I watched this movie a few days ago with the strong impression of having seen it before. Anyway my first impression as it started was great because I felt as lost as the personality on the screen and I am sure that was Wender's intention. We are first and foremost lost in translation as we are lost as tourists on the road to Lisbon. We are children once again. This film is marvelous. Definitely my favorite Wenders movie to date. It captures almost all the things which never cease to fascinate me such as the arts, music, travel, women, friendships, poetry......love. A pure example of how much more valuable it is to open the heart rather than the mind. A wonderful introduction to the music of Madredeus and definitely a great advertisement to visit Portugal which was already in my agenda.

The first time I watched "Lisbon Story" I was disappointed and rather annoyed at what seemed a pretentious and self-indulgent experiment.

Then several months later, I watched it again, and was captivated by it, enjoyed it thoroughly, and found it to be a good-hearted, affectionate salute to motion pictures and by extension to art in general. Though the film's humor frequently borders on being downright corny, I couldn't help enjoying even that aspect because of the obvious good will with which it was presented. It feels refreshing to have a film-maker work so hard to amuse the audience! That in itself is a token of respect.

Wenders has made here a film that's slippery, puzzling, and that eludes the mind's grasp at every turn, yet in the end delivers a powerful and even joyful message. It takes a certain amount of courage to send a positive message to an audience these days--or even in 1994, when the film was released. I applaud Mr. Wenders and I applaud this film. I'm very glad I thought to watch it again--I will definitely see it again in future, too.

Phillip Winter, a film sound recorder, is summoned by his friend Friedrich Monroe to Lisbon. Monroe, a director of a film he has been shooting in and around the city is not on hand to meet his friend, who has traveled from Germany only to find a deserted apartment and pieces of the film his friend was working on. Phillip finds himself surrounded by children of the neighborhood, who found in Friedrich's apartment a welcome place where to escape.

Since no one seems to know where the illusive director is, Phillip decides to go to the places shown in the rough copy of the film he found. To make matters worse, Phillip has a broken leg which makes his walks of discovery of the city, as he ventures through the ancient Alfama district as well as parts of Lisbon seldom seen, looking for sounds that will be added to the film his friend made.

Phillip is also fascinated by the neighbors of the apartment house, the musical group Madredeus. Their haunting songs attract Phillip, clearly moved by the melodious songs. As the group embarks on a South American tour, Phillip begins straying further into other parts of the city where he follows a little boy that holds the key to finding his friend. Friedrich has been living in an empty car in the outskirts of Lisbon wondering how to put the film he started to make in viewing shape.

An interesting film from Wim Wenders a man that knows a thing, or two, about making movies. The director is our guide on a tour of a mysterious old city that is in danger of losing its historic core. The newer parts of town pale in comparison with the Alfama area where the real people of Lisbon live. Friedrich had captured them in vivid images without a sound. Phillip is instrumental in adding a layer to what his friend had seen prior to his arrival.

A wonderful Rudigler Vogler makes an impression as Phillip. The actor is the main reason for watching the film. Patrick Bauchau plays Friedrich, who only shows up toward the end. The great Manoel De Oliveira, himself a distinguished Portuguese director is seen in a monologue within the film Phillip finds.