Best Werner Herzog Film

Copied straight from his site and added Rescue Dawn.

― Jeff, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:09 (5 years ago) Permalink

Incident at Loch Ness

― Jordan, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:10 (5 years ago) Permalink

b-rad to thread

― dan m, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:12 (5 years ago) Permalink

ya forgot Grizzly Man, man

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:20 (5 years ago) Permalink

that's okey, bcz sexyD doesn't rank.

― Dr Morbius, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:27 (5 years ago) Permalink

I cluster

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:30 (5 years ago) Permalink

Mod add Grizzly Man.

― Jeff, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:34 (5 years ago) Permalink

gotta be fiddycaraldo -- insane movie about an insane dude, directed by an insane dude w/ an insane behind-the-scenes story.

― Eisbaer, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:36 (5 years ago) Permalink

though that description could just as equally describe aguirre, come to think of it.

― Eisbaer, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:36 (5 years ago) Permalink

I have only seen five of these movies, but of those I liked Aguirre best.

― nickalicious, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:37 (5 years ago) Permalink

Why is Incident at Loch Ness not on here? Make that SIX Herzogs I've seen.

― nickalicious, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:38 (5 years ago) Permalink

he only acted in it.

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:41 (5 years ago) Permalink

I've seen 9 or 10 but looking at the list that seems woefully inadequate. aguirre's in my top 10 evah so no vote agonizing here.

― Edward III, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:44 (5 years ago) Permalink

best herzog performance = julien donkey boy

― Edward III, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:45 (5 years ago) Permalink

it's def NOT wild blue yonder.

― sean gramophone, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:46 (5 years ago) Permalink

Kaspar Hauser though I'll probably get stoned later and vote for Heart of Glass w/ a new login.

― goth casual, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:46 (5 years ago) Permalink

It's a crime I've seen only half of these.
I refuse to vote.

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:55 (5 years ago) Permalink

Based on the 8-9 I've seen besides Aguirre... it wd still be Aguirre if I saw all of them. (Kaspar Hauser and White Diamond best of rest.)

― Dr Morbius, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:57 (5 years ago) Permalink

also, the Film Forum sold out his Dieter appearance about 4 hours in advance, despite the lies they told about ticket sales beforehand.

― Dr Morbius, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 20:58 (5 years ago) Permalink

White Diamond felt like it was trying too hard to shoehorn a slight but touching story into his grander pet themes.

― goth casual, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:04 (5 years ago) Permalink

The Great Ecstasy of the Woodcarver Steiner gets my vote, just because I don't think anyone else will vote for it.
Slow-motion ski-flying + Popul Vuh = oh wow!

― Trip Maker, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:06 (5 years ago) Permalink

The Wild Blue Yonder was very wtf and fairly unrewatchable, however it has one of probably my 10 favorite soundtracks of all movies ever.

Woodcarver Steiner is still in my Blockbuster queue.

― nickalicious, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:07 (5 years ago) Permalink

Has anybody actually seen Rescue Dawn yet?

― nickalicious, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:07 (5 years ago) Permalink

So is the hottie Russian chick in Incident at Loch Ness really his wife? Cause I always thought that was one of the jokes.

― goth casual, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:12 (5 years ago) Permalink

I'm going to vote for the bottle of LiquidSilk I bought the day Jeff loaned me Aguirre.

― jaymc, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:14 (5 years ago) Permalink

also, the Film Forum sold out his Dieter appearance about 4 hours in advance, despite the lies they told about ticket sales beforehand.

Yeah, that fucked me over too. I'm also pretty sure they projected Les maitres fous from a VHS.

I voted Dieter anyway.

― C0L1N B..., Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:16 (5 years ago) Permalink

So is the hottie Russian chick in Incident at Loch Ness really his wife? Cause I always thought that was one of the jokes.

I don't think they ever claimed she was his wife. She was just some vague hot young woman he lived with. I didn't figure out this movie was a work of fiction until it was nearly over (I am naive I guess), I can't believe that whole opening dinner party scene didn't tip me off.

― nickalicious, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:33 (5 years ago) Permalink

I think his wife is young & hot, though?

― Jordan, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:36 (5 years ago) Permalink

And Russian...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1365577/

― Jordan, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:40 (5 years ago) Permalink

yeah the description of her in the new yorker profile from a year or two ago seemed to fit.

"people say i've gone hollywood..."

― goth casual, Wednesday, 23 May 2007 21:44 (5 years ago) Permalink

Fata Morgana so good I can't bring myself to finish it.

― Eric H., Thursday, 24 May 2007 00:25 (5 years ago) Permalink

Kaspar Hauser for me. I'd say it's one of my top 5 movies ever. Nosferatu may be my second fave of his.

Invincible is underrated.

― dan selzer, Thursday, 24 May 2007 03:46 (5 years ago) Permalink

I'd go fitzcarraldo, but it's close.

― forksclovetofu, Thursday, 24 May 2007 04:01 (5 years ago) Permalink

fata morgana is underrated, but then again it's only suited for persons of a certain bent. I can't imagine watching it piecemeal, that's like listening to marquee moon in 3 minute increments.

