A Trick of the Light

A Trick of the Light

1995 · 79 min · ★ 6.2 · Drama, Documentary

A rare gem of cinematic storytelling that weaves docudrama, fictional reenactment, and experimental photography into a powerful, reflective work on the early days of German cinema. The film tells the story of the Skladanowsky Brothers, the German-born duo responsible for inventing the "bioskop", an early version of the film projector.

Directed by Wim Wenders · Written by Sebastian Andrae

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Amazon Arthaus Channel

Rent or Buy

Amazon VideoApple TV Store

Cast

Make it a double feature

3h 4m together

A Trick of the Light

Buena Vista Social Club

Both from Wim Wenders.

More from Wim WendersSee all →

Paris, TexasParis, Texas · 1984
Paris, Texas
★ 8.11984
MovieDrama
A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his memory back of the life he led before he walked out on his family and disappeared four years earlier.
The Salt of the EarthThe Salt of the Earth · 2014
The Salt of the Earth
★ 8.12014
MovieDocumentary
During the last forty years, the photographer Sebastião Salgado has been travelling through the continents, in the footsteps of an ever-changing humanity. He has witnessed the major events of our recent history: international conflicts, starvations and exodus… He is now embarking on the discovery of pristine territories, of the wild fauna and flora, of grandiose landscapes: a huge photographic project which is a tribute to the planet's beauty. Salgado's life and work are revealed to us by his son, Juliano, who went with him during his last journeys, and by Wim Wenders, a photographer himself.
Perfect DaysPerfect Days · 2023
Perfect Days
★ 7.82023
MovieDrama
Hirayama is content with his life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his structured routine, he cherishes music on cassette tapes, books, and taking photos of trees. Through unexpected encounters, he reflects on finding beauty in the world.
Wings of DesireWings of Desire · 1987
Wings of Desire
★ 7.81987
MovieDramaFantasy
Two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them. When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion, the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds — with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk — that it might be possible for him to take human form.
Alice in the CitiesAlice in the Cities · 1974
Alice in the Cities
★ 7.71974
MovieDrama
German journalist Philip Winter has a case of writer’s block when trying to write an article about the United States. He decides to return to Germany, and while trying to book a flight, encounters a German woman and her nine year old daughter Alice doing the same. The three become friends (almost out of necessity) and while the mother asks Winter to mind Alice temporarily, it quickly becomes apparent that Alice will be his responsibility for longer than he expected.
Buena Vista Social ClubBuena Vista Social Club · 1999
Buena Vista Social Club
★ 7.51999
MovieDocumentaryMusic
In this fascinating Oscar-nominated documentary, American guitarist Ry Cooder brings together a group of legendary Cuban folk musicians (some in their 90s) to record a Grammy-winning CD in their native city of Havana. The result is a spectacular compilation of concert footage from the group's gigs in Amsterdam and New York City's famed Carnegie Hall, with director Wim Wenders capturing not only the music -- but also the musicians' life stories.
The BluesThe Blues · 2003
The Blues
★ 7.52003
SeriesDocumentary
The Blues (2003) is a seven-part documentary series produced by Martin Scorsese that explores the history and influence of blues music. Each episode, directed by a different filmmaker, traces a unique aspect of the genre’s evolution—from its African roots to its global impact. Originally airing on PBS, the series includes Scorsese’s Feel Like Going Home, Wim Wenders’ The Soul of a Man, Richard Pearce’s The Road to Memphis, Charles Burnett’s Warming by the Devil’s Fire, Marc Levin’s Godfathers and Sons, Mike Figgis’ Red, White and Blues, and Clint Eastwood’s Piano Blues.
PinaPina · 2011
Pina
★ 7.42011
MovieDocumentary
Pina is a feature-length dance film in 3D with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, featuring the unique and inspiring art of the great German choreographer, who died in the summer of 2009.
Songs of EarthSongs of Earth · 2023
Songs of Earth
★ 7.32023
MovieDocumentary
With Olin's 85-year-old father as guide, we experience Norway's most adventurous valley, Oldedalen in Nordfjord. He grew up here, and here generations before him have lived in balance with nature.
The American FriendThe American Friend · 1977
The American Friend
★ 7.11977
MovieDramaThriller
Tom Ripley, an American who deals in forged art, is slighted at an auction in Hamburg by picture framer Jonathan Zimmerman. When Ripley is asked by gangster Raoul Minot to kill a rival, he suggests Zimmerman, and the two, exploiting Zimmerman's terminal illness, coerce him into being a hitman.
Faraway, So Close!Faraway, So Close! · 1993
Faraway, So Close!
★ 6.91993
MovieDramaFantasy
A group of angels look longingly upon the life of humans. Berlin now is a very different place: unified in name but overrun with crime, corruption, and—in what turns out to be a key theme here—Americans.
City of AngelsCity of Angels · 1998
City of Angels
★ 6.81998
MovieDramaFantasy
When a guardian angel – who invisibly watches over the citizens of Los Angeles – becomes captivated by a strong-willed heart surgeon, he ponders trading in his pure, otherworldly existence for a mortal life with his beloved. The couple embarks on a tender but forbidden romance spanning heaven and Earth.
Until the End of the WorldUntil the End of the World · 1991
Until the End of the World
★ 6.71991
MovieDramaScience Fiction
In 1999, a woman's life is forever changed after she survives a car crash with two bank robbers, who enlist her help to take the money to a drop in Paris. On the way, she runs into another fugitive from the law — an American doctor on the run from the CIA. They want to confiscate his father's invention – a device which allows anyone to record their dreams and visions.
Lumière & CompanyLumière & Company · 1995
Lumière & Company
★ 6.41995
MovieDramaDocumentary
40 international directors were asked to make a short film using the original Cinematographe invented by the Lumière Brothers, working under conditions similar to those of 1895. There were three rules: (1) The film could be no longer than 52 seconds, (2) no synchronized sound was permitted, and (3) no more than three takes.
HammettHammett · 1982
Hammett
★ 6.21982
MovieDramaThriller
Chinatown, San Francisco, 1928. Former private detective Dashiell Hammett, a compulsive drinker with tuberculosis who writes pulp fiction for a living, receives an unexpected visit from an old friend asking for help.
Our Last TangoOur Last Tango · 2015
Our Last Tango
★ 6.02015
MovieDocumentary
María Nieves Rego (80) and Juan Carlos Copes (83) met when they were 14 and 17, and they danced together for nearly fifty years. In all those years they loved and hated each other and went through several painful separations. Now, at the end of their lives, the two dancers are willing to open up about their love, their hatred, and their passion. In "Our Last Tango" Juan and María tell their story to a group of young tango dancers and choreographers from Buenos Aires, who transform the most beautiful, moving and dramatic moments of the lives into incredible tango-choreographies. These beautifully-shot performances compliment the soul-searching interviews and documentary moments of the film to make this an unforgettable journey into the heart of the tango.

