Werner Herzog

Started by adolfwolfli, August 06, 2003, 01:05:56 PM

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MrBurgerKing

I could never put HERZOG in a movie, I wouldn't deserve that man. He's too good for me. Same way I feel about most beautiful women actually.. Yep, I'm single, but I had subway for lunch.

I was watching Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, and Bruce S made my face melt off with his portrayal. I love how the first 10 or so minutes of the movie is just him going through his cave-man routine. Then he slowly transforms into a normal man. How could anyone make this movie? That's how I feel when I take a bite into a cheeseburger from burger king. How is it possible? I've done nothing to earn it, but thanks god for it. Remember when the scientist pricks cut the brain up at the end? The scumbags bragging about how they discovered what made Kaspar tick. Really they should have been cutting up their own brains to see what makes them tick. That whole flick was too ahead of its time.  

by the way, nice picture, Cinephile! Now we both have Kinski avatars. Wasn't that man amazing? You can see how versatile an actor he is just by looking at our avatar's back to back. When ebeaman ends up loving Nosferatu, he should use a kinski vampire avatar.

Ernie

Just sent the thing back yesterday. After letting it sink in and giving it a night, I really don't think I liked it. There was something in the opening shots that was intriguing and very very creepy but that mood never kept up in my eyes. It became very boring to watch after that, so early in the film. The music was awful. I'll probably wait awhile to give another Herzog film a try. This was a big disappointment.

By the way, glad to know you think I'm so predictable BK, I didn't really know about that. I kinda wish I had liked this movie, it probably looks like I'm just trying to spite you now.

molly

I've seen a documentary with Herzog, partially like an interview,: it was most about Klaus Kinski - that guy is sick! Herzogtalked about how  they were shooting in some rainforrest, in South America, and a snake bit some worker - he (the worker) in a second grabbed a chain saw and cut off his own leg, because he knew the snake was so poisonous that his heart would stop in few minutes. All the people were shocked, worried about that worker, and Kinski couldn't stand that and had like a minor nervous breakdown. In his theatrical way.

cine

I wonder which doc that was. It might've been Burden of Dreams or My Best Fiend.. but I don't know really.
Anyway, I'm depressed that ebeaman was very disappointed by Herzog's Nosferatu. Herzog's films are some of the best of European cinema. Maybe you should give Aguirre a try, but since BK made me look forward to you having a Nosferatu av, I've now switched mine. I like this one though, so I guess it's sort of a happy ending.

SoNowThen

So I just watched Nosferatu. I've seen Aguirre, and loved it, so I had huge expectations for this one. I also decided to rent Murnau's original Nosferatu (which I hadn't seen before). So that was okay, like all the silent cinema I've watched, it's more out of obligation than pleasure.

But anyway, I sat down tonight with a nice meal, and the lights off, and put in Herzog's version. At first I was struck by the beauty of the cinematography. Then, as it progressed, it was Kinski's onscreen presence. But as I got to the 3/4 mark of the movie, I started to say to myself that maybe I shouldn't have watched them both in the same day, seeing as how Herzog stuck so close to the Murnau version, and I've already seen Coppola's Dracula, so the story was not surprising me. Slowly I was becoming disappointed.

But then came the shot of Jonathan's wife wandering through the city square, and all the people dancing and dining madly in the open. And from here on, without giving any spoilers, Herzog took it to a new level. And now I'm so very happy that I watched the original this morning. See, I'm used to vampire movies with tons of blood and action, and so while being disappointed with the original, it got me in the right mindset for this version. And as the last couple minutes set in, a wave of emotions hit: first victory, then sadness, then absurdity, then finally, stark and brutal realization of an even greater horror! Those of you who've seen the film will know what I mean. Incredible, incredible ending. Staggering.

More sombre and contemplative and creepy, than frightening. And that's the point. This is a viewing experience that's gonna stick with me for awhile.
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

Ernie

You wanna talk about viewing experiences never to be forgotten?

Alright so get this, despite my disappointment with Nosferatu I just went on a Herzog binge this past weekend for reasons that I can't explain...yea, I went to the library and just went all out - Stroszek, Aguirre, and Kaspar and let me tell you, I just got fucked...three of the best movies I've ever seen...overkill, too much for one weekend. They all completely messed me up in the best way...I'll never forget this I don't think. I wish I could take back my top 30 and put each one of these on there, no joke. This is one of those times when things work out...when you just go on an impulse and it clicks.

