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March 29, 2024, 03:01:16 PM

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Werner Herzog

Started by Twit 2, July 16, 2022, 06:26:13 PM

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Twit 2

Discuss the films of Werner Herzog in here!

Why not watch The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser? It's probably his best film!

the science eel

I thought that was Stroszek!

Twit 2

Quote from: the science eel on July 16, 2022, 06:32:28 PMI thought that was Stroszek!

That's great too!

We're discussing the films of Werner Herzog, lads.



Dex Sawash


There's one thats like a documentary thing and he does the voiceover but best in those Mandalorian episodes.

Greg Torso

I'm an Aguirre head.

Remember when he ate his shoe in Julian Donkey Boy lol.

Inspector Norse

Quote from: Twit 2 on July 16, 2022, 06:26:13 PMDiscuss the films of Werner Herzog in here!

Why not watch The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser? It's probably his best film!

Certainly my favourite of those I've seen, though I like his documentaries. The bit from the Antarctic one with the penguins that just snap and go wandering off in the wrong direction, towards certain death.

sevendaughters

could anyone give a decent overview of the work he's done since Bad Lieutenant?

bgmnts

Never seen a Herzog film and I bet they're all shit.

Dannyhood91

I watched Aguirre, the Wrath of God during the first lockdown and the opening scene with that ethereal music as well as the ending with Klaus Kinski floating away on his raft with the monkeys talking about how he's going to become ruler of a new land really stuck with me

Twit 2

Quote from: bgmnts on July 17, 2022, 11:27:59 PMNever seen a Herzog film and I bet they're all shit.

Yep. Widely regarded one of all the time greats, every film shit.

dead-ced-dead

Has anyone seen Wild Blue Yonder?

It's about an Alien (played by Brad Dourif, naturally) who narrates the story of his dying planet over a series of NASA and Antarctic ocean stock footage, which doubles as his home planet.

They pitch Brad's voice up slightly which gives an already alien individual a slightly more alien edge.

It's exactly as bananas as that premise sounds. Not one of his best but worth a watch.

bgmnts

Quote from: Twit 2 on July 19, 2022, 04:11:26 PMYep. Widely regarded one of all the time greats, every film shit.

Would be amazing if they all were to be fair and it's just yanks going nuts over a German bloke.


I think I just never bothered as I had the prejudice that his films were way too serious and difficult to consume and I need to be in a headspace for that which doesn't exist anymore.

He did eat his shoe though which is mega.

Ferris

I have watched (and enjoyed)

Grizzly Man (it's about an eccentric chap who lives with bears before the inevitable happens

Into the Abyss (it's about death row in general, with a focus on a specific crime)

Into the Inferno (it's about volcanoes and vulcanologists)

The White Diamond (it's about "Graham Dorrington, who built a little helium-filled zeppelin to fly over the Guyanan rainforest")

Probably about the order I liked them, too.

Ferris

Quote from: bgmnts on July 19, 2022, 04:41:59 PMWould be amazing if they all were to be fair and it's just yanks going nuts over a German bloke.

I think I just never bothered as I had the prejudice that his films were way too serious and difficult to consume and I need to be in a headspace for that which doesn't exist anymore.

He did eat his shoe though which is mega.

He has a passion for eccentrics and his films are interesting and well-made. They're also funny at times, they definitely don't take themselves too seriously (I think they are pretty easy going).

Grizzly Man is on youtube if you scroll down a bit (I won't directly link it here to avoid getting Barry in trouble), watch the first 5 minutes and see what you think.

dead-ced-dead

Quote from: bgmnts on July 19, 2022, 04:41:59 PMWould be amazing if they all were to be fair and it's just yanks going nuts over a German bloke.


I think I just never bothered as I had the prejudice that his films were way too serious and difficult to consume and I need to be in a headspace for that which doesn't exist anymore.

He did eat his shoe though which is mega.

