The_Film_That_Changed_My_Life

Kings of the Road
125
idea. The other problem I found with the New York art world was that it was
a very insular, elitist community, and I didn’t really feel like I wanted to be
making art for that community.
I wanted to be doing something that was a little bit more, I don’t know,
populist? More accessible. I felt like a narrative interested me, and it wasn’t
until I saw Kings of the Road that I realized that film was a place that might
make sense for me.
The narrative structure is still peculiar for a couple of reasons. It begins
by announcing it is film, then announces its aspect ratio, the date and
locations of the shoot. And then you don’t know anything about the
main characters, even their names or professions, for almost thirty minutes
into the film. As a viewer how did you experience that?
Chick: I think one of the things that I found really exciting about it was its
apparent lack of story or structure. Visually it’s a stunning film, and for me
there’s something really liberating about seeing a movie where story or plot
was not first and foremost driving the film. Remind me how it opened. The
way I remember it opening is with the blond guy—what’s his name?
Bruno Winter.
Chick: Yeah, exactly. The blond guy is sitting in his truck waking up. And
the other character drives the Volkswagen into the river. Is that the way the
movie opened?
There’s a little prologue before the opening credits, which is Bruno
talking to an Asian movie theater owner about movie projectors.
Chick: That’s right.
And then the first scene after the credits is exactly what you just
described. Is that the image that’s burned into your head about the film?
Chick: Yeah, that opening more than anything else is what I remember of
the film. And then there are a number of other conversations they have. The
conversation about how the Americans have colonized their subconscious.
Which is the most famous Wenders quote from the film.