Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 08:46:28 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Werner Herzog is a Superhero!, or, The Films of Werner Herzog

Started by Sam, September 02, 2007, 03:11:40 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Sam

Along with Terrence Malick and Andrei Tarkovsky, my favourite film maker is Werner Herzog. The first film I saw of his was Aguirre which I found mesmerising. I then went on to see Fitzcarraldo, Woyzeck, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, Grizzly Man and Stroszeck.

I've just purchased the 2 Werner Herzog box sets on play.com, 11 films for 25 quid. If that isn't a bargain I don't know what is. I can't wait to see Heart of Glass and Even Dwarves Started Small, both of which are highly lauded.

Anyway, despite being one of the most amazing directors of the last 50 years, he is generally an amazing guy and all round weirdo (in a good way). Let's consider the things he's done:

He put up with the mania of Klaus Kinski for decades, and even wrested some brilliant acting from him. He pulled an entire steamboat over a mountain with nothing but pulleys--just for art. And to top it all off, he once rescued Joaquin Pheonix from the wreckage of a car crash.

Also, he hypnotised an entire cast and made them act the film under hypnosis, he leaped into a cactus patch on purpose, he got shot at with an air rifle while being interviewd by Mark Kermode, and barely cared, despite having a big wound in his stomach which was bleeding. "It is not a significant bullet"

Full clip of him being shot (interesting interview, too)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ugQrfDrcq4

He has compared making a film with climbing into the depths of hell and wrestling with the devil. He once said that if you wanted to make films you should skip film school. Instead, you should "make a journey of 5,000 kilometers alone, on foot. While walking you would learn more about what cinema truly means than you would in five years of sitting in classrooms." Indeed, he laims to have walked by foot from Munich, Germany to Paris, France (a distance of about 500 miles) in 1974 to prevent the very sick film historian and good friend Lotte Eisner from dying (as, applying his logic, she wouldn't dare to die until he visited her on her deathbed). Eisner indeed went on to live for 8 more years after Herzog's journey.

There's more. He once literally ate his shoe. He had bet another filmm maker that they wouldn't make the film they were always going on about, and when the guy did, Herzog cooked and ate his shoe (there's a film of it called Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe).

Here it is:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1785111570

More info and some great quotes:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001348/bio

What a guy!

Anyway, what are you're favourite Herzog films? I really love Fitzcarraldo, because it's brilliant, barmy and beautiful. Some great moments of humour in there too, like the rich fat man throwing wads of money into a pond and chortling "Oh wouldn't it be a lark to be poor".

But you just can't beat that big fuck off boat being pulled over the mountain. To think he had actually did this is incredible, especially in today's ball-less, sanitised, quick fix CG era. Hollywood directors could learn a thing or two from Herzog.

Here's an almost funny clip of him talking about the harshness and indifference of nature (a theme in Malick's The Thin Red Line. I think Malick is quite influenced by Herzog, although he's never said so, but there are some big parallels in their films, especially visually and in an anti-narrative sense).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xQyQnXrLb0

I also love Grizzly Man which is one of the most incredible documentaries ever made. Timothy Treadwell's own footage alone is stunning, both in the shots of bears and nature and more interestingly in the dawning realisation that this guy had a screw loose. Herzog's cold, harsh Germanic narration is in stark contrast to the giberings and ravings of Treadwell. When you add the two, it makes for a brilliant documentary.

What's great about Herzog is how he blurs the line between films and documentaries, and this fiction and real life. He makes no real disctinction between his original films and his documentaries, thinking of them equally as exposing an "ecstatic truth". I also love the subjects he chooses, such as The Land of Silence and Darkness (about Deaf and Blind people), Fata Morgana (about mirages) and How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck (about auctioneers - "an extreme language ... frightening but quite beautiful at the same time...the last poetry possible, the poetry of capitalism").

And to anyone who doesn't doubt he's as a mad as a box of frogs, one of my lecturers at Uni met him and told me he really is :)

Famous Mortimer

Cool little writeup Sam, I'm a fellow massive fan of Herzog. I think Aguirre is my favourite, but I love "My Best Fiend" too, just for the scenes where Kinski is on a lecture tour trying to convince German students he was Jesus.