More Like This

The AviatorThe Aviator · 2004
The Aviator
★ 7.22004
MovieDrama
A biopic depicting the life of filmmaker and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes from 1927 to 1947, during which time he became a successful film producer and an aviation magnate, while simultaneously growing more unstable due to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The Diary of Anne FrankThe Diary of Anne Frank · 1959
The Diary of Anne Frank
★ 7.21959
MovieDramaHistory
The true, harrowing story of a young Jewish girl who, with her family and their friends, is forced into hiding in an attic in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.
Born on the Fourth of JulyBorn on the Fourth of July · 1989
Born on the Fourth of July
★ 7.01989
MovieDramaWar
Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, Ron Kovic becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for.
Becoming JaneBecoming Jane · 2007
Becoming Jane
★ 7.32007
MovieRomanceDrama
Though young Jane Austen's financially strapped parents expect her to marry the nephew of wealthy Lady Gresham, Jane herself knows that such a union will destroy her creativity and sense of self-worth. Instead, she becomes involved with Tom Lefroy, a charming but penniless apprentice lawyer who gives her the knowledge of the heart she needs for her future career as a novelist.
Gods and MonstersGods and Monsters · 1998
Gods and Monsters
★ 6.91998
MovieDrama
It's 1957, and James Whale's heyday as the director of "Frankenstein," "Bride of Frankenstein" and "The Invisible Man" is long behind him. Retired and a semi-recluse, he lives his days accompanied only by images from his past. When his dour housekeeper, Hannah, hires a handsome young gardener, the flamboyant director and simple yard man develop an unlikely friendship, which will change them forever.
American SplendorAmerican Splendor · 2003
American Splendor
★ 7.12003
MovieComedyDrama
An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.
The Greatest Story Ever ToldThe Greatest Story Ever Told · 1965
The Greatest Story Ever Told
★ 6.41965
MovieDramaHistory
From his birth in Bethlehem to his death and eventual resurrection, the life of Jesus Christ is given the all-star treatment in this epic retelling. Major aspects of Christ's life are touched upon, including the execution of all the newborn males in Egypt by King Herod; Christ's baptism by John the Baptist; and the betrayal by Judas after the Last Supper that eventually leads to Christ's crucifixion and miraculous return.
SpanglishSpanglish · 2004
Spanglish
★ 6.12004
MovieDramaComedy
Mexican immigrant and single mother Flor Moreno finds housekeeping work with Deborah and John Clasky, a well-off couple with two children of their own. When Flor admits she can't handle the schedule because of her daughter, Cristina, Deborah decides they should move into the Clasky home. Cultures clash and tensions run high as Flor and the Claskys struggle to share space while raising their children on their own, and very different, terms.
Yankee Doodle DandyYankee Doodle Dandy · 1942
Yankee Doodle Dandy
★ 7.01942
MovieDramaMusic
A film of the life of the renowned musical composer, playwright, actor, dancer and singer George M. Cohan.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter