How Wings Are Attached to the Backs of Angels 

This is how I interpreted it: he was so obsessed with having complete control over everything that was truly free (such as the insect, or more importantly the bird, which is the ultimate symbol of freedom, because they can fly) that he lost his own freedom. He was lonely and what he wanted most was the love of the woman and no matter how hard he tried to get a hold of her and keep her to himself like the bird, she was intangible and just out of his reach. So he never got to experience her, he lost his head, which held his mind, which was what he used to justify himself rather than look to his heart to see what was more important (having control or experiencing freedom) and it was losing his head that freed him from his prison which was being trapped in a constant state of dissatisfaction and not being able to ever reach what could have remedied it.

Only when I got 9 minutes through this film did I begin to consider 'What the fuck am I watching?'

At the end of life, all human struggles, anxieties, efforts to make sense of his world, mean nothing more than a bit of sand.

I see the woman actually being his dead wife, who he views as an angel. In order to bring her back he tries to structure an angel himself and goes insane from her death. That would explain her ghostliness, the worm part, and then his death, at least to me.

The Piano music is Chopin's Nocturne No. 1 in B flat Minor, Op 9, No1.

Theoretically, in order for humans to have wings on their back we would have to have hollow or at least much lighter bones. Not to mention that our wings would have to be very large and extremely muscular in order to do so. It would also take up lots of energy to do so. Flying in place for just a little bit would tire you out as much as running as fast as you can for several minutes (this may seem easy for some, but for most it can very tireing). Also, our bodies are extremely un-aerodynamic, meaning that we would have a difficult time just flying forward. There are several other factors of why having wings isn't what you think it is, but these are just a few.

The sound design on this is AMAZING

That was pretty interesting. It kind of reminded me of how MTV used to be really late at night. Very artistic. Nice style of wordless expression and surreal animation. Hope to see more soon.

Bravo! This is art.... i was starving for something provoking,and this came along.I feel well fed now.... hats off to this film- maker!!! 5 stars and two thumbs up.

This is the second time I've watched this and since studying year 12 advanced English I see so much more meaning within it. The first time I watched it I thought it was sweet but now I am utterly revolted. It's disgusting how far he is willing to go with his experiments... But it was very well made :)

This was very unique and I hope to see more like it. I think the girl represented a lost love. Kind of like in the Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. Where he forbid the mention of the name in his house because it brought him so much pain, but there were just certain things that reminded him of that.

The music and the sounds were amazing. A very good imagination. Enjoyed this.

this is great! i love the mysteriousness and distantness of it and yet how close it is to real life.

Well that was vaguely disturbing

that was beautiful, yet disturbing. i genuinely don't know whether to run the hell upstairs and dive under the covers, or burst out into applause (though my family will probably look at me like i'm crazy). i think it's a shame that some people can't see the real beauty behind this animation, because it's a real work of art. the story is random yet morbidly fascinating. the classical music with the occasional sound effects- not to mention the lack of color- just wrap it up great. hats off to you!

I just saw this on SHORT channel on Directv and was completely mesmerized. I hoped so much it was on RU-vid. Thank you! Beautiful animation and even more beautiful story.

I think he's thinking about the woman he loved who died, and his own mortality.

7:25 is my favorite part. for some reason i think the transition is absolutely beautiful!

This short, ever since I first saw it at the NFBC kiosk in Toronto, has stuck with me. Perfect Edward Gorey meets David Lynch vibes. 🖤

the shudder never came.... it just stayed...... gently resting against my back..... thankyou.. most wonderful....

Would love to hear what the creators of this film have to say about it. After reading the comments here I guess that a lot of people found it beautiful (like myself) and a lot of people on the other hand have found it 'creepy'. I think it's a mixture of both, although I didn't quite get the message that the artists were trying to give. So I'd love to know.

I love the way this film makes me feel...It just inspires me to do EVERYTHING creative.

I saw this like 5 years ago on a random public access channel and have had it in the back of my mind since then. Now I finally found it. Thanks, Don Hertzfeldt.

Damn curiosity, you scary!

Really amazing concept, the art was great the shading on everything was so dark and smooth- this deserves nothing less then a 5/5.

Never watch while high

absolutely brilliant work and such a sad story "I built my love a cage of gold To joy her into song, And wistfully, with woe untold, I waited long and long; But from that home so exquisite No tiny tune would come, And though my heart with hope was lit, My bird was dumb. "

A brokenhearted man, who spended all his time and did the best he could to try to serve his girl like an angel. At the end, he found out that the girl would have never been as he expected. She dumped him, and broke his heart just like men fell, out of love. So "how wings are attached to the back of angels" is a tricky title inviting all men who think the same as that man. Thats life. A very good short movie.

beautiful

Whatever it meant, it was awesome!

I watched this amazing film for the first time fifteen years ago, and I am just thrilled to see it again. Absolutely gorgeous.

That was actually fun to watch, and the sound design was great, too.

Moral of the story, don't let strange weird bird ladies get in your house

I always just use a staplegun and hot glue.

This is one of those videos where you don't find it amusing or exciting but you just have to watch it and it was fantastic! This actually made my day just from seeing that short story, and the way that it was told through pictures... Bravo!!!