Emma Raducanu

Great post Sam, some interesting stuff! I loved how he dealt with Treadwell's relationship with the fox in Grizzly Man. Herzog, himself claims he caught a moment of cinematic magic when the fox initiated himself with Tim and I had to rewind and rewatch that bit and I though, oh yeh. He seems to have a terrific eye for subtle, fleeting moments if this is anything to go by. I've not really seen much else of his.


fanny splendid

Stroszeck is a fantastic film about the pointlessness of ones own dreams, when in competition with those of the rest of humanity. Bruno S, who plays Stroszeck, can't help but keep looking at the camera, as if accusing the audience of conspiring against him, and his dream. It's typical of Herzog, that he can spot the those moments, and leave them in the finished movie, rather than cut them out. I find that Kinski often half-looks at the camera, too. As if he is reminding the viewer that the film maker knows of their presence, that they are part of the subject of the movie: that they share a history.

Grizzly Man is fascinating because you know how the movie is going to end. Treadwell really was off his head, and in a way which needs to be seen. The Grizzlies are almost incidental to the story.

I have just acquired Gesualdo- Death for Five Voices and The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz, so I shall be watching those tonight, and I  recommend you watch Even Dwarves Started Small, Ja!?.

butnut

Quote from: fanny splendid on September 02, 2007, 03:06:34 PM
I have just acquired Gesualdo- Death for Five Voices and The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz, so I shall be watching those tonight, and I  recommend you watch Even Dwarves Started Small, Ja!?.

Ooh, I have that Gesualdo film. I'd totally forgotten it was by Herzog. I'll be interested to see what you make of it.

I saw 'Aguirre, Wrath of God' in the cinema, and although it had a few interesting moments, I found it pretty dull I'm afraid!

Sam

Quote from: butnut on September 02, 2007, 10:50:58 PM
I saw 'Aguirre, Wrath of God' in the cinema, and although it had a few interesting moments, I found it pretty dull I'm afraid!

You need to see Fitzcarraldo. It's much more straighforward and generally more entertaining. I can see why people might not like Aguirre, but anyone who doesn't enjoy Fitzcarraldo is mad. It's a brilliant film.

Sam

Great article in today's Observer about Herzog's latest film, an "action thriller" starring Christian Bale. It's in two parts and very long, but well worth reading:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,2203239,00.html

http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,2203280,00.html

As well as all the usual Herzog anecdotes, there's some interesting stuff about his directorial style, which is often completely odds with conventions and has the crew scratching their heads.

And the article reminded me of something I forgot to mention in my orignal post: that he shot footage on a volcano that was about to erupt and everyone had desereted in fear!

Also, watch this short but brilliant clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pY-0JfEdLY

thugler

I saw his new film 'Rescue Dawn' at the london film festival the other day. Bale is pretty good in it, but it felt odd seeing a herzog directed POW action film. Apart from a few of his trademarks it would be fairly tough to pick it out as his. Enjoyed it mind. Definately the most 'normal' film I've ever seen directed by him.

Famous Mortimer

I read that article too, I kinda think with the sheer volume of bizarre coincidences and wild stories surrounding him that some of them have to be made up...but it still makes him more interesting than 95% of all directors. I bought "Grizzly Man" recently and am going to watch it in the next few days, then I'll keep my fingers crossed that the local multiplex has "Rescue Dawn".

Moribunderast

Nice thread.

Grizzly Man is a serious contender for my favourite film of all time (or at least, that I've seen). It's equal parts fascinating, beautiful, darkly humorous (Treadwell's insane rant for rain "We need some rain, Jesus boy! Or, or, Buddha! Or... Hindu Floaty Thing!") and as has been said, Treadwell's nature footage is incredible.

I bought Aguirre recently. Haven't had a chance to watch it yet but it came with the highest possible recommendations from a trustworthy friend. He also recommended Little Dieter Wants To Fly (not sure if that's the correct title?) which I would like to see.

I saw a mockumentary starring Herzog recently (Incident At Loch Ness) which started off great (I actually thought it was a doco for the first half) but got a little too silly by the end.

I haven't listened to any of his commentaries yet but I hear they're fantastic. Anyone with reports on them?