Herzog has a good sense of humour. He often mocks his own image and his films, while often about serious subject matters, often find a lot of quirks and hidden anomalies about people. Like in this clip for example:


fucking ponderous

I definitely don't think Herzog's films are too serious- Bad Lieutenant in particular is hilarious

Rolf Lundgren

Quote from: bgmnts on July 19, 2022, 04:41:59 PMI think I just never bothered as I had the prejudice that his films were way too serious and difficult to consume and I need to be in a headspace for that which doesn't exist anymore.

Herzog's got a great sense of humour, it permeates nearly all his films. I'd hate for you to think he's bleak and moody all the time.

I'd say to any person wanting to get into his films to start with Aguirre, Stroszek and Grizzly Man which are three examples of the different types of Herzog's work and all sub 2 hour run times then crack on from there.

sevendaughters

they're not even difficult either. straightforward narratives for the most part, told with conviction and little ambiguity. internal motivation is Herzog's thing. here's this thing they're doing and where and how hard it is and how stupid, but why - you figure it out.

Ignatius_S

Quote from: dead-ced-dead on July 19, 2022, 04:35:14 PMHas anyone seen Wild Blue Yonder?

It's about an Alien (played by Brad Dourif, naturally) who narrates the story of his dying planet over a series of NASA and Antarctic ocean stock footage, which doubles as his home planet.

They pitch Brad's voice up slightly which gives an already alien individual a slightly more alien edge.

It's exactly as bananas as that premise sounds. Not one of his best but worth a watch.

Yes, saw it when it came out - really liked it and loved the construction of it. Have been meaning to watch it again.

bgmnts

Quote from: sevendaughters on July 19, 2022, 10:56:31 PMthey're not even difficult either. straightforward narratives for the most part, told with conviction and little ambiguity. internal motivation is Herzog's thing. here's this thing they're doing and where and how hard it is and how stupid, but why - you figure it out.

Well I'd hope they'd be somewhat complex as otherwise I wouldn't bother.

famethrowa

I liked where he got shot by a stray bullet, and he's just like "well, these things happen... anyway, as I was saying..."

Twit 2

#23
Quote from: famethrowa on July 20, 2022, 05:11:28 AMI liked where he got shot by a stray bullet, and he's just like "well, these things happen... anyway, as I was saying..."


Twit 2

#24
Quote from: bgmnts on July 19, 2022, 11:29:26 PMWell I'd hope they'd be somewhat complex as otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Just watch Herzog films immediately, Goldilocks.

Twit 2

Quote from: Rolf Lundgren on July 19, 2022, 07:20:42 PMHerzog's got a great sense of humour

It's definitely a big part of his movies and, of course, a huge part of what makes him a great interview subject. I love the punchline at the end of this one:


phantom_power

I watched Aguirre years ago but didn't get on with it, I think in part because I was expecting something else and wasn't in tune with what Herzog's style was and what he was doing. I recently watched Stroszek and thought it was great. I had a similar experience with Kaspar Hauser. I didn't really get on with Nosferatu and Heart of Glass, though again with the latter I am not sure I "got" what he was trying to do.

Inspector Norse

Yeah, I remember being taken aback when I watched Aguirre by the ridiculousness of it, Kinski chewing the scenery all the way through and probably getting high as a kite off some of those tropical plants. I expected some serious slow arty thing and got a bloke gurning. Great colour - you can really feel the humid jungle - and soundtrack.

Nosferatu by contrast was pretty bloodless (get it? Bloodless, because it's a vampire film, but it wasn't a great one. If it was a great one it might have been, wait for it, bloody good).

Dog Botherer

have seen Aguirre, Bad Lieutenant, and Fitzcarraldo, which few others seem to have seen which is fine because it's not great.

Mr Farenheit

I thought Little Dieter Needs to Fly was incredible. A documentary about a German born US pilot who crashes in Laos during the Vietnam War, ending up a prisoner of the North Vietnamese army. Its a pretty harrowing tale not least for the subject who goes back to Laos to describe and recreate his ordeal.

Mmmm writing that out it sounds quite exploitative on Herzog's part ... which I didnt think about when first watching.

From a 'war-nerdy' perspective, a part that stands out is a brutal story about a wedding ring... you hear that and think 'OK, I can understand how North Vietnam won the war'