― Edward III, Thursday, 24 May 2007 18:18 (5 years ago) Permalink

AGUIRRE

― Joe, Friday, 25 May 2007 01:58 (5 years ago) Permalink

Stroszek is my vote. Because of the totally bizarre (but not in the context of the movie) chicken/music/ski-lift thing at the end, which I think sums up Herzog maybe better than his big epic movies. There's only one director who would would dare or even bother to make a movie with this clearly unstable person. Herzog is a little nuts, and attracted to like, and his sweet and tender relationship with Bruno S. is more revealing than his violent relationship with Kinski. At least, I prefer it. And it's a great movie.

― kenan, Friday, 25 May 2007 02:12 (5 years ago) Permalink

best herzog performance = julien donkey boy

so true! also i have no idea how to vote. i might go for one i havent seen.

― jhøshea, Friday, 25 May 2007 02:18 (5 years ago) Permalink

which is most of them

― jhøshea, Friday, 25 May 2007 02:19 (5 years ago) Permalink

i voted bells from the deep - that had a nice ring to it.

― jhøshea, Friday, 25 May 2007 02:20 (5 years ago) Permalink

what have you seen?

― kenan, Friday, 25 May 2007 02:21 (5 years ago) Permalink

Aguirre, The Wrath Of God
Cobra Verde
Even Dwarfs Started Small
Fitzcarraldo
God's Angry Man
Little Dieter Needs To Fly
My Best Fiend
Nosferatu
The Great Ecstasy Of Woodcarver Steiner
The White Diamond
The Wild Blue Yonder
Wheel Of Time
Where The Green Ants Dream

and grzly man

― jhøshea, Friday, 25 May 2007 11:07 (5 years ago) Permalink

no surprises here.

― Jeff, Friday, 1 June 2007 13:19 (5 years ago) Permalink

Well someone voted for "The Unprecedented Defence Of The Fortress Deutschkreuz" - I call that a surprise!

― Tom D., Friday, 1 June 2007 13:21 (5 years ago) Permalink

http://www.roguefilmschool.com/

#

The Rogue Film School will be in the form of weekend seminars held by Werner Herzog in person at varying locations and at infrequent intervals.
#

The number of participants will be limited.
#

Locations and dates will be announced on this website and Werner Herzog's website: www.wernerherzog.com approximately 12 weeks in advance.
#

The Rogue Film School will not teach anything technical related to film-making. For this purpose, please enroll at your local film school.
#

The Rogue Film School is about a way of life. It is about a climate, the excitement that makes film possible. It will be about poetry, films, music, images, literature.
#

The focus of the seminars will be a dialogue with Werner Herzog, in which the participants will have their voice with their projects, their questions, their aspirations.
#

Excerpts of films will be discussed, which could include your submitted films; they may be shown and discussed as well. Depending on the materials, the attention will revolve around essential questions: how does music function in film? How do you narrate a story? (This will certainly depart from the brainless teachings of three-act-screenplays). How do you sensitize an audience? How is space created and understood by an audience? How do you produce and edit a film? How do you create illumination and an ecstasy of truth?
#

Related, but more practical subjects, will be the art of lockpicking. Traveling on foot. The exhilaration of being shot at unsuccessfully. The athletic side of filmmaking. The creation of your own shooting permits. The neutralization of bureaucracy. Guerrilla tactics. Self reliance.
#

Censorship will be enforced. There will be no talk of shamans, of yoga classes, nutritional values, herbal teas, discovering your Boundaries, and Inner Growth.
#

Related, but more reflective, will be a reading list: if possible, read Virgil's "Georgics", read "Hemingway's "The short happy life of Francis Macomber", The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander (in particular the Prophecy of the Seeress), Bernal Diaz del Castillo "True History of the Conquest of New Spain".
#

Follow your vision. Form secretive Rogue Cells everywhere. At the same time, be not afraid of solitude.

― deus ex lawnmower (latebloomer), Friday, 25 September 2009 10:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

"The Rogue Film School is not for the faint-hearted," said the film-maker. "It is for those who have travelled on foot, who have worked as bouncers in sex clubs or as wardens in a lunatic asylum, for those who are willing to learn about lock-picking or forging shooting permits in countries not favouring their projects."

― MPx4A, Friday, 25 September 2009 10:34 (3 years ago) Permalink

There will be no talk of shamans, of yoga classes, nutritional values, herbal teas, discovering your Boundaries, and Inner Growth.

Lol - isn't he making a film with Lynch at the moment? I guess they got on each others nerves.

― dowd, Friday, 25 September 2009 10:36 (3 years ago) Permalink

nah i think he just wants the seminars to get the point. ya know,like lockpicking.

― deus ex lawnmower (latebloomer), Friday, 25 September 2009 10:38 (3 years ago) Permalink

great dbl bill at the Ritzy tomorrow, btw - wanted to see Fata Morgana for a while

http://www.v22collection.com/herzog/26.html

― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 24 October 2009 11:15 (3 years ago) Permalink

i watches stroszek last night. really good. the heist scene followed by the grocery shopping is hysterical.

