Wings of Fame

If You Think Life Is Strange. Wait 'Til You See What Comes Next.

Angers European First Film Festival 1991
Won, Audience Award - Feature Film
Otakar Votocek
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival 1989
Won, Critics Award
Otakar Votocek
Won, Special Jury Award
Otakar Votocek

RELEASED:

Netherlands - 23 March 1990
France - 12 June 1991
Portugal - February 1992 (Fantasporto Film Festival)

RUN TIME: 110 Minutes	AKA: Hotel zu Unsterblichkeit zero - Germany Krídla slávy - Czechoslovakia Ali del Successo, Le - Italy

FILMING LOCATIONS:

DIRECTOR: Otakar Votocek	WRITER: Otakar Votocek, Herman Koch
PRODUCER: Laurens Geels, Dick Maas	CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alex Thomson

Cast - in credits order Peter O'Toole ... Cesar Valentin Colin Firth ... Brian Smith (Norman Eliot Trigorin) Marie Trintignant ... Bianca Andrea Ferreol ... Theresa Robert Stephens ... Merrick Ellen Umlauf ... Aristida Maria Becker ... Dr. Erica Frisch Walter Gotell ... Receptionist Gottfried John ... Zlatogorski Michiel Romeyn ... Nicolas Chagrin ... Delgado Ken Campbell ... Head Waiter Mark Tandy Dagmar Schwarz ... Beate Phil Warnett Herman Lause ... Chess Player Terry Raven ... Mystic Jonathan Hackett Eva Kryll Emilio Linder Pat Roach Jerry di Giacomo Klaus Kelterborn Bruno Eiron Remo Rostagno Luc Boyer Bernard Fontaine Tina van Baren Jürgen Schornagel Michael Harrican Luc Walter Gylan Kain Ian Elliot Patrick Le Barz Jean-Jacques Delbo Stacey Whorton Adam Fresco Harry Barrowclough Mary Donovan Richard Graydon Eric Fostinelli David Doyle Robert Darame Joe Weston Michael Krass Keith Adrian Grant Coburn Juri Voogd Josyane Cianelli Colin Scott Moune Duvivier Sander Brouwer	Production Companies First Floor Features Technical Specifications Color info: Color Sound mix: Dolby Printed Format: 35mm Distributors Paramount Pictures Miramax Home Video

MUSIC: L'Amour Partira Demain - Marie Trintignant

Wings of Fame
20 November 2003
Summary: Wow! This movie left me quite breathless!
*SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!!*

What a brilliant idea for a plot! An afterlife-resort just for famous people? No matter how the fame was gained? Fascinating!!

It really reminds me in many ways on Jean Paul Sartre's "Huis clos". You cannot quite decide whether it's Heaven or Hell. It all depends on the celebrities and what they do to each other. The worst thing for those famous souls isn't death but to vanish into oblivion.

Peter O'Toole plays Cesar Valentin, an actor on the height of his fame. He is frantic that his stardom will soon be over but he manages to gain new attention as he writes a bestselling book.

Colin Firth is Brian Smith, a nobody, who seems to stalk the famous actor. He is constantly on Valentin's toes and tries to get his attention. At a film festival where the actor continues to ignore him, Brian spontaneously grabs a pistol from a security officer and shoots Valentin. Directly after that he himself is killed by accident. And here the real story starts......

Both end up on this island for dead celebrities. Brian's fame results from his murdering the famous actor. So both fates are intertwined in the afterlife and the quality of their accommodation and the service of the Hotel rises and falls with their fame. It's amazing how the famous actor and the nobody cope with that.

Valentin tries to figure out why he was shot. The dialogues between him and Brian are most fun to watch! Brian is playing games with him, enjoying every moment. He couldn't care less that eventually he will fall into oblivion since he never was famous by own accomplishments.

This story is about vanity, self-knowledge, evolving above yourself or selling yourself for something as transient as fame. The conclusion is unexpected and as fascinating as the story throughout! O'Toole and Firth are both uniquely brilliant in their performance. But Colin Firth is the one who made my day! Desperate, mad, curious, cunning, caring, loving and forgiving. He does all that so convincingly and endearingly, it really took my breath away!

This is a real treat! 10 of 10 by all means!