Kings of the Road: Wim Wenders

Wim Wenders' Kings of the Road is the kind of film that comes up every now and then and proves to be a challenge for film reviewers. To put it simply, I didn't like this film. But the essential problem is that I can't help feeling that I didn't like this film for the wrong reasons. After all, Kings of the Road is a beloved film. It was the third part in Wim Wenders' Road Trilogy, a series of three films that emulated American road movies. It follows a projection-equipment repair mechanic named Bruno Winter and a depressed pediatrician named Robert Lander as they travel up and down the East-West German border. It is a lengthy, slow film filled with long takes devoid of any dialogue or significance towards what can be construed as "the plot." At the 1976 Cannes Film Festival, it was the unanimous recipient of the FIPRESCI prize. It has since been named a personal favorite by many film lovers and directors, most notably Jim Jarmusch who emulated it in such films as Stranger than Paradise and Down by Law. And yet, I couldn't stand this film. I can actually remember the exact moment when my morbid curiosity surrounding the film turned to stunned amazement and contempt: when I was forced to witness Bruno Winter defecate on camera. I'm not kidding or exaggerating. In one scene where Bruno is driving, he unceremoniously stops the van, mutters, "I need to shit," and pops a squat in a nearby field. We then watch in graphic detail as he defecates, wipes, and then gets back in the van and continues driving. This scene wasn't simulated. We watch an actual man take an actual dump before our very eyes. Now, would somebody please explain to me why watching a man defecate was so important to a film that was already almost three hours long? I don't think anybody can. And there's my problem: it feels like Wenders was shoving things in front of the camera for no reason other than his desire to be artsy. I actually discovered that with the exception of the first scene where the two men meet, the entire film was improvised. And so I can only sit back and shake my head. Maybe there are people out there who were able to glean some great meaning from this film. Maybe there are people who see this film as an immaculate piece of art. But I can't do that for the life of me. Maybe I'm not smart or cultured enough to get it, but in my opinion, Kings of the Road is a boring, pointless film that was made solely for artistic snobs who can "appreciate" watching a man take a shit.

3/10