hot
and we all went swimming in a pond.
Except for Kurosawa.
FORMAT: Pbk, 6 x 8 in. / 272 pgs / 225 color. LIST PRICE: U.S. $29.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $39.95 ISBN: 9781935202288 PUBLISHER: D.A.P./Schirmer/Mosel AVAILABLE: 10/31/2010 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of stock indefinitely AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA ONLY
Wim Wenders ranks among the greatest artistic minds of contemporary film: over the past 30 years his films have consistently demonstrated such clarity and sensitivity that they have transcended boundaries of language and nationality, finding a devoted audience worldwide. Wenders brings to this collection of photographic essays the same literary and cinematic talents, the same command of the art of storytelling that we find in his films. In the tradition of Paris, Texas and Faraway, So Close, the texts and pictures in Once weave ambiguous and moving narratives in fits of rhythmic prose and inventive imagery. Prefaced by Wenders' poetic meditations on the metaphysics of photography and film, Once consists of short, autobiographical sketches relating Wenders' experiences--both meaningful and apparently trivial--on his trips across the world scouting locations for his films, as well as photographs taken during these excursions. The resulting book is at once travel diary, photo album, and a series of short films or short stories--revealing the views and sentiments of an auteur inspired by the poetry of the eye and the melody of speech. Fascinating and revelatory, Once gives us a unique look at the universe Wenders has created out of the hidden pieces of everyday life.