Sam

Quote from: Moribunderast on November 07, 2007, 12:44:05 PM
I haven't listened to any of his commentaries yet but I hear they're fantastic. Anyone with reports on them?

Quote from: SamI've just watched Werner Herzog's "Even Dwarves Started Small" with a commentary by Herzog, Norman Hill and Crispin Glover. It's easily the best commentary I have ever heard. Completely fascinating, absurd, and darkly humorous, it's one of the few directors commentaries you can hear where the director casually says stuff like "Yes, the music over these opening credits is of a 11 year old girl I found. I recorded it in a cave and I instructed to sing until her soul came tumbling out". "This film is a profound nightmare, I conceived of it when I was interested in nightmares. It explores a deeper ecstatic truth". "These people were really tiny. It was unbelievable" "I'd have nightmares where I woke up convinced I was a dwarf and would have to check my proporions against the bed".

Also any commentary which meditates on the profound stupidy of chickens (Werner: "Never look deep into the eyes of a chicken. It's really weird".) and has interjections such as "So, what did they make of this film in Algeria?" is the tops in my book.

Fucking great stuff.

That's the only commentary of his I've heard so far, but if it's anything to go by all the others must be good.

Get on to youtube cos there's lots of clips of Herzog talking about his films and being generally interesting and loopy.

Oh, and watch "Fitzcarraldo". At all costs. Seriously, the next film you watch, make sure it's Fitzarraldo. After that watch everything else he's done, cos apart from a couple of duds (still great, just not as brilliant as his very best) all his films are remarkable.

You can buy the two Herzog boxets very cheaply so there's not excuse not to own them.

Good luck with Agguire, cos it's an amazing film, but I will say that if you don't like it watch Fitzcarraldo (which is much more accessible and entertaining) and some of his other films and then come back to Aguirre.

But from the sounds of your Grizzly Man review you're gonna love the rest of his output.

Just thinking about the man and his wonderful films puts a big smile on my face.

Sam

A rather lazy article about Herzog in the latest Empire. Just the usual Herzog myths and anecdotes cribbed from his imdb page with no real analysis or critical commentary. Still, if it gets the plebs interested in his films that's good. However, I could have written a better Herzog article in my sleep, so this article is really symptomatic of the kind of lazy journalism that pervades this mediocre rag.


Lord of divs

Great Henry Rollins interview with the great man himself.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=B4i5WkkXdmc&eurl=http://worlddominance.net/more/interview/

Just caught 'Little Dieter Needs to Fly' last night, fantastic film, nearly actually moved me to tears, and thats quite an achievement as I am an emotional void....  Looking forward to his Hollywood narrative remake of this in 'Rescue Dawn' here's the trailer for that
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=03e56cVXajY

long live Werner!


Sam

Just watched The White Diamond, his 2004 documentary about an English aviator who dreams of flying over the canopy in a light, noiseless, almost weightless airship. It shares themes with Little Dieter Needs to Fly, in that it is about a man who dreams of nothing more than to fly, to transcend eartly cares and float in an ethereal world, afforded only to the birds. It contains some of the most beautiful images I have seen in his films (except maybe Heart of Glass). The shots of swifts cascading around the massive waterfall in perfect harmony and grace are very beguiling. Wonderful ethnic music accompanies these scenes.

It's a very uplifiting film (no pun intended). In his early Amazonian films the jungle is a place of chaos, misery and overwhelming collective murder. In this film the jungle is spiritual and majestic, full of beauty and promise. However, an air of sadness and guilt pervades the film (the aviator lost his friend and cinematographer in an earlier attempt to do this in Sumatra. The burden of guilt weighs heavy on him and his euphoria when he flies is always tinged with a deep sadness and regret). Also, I must mention Mark Anthony a native miner who helps on the film, and although has no formal education, is full of wisdom and admiration for nature. He is a wonderful and compelling character and, again, his happiness is mixed with sadness over missing his family, who are not in contac with him, being somewhere in Europe.

I throughly recommend watching this film as it is completely beautiful and awe-inspiring. You can find it in "the usual places" :)

Paaaaul

Herzog was on Simon Mayo's Radio 5 show today, I didn't listen but it's downloadable as a podcast.

thugler

Watched Fitzcarraldo last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the story of how they made it is almost as captivating as the film itself.

