Under Damascus Skies is a gem of early world cinema. It is very difficult to obtain a copy, and even then quality is a major issue. This is part of the broader problem of a lack of quality archival programs in the Middle East. However, even in a poor quality VHS, Under Damascus Skies combines zany spectacle, quaint humor, and abstract visual art in an innovatively abstract way. There is a clear surrealist influence; however, it should be noted that this is probably less of a borrowed technique and more of an influence by Arab Islamic traditional aesthetics, which stresses abstraction over representation. There is a dramatic plot line, but at every step, the visual experience of the film takes precedence. Long pans of the sky, repeated shots of certain recurring forms, and abstract means of representation (such as shots of people's feet rather than the people themselves) make this film abstract in its aesthetic approach. It is tempered, however, by a light-hearted sleight of hand in dealing with its characters. A genuine artistic film, highly recommended.