Thanks to Mr Burgerking by the way, I don't know for sure but I think you were part of the reason I decided to do this, I may never have seen any of them had I not heard of your passion for Herzog and rented them all at once. Three of the best, Herzog is a genius, plain and simple. I'll be checking Nosferatu out again by the way, the viewing of these three films would make me see any movie I had previously disliked by Herzog, even if it was akin to Pay It Forward, seriously. I know I just rambled more than I ever have but don't think that I'm not telling the truth.

And oh yea - I'll definitely be getting that Kinski avatar sooner or later Mr. Burgerking.

SoNowThen

SWEET!!!

Yeah, Aguirre is beautiful and haunting, hey Ebs?

I can't wait to watch the rest of this box set.

Cinephile and BK, you guys think I'll be okay blind buying Stroszek and Heart Of Glass?
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

godardian

What does everyone (or anyone) think of Herzog's performance in julien donkey-boy?
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

classical gas

i've never seen it, but i'm interested in who he played...was it a big role?  and is the movie worth it aside from the fact that he's in it?

cine

Quote from: SoNowThenCinephile and BK, you guys think I'll be okay blind buying Stroszek and Heart Of Glass?
More than okay, SoNowThen. Stroszek is one of my favourite movies. Heart of Glass is another Herzog visual masterpiece as well. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
This reminds me of that thing Ebert said once about envying the person's first time experiences. I wish I could go back to the first time I was introduced to Herzog's films.

MrBurgerKing

Quote from: SoNowThenBut then came the shot of Jonathan's wife wandering through the city square, and all the people dancing and dining madly in the open. And from here on, without giving any spoilers, Herzog took it to a new level. And now I'm so very happy that I watched the original this morning. See, I'm used to vampire movies with tons of blood and action, and so while being disappointed with the original, it got me in the right mindset for this version. And as the last couple minutes set in, a wave of emotions hit: first victory, then sadness, then absurdity, then finally, stark and brutal realization of an even greater horror! Those of you who've seen the film will know what I mean. Incredible, incredible ending. Staggering.

I agree, SoNowThen! I think those scenes are the best in the film. Everyone in the town faced with their own demise, the rats slowly taking over, Nosferatu spreading his cancer over the lands. It's moving and poetic in my eyes, I haven't really seen a movie before with such a depiction of an apocalypse. It strikes me as very real. One of my favorite scenes ever is the one with the family eating a big meal out on the streets, inviting the pale woman to join them, then it cuts to the same table completely covered in rats, the people all gone.

ebeaman that's awesome! Nosferatu is definately worth another watch now that you know Herzog's style. I never really enjoyed the whopper until I tried other BK foods (actually that's a lie, but it seemed appropriate)Fitzcarraldo is maybe my favorite from Herzog, even though it's the slowest. We need people like Fitzcarraldo in this world, otherwise what's the point?

cine

Anchor Bay will be re-releasing The Herzog/Kinski Collection which features Aguirre the Wrath of God, Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht, Woyzeck, Fitzcarraldo, Cobra Verde and the documentary My Best Fiend.


:( Just as I was purchasing the DVDs separately.

(kelvin)

Quote from: CinephileAnchor Bay will be re-releasing The Herzog/Kinski Collection which features Aguirre the Wrath of God, Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht, Woyzeck, Fitzcarraldo, Cobra Verde and the documentary My Best Fiend.


:( Just as I was purchasing the DVDs separately.

I own this collection...it really was worth its money. What should be the best Herzog film apart from those?

By the way, the anecdote about Kinski told above can be seen in My best Fiend. Imagine to have to work with Kinski.

Sanjuro

there was a film feast the other week of werner herzog here and i was able to catch 'stozscek"... missed heart of glass, fata morgana, cobra verde and woyzeck

i really liked strozscek (sp)though... thing i didnt like is it kinda reminded me of Dancer in the dark... i dont know why, but it surely irritated me, but i guess this was way better than dancer
"When you see your own photo, do you say you're a fiction?"

SoNowThen

Finally opened up and watched Stroszek.

Hmmm, took me a few minutes to really get into it, but then just LOVED it. Funny, sad, realistic, bizarre. Ha.

The dancing chicken ending was perfection.

The mood and feeling and look are SO CLOSE to a feature my buddy and I are writing -- with the truck stop diner and the bland looking middle USA countryside. I particularily loved the moment when Bruno took the tow truck and began driving, and Herzog had the medium wide shot from in front, tracking with him, past all those rigs (and the tank!?) and on...

Oh, I gotta blind buy all the rest. Next dvd batch is gonna be Kaspar Hauser, and Heart Of Glass, and those docs that come together, Fata whatever and the one about oil. Anybody seen those?

I think I'll show this to a movie group of highschool kids. BK, Cinephile, Ebs -- think this'll go over with the kids?
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.