Sam


Sam

Quote from: thugler on November 17, 2007, 12:41:42 AM
Watched Fitzcarraldo last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the story of how they made it is almost as captivating as the film itself.

Yes! Have you seen Les Blank's documentary about the making of the film, called Burden of Dreams. It comes as a bonus disc with the 2 disc collectors' edition of Fitzcarraldo.

jaydee81

Just saw an advert for his new film on the tube... with Christian Bale in it.... interesting... anyone know anything about it plotwise?

Ignatius_S

Recently saw The Wild Blue Yonder - really liked it and very good use of other people's footage. It's showing this month at the Irish Film Institute (as per Glebe's link).


Sam

Some more of the blurring of documentary and feature film:

He stylises his documentaries sometimes to extreme lengths to go beyond facts - in fact distorting them or creating them - to a deeper, ecstatic truth. He claims "Fitzcarraldo is my greatest documentary" and many of his documentaries either can be seen as fully realised films, or - in the case of Rescue Dawn - have a second life as a feature that already lies dormant in the documentary. He will go to extradorinary lengths to capture rare shots of nature, even if the geographical location is incongruous to the story (the shots of Alaska, Yellowstone and Ireland in Herz Aus Glas). In the that film he waits in the mountains of Bavaria for 11 days to capture a beguiling shot of mist floating rapidly in a river-like manner across the sky. The accompanying music (one is reminded of the absolutely haunting beginning of Aguirre with its stunning landscapes and hypnotic music by Popul Vuh) in this film and many others is - like the landscape - almost a character in itself. Despite not seeing films until a very late age, wanting to become a film maker after reading an entry in an encyclopedia before really seeing any films, and regretting that he never learned an instrument, he has nevertheless gone on to make some of the most bold and evocative films in the canon, with a striking visual style and a remarkable eye for strange details, rare moments, humanity at its rawest, stunning landscapes and a sense of being, a vast outcry at the sometimes savage sometimes spiritual majesty of nature.

Sam

Bump!

I got "Herzog on Herzog" for Christmas and I've just finished reading it. It's in the Faber directors series (I've also read the ones on Woody Allen and Tim Burton which are good. I aim to get more, cos it seems like a great series).

It's a massively entertaining book which will give seasoned Herzog fans plenty to chuckle about and mull over and relative newcomers a sense of his style and approach to cinema and life.

The only thing I can compare it to is the Tom Waits interview book "Innocent When you Dream", in that it's compulsively readable, often very funny and leaves you in awe of the guy.

I cannot recommend it highly enough!

jutl

I watched that one about a wanker who gets eaten by a bear the other day. It was pretty good.

Kazuo Kiriyama

I've only seen Grizzly Man and Incident At Loch Ness, but I just ordered those two boxed sets off the back of how fucking interesting he is. Plus, the thought of Crispin Glover commentaries is cum-inducing.

Sam

Crispin doesn't contribute much to the commentaries other than asking a few basic questions of Herzog. Nevertheless the commentaries on the DVDs are fucking fantastic. I could listen to Herzog prattle on about anything and be highly entertained. He's a wonderful man.

I watched his film about Gesualdo recently, and it really is barmy. I thought I'd got used to how wacky the crazy Bavarian dude could be, and then yet again he surprises me. The ending of the film is brilliantly mad, but the whole thing is great. It's a good example of how he stylises (read: makes stuff up) his "documentaries" to reach the ecstatic truth.



Sam

I thought I'd bump this to mention this clip on youtube from one of my favourite films of his, Stroszek. It's such a beautiful scene, full of tenderness.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3WmEaaICwM[/youtube]

I also wanted to mention his latest film "Encounters at the End of the World", a documentary about Antarctica and some of the odd people who end up there. The trailer looks amazing and it seems a perfect subject for Herzog, because he can combine incredibile footage of an ecstatic, almost alien landscape with tales of bizzare people. The footage I've seen of it looks great so I hope it mangages to get some kind of UK release or at least pop up on the torrent sites. Is anyone else here interested in seeing it or know much about it?

Feel free to post anything about Herzog and his films, we can't have run out of things to say already!