Werner Herzog

[kiddo]

Your correct that Aguirre isn't a documentary. It feels like it, in some way, but no, it isn't. Some of his documentaries are Land of Silence and Darkness, Fata Morgana and Little Dieter Needs to Fly. But this is just to mention a few, and I haven't seen any, besides My Best Fiend, which you probably should see after you watch some more of his films...

Aguirre is a very surreal, dreamlike experience, but it also feels very realistic in a peculiar way. It's a great mixture, really. One thing I feel that I can say for sure, though (there's not many things I can say for sure when it comes to Herzog), is that you most probably haven't seen anything like this before, and that the mysterious and magic aspects of the film, that kind of lurks within the images, are going to amaze you. In one way or another.

[criterionmaster]

Now I look forward to it even more, thanks for that description. It is now on my queue, below a few films, but it will come. I still want to see his film that is about the guy who tries to pull a boat over a mountain or something like that. I heard about it so long ago, but that image has been in my head for so long. If you haven't already, you should see Grizzly Man, kiddo. I am sure you would like it. Very powerful experience. I could have sworn some of Herzog’s films were on Google Video, I will check sometime and post if I find any.

[kiddo]

Yeah, I've seen Grizzly Man. A great, great documentary. Treadwell and Herzog are almost equally fascinating to listen to, which makes the film so interesting to watch. Definitively one of the best documentaries I've seen (although it's few).

Your talking about Fitzcarraldo, btw. I liked it very much, but didn't find it as amazing as, lets say, Aguirre, Der Zorn Gottes. I would also recommend you to check out Woyzeck (but I don't know if it's a good idea to start with it). It's a film which is utterly fascinating. I don't think it's a 'great' film in the traditional sense; it's power lies somewhere else. It's quite unexplainable. But I love how the film spend time on each frame, letting you notice all the details in the picture you are shown. And there's so much to think about, if one's interested in interior of the human body, you get time to kinda think time as the film moves on. Well, it's difficult to explain, and I don't know if you understand anything of what I just said. Just see it.

Here's a pictures from the film:


What do you think about Kinski, btw? What have you seen by him/with him in?

[criterionmaster]

I actually just bought Grizzly Man so I could re-watch it, such a great film. Thanks. I will also check that film out sometime. It looks/sounds great. Sadly the only film with Kinski in it I have seen is For a Few Dollars More (so long ago too), but I have heard he is fantastic. What are your thoughts on him?

[kiddo]

Kinski manage to express so much more than what you usually get from those random actors around the globe. He will practically blow you away. The way he walks, the way he looks around, the way he deliver lines; so intense, so profound.

I have Grizzly Man on dvd myself and I think I'll be rewatching it soon.

But man, you have much to look forward to when it comes to Kinski. In Aguirre for example... Oh my. And you know you just have to check out Stroszek and The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser.. You just know it. I think Bruno S., which is the main character in both of them, is one of my favorite actors, when I think about it. Man, I'll tell you; check out the works by/from Herzog, Kinski and Bruno S. If you don't like it, well that's fine. But you will nevertheless have experiences something different and unique - something that for me touches something that most films doesn't manage to reach out too. And, of course, Stroszek and The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser stands out as pure cinematic gold.

[criterionmaster]

Guess what I watched?! I watched the film [Aguirre] two nights ago and I am still in awe of it. Man, it is hard for me to even express my thoughts. Has this film been compared to Apocalypse Now at all? Would you compare it to that? It felt similar in some ways, with the traveling the river, while traveling further into the insanity type thing. Maybe I am off on that one though.

The film was fantastic already, but it wasn't until the end where I really saw the masterpiece it is.

SPOILER: Click to show

When they are all hallucinating and can't tell what is there or not, and they see the boat off in the tree, my jaw seriously just dropped at that moment. The image was so powerful. And then Aguirre just going around on the boat and all those little monkeys are around, and the camera like lifts off, so fucking perfect.

You were right about Kinski, he was fantastic in the role. I seem to remember when they got rid of the horse and he just looked off at the horse standing there. That was such a great scene. It seems like so much happened in such a small time too. That movie was short as hell; I almost wished it would have been longer. Man.

[kiddo]

I remember myself being "in awe" for some days after watching it. Think I saw it two days/nights in a row, or something. It made a huge impression.

There has in fact been made comparisons between the two, and while I didn't thought of it before I read about it, I must say there's something to it. But I don't think it's fair to compare this two films to a very high degree; they are both very complex and kind of dreamlike, but there are so many differences, and herzog and Coppola has two very different approaches to their subject matter, so to speak.

I agree with that shot where you see the boat in the three. Amazing! And yeah, the surrealism of it all makes so much sense.. and in the same time not. Brilliant.

And yeah, the facial expression on Kinskis face when they leave the horse there in the forest, is so powerful and tell you so much /although it's hard to really grab what).

SPOILER: Click to show

I also love the scene where they hang that guy (which I don't remember the name of). It's just so powerful and heartbreaking, and Herzog should of course get all the praise; the editing, the light, the fusion of sound and image, the hypnotizing pace... Just "wow".

Glad you loved it.

[criterionmaster]

Yeah, I didn't really go beyond the traveling the river, the dreamlike feel, and the slowly losing it, because, like you said, they are two very different films. It was nice though, since I always loved Apocalypse Now's dreamlike feel.

Oh you reminded me of the sound on the film; at times they almost used the sounds of the jungle as the soundtrack with very little, to no music. I just loved that, the one scene where they are on the boat, it may have been a wide[r] shot, and you just see the boat in the water, and hear all the noises. And the part with the Indians coming up to the boat, it was all done so well.

I was tempted to listen to the commentary on the disc when I was finished actually, but I didn't have enough time.



That was the DVD and the commentary was by Herzog himself. That "***" star review on there makes me sick. Why would they put that shit on there? "This film is half a ‘*’ above average" just stupid.

[ie]

Maybe they meant three stars out of two.


nonfiction urged me into getting hold of Aguirre, so I should get around to watching it sometime soon.

[criterionmaster]

ie said:

Maybe they meant three stars out of two.


nonfiction urged me into getting hold of Aguirre, so I should get around to watching it sometime soon.

Yeah man, I wish. But to clear things up, I said "half a '*' away from being average" because I am used to 5/5 reviews, but really they were probably going out of 4, so it would be a whole "*" away from being average. But still, putting a mediocre review of a film on the DVD, when the film’s a masterpiece, and probably has thousands of perfect reviews, irritates me.

[eatawiiner]

www.avclub.com/content/interview/werner_herzog

new interview at the av club

[kiddo]

Thanks for the link! Herzog is always interesting to listen/"listen" to...

[ie]

www.collegehumor.com/video:1934330

I saw this video and I thought of this forum.

[criterionmaster]

Haha, that was hilarious! "I hunt until I am mad."

[ie]

"Herzog" does make some good points. Either that, or I'm crazy.