I usually don't watch anything on the front page, but I felt compelled to watch this. I'm glad I did. Excellent work! Just... wonderful!

Did anyone else think ME!ME!ME! When watching this?

Huh. I remember watching this video when I was younger, about 8 or so. I watched it over and over and over. I never "got" it when I was young but I loved it and watched it anyways. Bit weird now that I think of it but still nostalgic to find this vid again after all these years.

It has ben long long time since I watched something this good... Mr Welsh-- congrats.. I am very pleased to watch this piece.... Many thanks Armenia

Brilliant, truly brilliant. Thank you Stephen.

The first time I watched it which was right now.. I think the meaning of it is this man will literally kill people just to take bones from them and create his own angles, thinking that that's what it takes but really for you to be an angle doesn't mean you need wings. Which is why I this art you see the man open the girls back, his way of thinking that she's an angle but really there's no proof to be found by the bones for wings. Then when she walks out of the gate he discovers that she is an angle, how could he be so blind? After that he is then killed, putting all those deaths caused by him for his own art to peace. He died the same way he killed his own, which is in the beginning when he chopped off his head, same with the man. All those skull heads that he is out with is all of his own that he cut off, at least now there will be no more killings for art. This is all my opinion, I'm not sure if this is the real meaning but it's what I think and put together

cool animated rube goldberg machine

Bizarre and un-nerving. Just when I think I understand...I suddenly don't! Artistic and very thought provoking. A little gem of a film.

Strange and yet so beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

What the hell did I just watch?

Even better moral of the story: don't do drugs

COULD NOT STOP WATCHING! Great piece.

Wow! what a trip... Thank You...

hey is your logo meant to be the all seeing eye or the eye of sauron

... and all this time I thought they just used staples.

This video... so eerie yet brilliant!

This is by far the best video I've ever seen !!!

Creepy in a sense, but I liked it.

That's not how it works but it was really cool

Thank you. This video inspired that poem. "...these visions dont persist..."

To me, the protagonist symbolizes science. A man who is so focused on answering one question that he shuts everything out, stays in the house, & builds a contraption to kill anything or anyone that comes near the gate. His unwillingness to touch or be touched is also shown by all the mini contraptions he makes with tiny hands, so that they are the ones moving things, and not him. But this sterile life is not life for him, & he begins to imagine what he could have had.

Very interesting. I can't quite discern the meaning, however...

did anyone else think of Monty Python?

Wow, so thought provoking. I may never forget this.

Hauntingly beautiful!

Wow im not even sure what that was but it was Wow

isnt the end like a pot or houreglass? if it is full she will get her wings. thats what i thought

I don't know whether to be disturbed, amused or intrigued...amazing!

Thank you, Stephen Fry, for bringing me here. God, I'm lost for words.

I can't tell if I like this or not...

i dont get it

it's just great!! Thaks for doing a short-film that really means something. Congratulations!!

this has inspired me to go back to animation there are soo many things one can do with animation everyrhing you can imagine ,you have showed us this with your beautifully creepy and smart animation.

This=mind fuck

What even is the point to this? Someone pls tell me .

Poetic, mysterious and wonderful.

This is beyond what I could achieve...Very good film!!

Why am I here?

lesson don't turn women into birds, or shit hits the fan

So dark and beautiful! I loved it!

Since 08 I keep coming back to this one on occasion. I like it each time when I'm in that mood.

wtf did i just watch XD

This film says......... ........... nothing.

Wow.That was thought provoking.The artwork alone is amazeing.

This is great, I loved the way the rotoscoping blended in with the artwork of the piece. I was particularly impressed by the scene where the "angel" was playing the piano. On that note the sound was brilliant, the way you could hear the gears on the machines he was using was great.

i was really creeped out at first, but it eventually got really deep and beautiful. love short films like this. kinda reminds me of edward gorey. good job!

thank you!! i was looking for this short animation since 2010 ,7 years i was looking for that, trying to remember the name of this short film, god bless you

beautiful, haunting work!

A truely great piece!

Disturbing? Yes, but probably one of the most beautiful works of art I have seen in a long time. Bravo.

This is very amzing, Thank you.

That was exactly what i needed to watch before going to sleep, well done...

I think I got to the wierd places of youtube again.. and its beautifull! amazing shortfilm!!

Wow - a true piece of art!

Wow! I like this kind of art

so a damm beautiful explanation of despaired love... and interlaced processes.... just wonderful.

brilliant work!!!!! haunting..

I love how dark and mysterious this is. You can translate this story in many different ways that takes true creativity. This is a kind of dark beauty that is hard to find.

i love how the girl is so different from everything else.how shes glows while everything else is partly in shadow. i think that rly ses something about her. and the piano music is beautiful too.all in all beautifuly done.

awesome video . great music and sounds. and atmosphere was very full of it.

Beautifully done. Reminded me a bit of Edward Gorey in the beginning, during the scene with the gate and the bird, for some reason. I loved it!

amazing. everything is put together beautifully...

One of the most beautiful short films ever made, Canada really is the king of the genre

thank you for the film. excellent animation and sound design. creepy and daunting.

simply wonderful, it provokes the mind to think, and vivid details of the characters give you the satisfying suspense and the dark spooky nature of it all, makes your heart pound at the question, "what comes next?"