― jed_, Saturday, 24 October 2009 11:30 (3 years ago) Permalink

watched

― jed_, Saturday, 24 October 2009 11:30 (3 years ago) Permalink

STROZEK

― FACK, Saturday, 24 October 2009 20:38 (3 years ago) Permalink

it's his best (and most lynch-y) film,imo

― Zeno, Saturday, 24 October 2009 23:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

strozek just combines such wierd elements together, and somehow it works, but i also love fitzcarraldo and aguirre

― FACK, Saturday, 24 October 2009 23:57 (3 years ago) Permalink

I love this scene in Fitz:

― Jeff, Sunday, 25 October 2009 00:04 (3 years ago) Permalink

what i liked about srozek the most, is that it deals with social problems of the present - one might call it the Herzog version of social realism.it's a very special film in his filmography.it is also funny and presents Bruno S at it's best. as oppose to Aguirre/fitzcaraldo/kasper which are historical,colder,less emotional movies (though still great).

― Zeno, Sunday, 25 October 2009 00:16 (3 years ago) Permalink

this should have a run-off poll!

― The Viceroy (Viceroy), Sunday, 25 October 2009 01:18 (3 years ago) Permalink

strozek is def. a very special film. I've never seen anything like it. the sad/funny ratio is really well done.

my dad told me that he watched strozek and just started it over w/herzog commentary on right after it finished. awesome!

(commentary is hilarious, of course)

― ( - _ - ); (Alan N), Sunday, 25 October 2009 18:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

Rewatched The White Diamond last weekend, just lovely; maybe my favorite thimg he's done since Aguirre.

― Rage, Resentment, Spleen (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 16:16 (3 years ago) Permalink

Overrated

Summer Hours is better

;)

― Blue Fucks Like Ben Nelson (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 16:21 (3 years ago) Permalink

The next Rogue Film School will take place on the East Coast in spring 2010. Stay tuned!!

― 鬼の手 (Edward III), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 16:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

explain why I should not apply

― 鬼の手 (Edward III), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 16:35 (3 years ago) Permalink

I love the scene in TWD where Herzog is telling Dorrington why not having him w/ camera on the first airship flight is "a stupid stupidity."

― Rage, Resentment, Spleen (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 16:39 (3 years ago) Permalink

whenev I try to imitate him it comes out like Arnold, but how great would WH be as CA governor?

― Rage, Resentment, Spleen (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 16:41 (3 years ago) Permalink

<3 x 1000000000000000

― that sex version of "blue thunder." (Mr. Que), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 16:41 (3 years ago) Permalink

watched Stroszek yesterday (Superbowl? what's that?) - what a goofy little movie. scene w/premature baby = disturbing.

― mark kerfuffalo (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 8 February 2010 16:37 (3 years ago) Permalink

it's his best movie imo.
works like a twisted combination between humanistic social realism and david lynch surrealism

― Zeno, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:43 (3 years ago) Permalink

― am0n, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:43 (3 years ago) Permalink

i don't remember any premature baby and i just rewatched it a couple months ago

― harbl, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:45 (3 years ago) Permalink

oh wait yeah i do

― harbl, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:47 (3 years ago) Permalink

Stroszek himeslf kinnda premature baby ..

― Zeno, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:48 (3 years ago) Permalink

it was overshadowed in my memory by the fart-lighting scene

― harbl, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:50 (3 years ago) Permalink

what the hell 'even dwarfs started small' is on youtube in its entirety

― am0n, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:50 (3 years ago) Permalink

lmao @ camel

― am0n, Monday, 8 February 2010 16:52 (3 years ago) Permalink

yeah def some precursors to Lynch (and Jarmusch?) - strikes a great tone between pathos and comedy. Bruno S is alternately pitiable and hilarious... the final sequence with the robbery (of a barbershop?) and then grocery shopping and ski-lift. And the car spinning around on auto was like a quote from Even Dwarfs Started Small, no?

― mark kerfuffalo (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 8 February 2010 17:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

btw that youtube channel also has My Best Fiend, Aguirre, Woyzeck,and The Enigma Of Kaspar Hauser

― am0n, Monday, 8 February 2010 17:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

Stroszek is amazing. Need to see The White Diamond, Nosferatu and Hauser ASAP.

― Simon H., Monday, 8 February 2010 17:06 (3 years ago) Permalink

another WTF scene - nephew pulling out one of his teeth in autoshop

― mark kerfuffalo (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 8 February 2010 17:15 (3 years ago) Permalink

Stroszek is prob my favourite WH movie too. That or Aguirre. I love the auction scene and the all scenes with the man from the bank. And of course the ski-lift/car/chicken scene.

― cajunsunday, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 12:20 (3 years ago) Permalink

Storszek is definetely my favourite Herzog movie. Obv. final scenes are incredible but i really like the scene near the start where Bruno is playing the accordion to a bunch of kids in the street, funny and touching and v. human.

― toastmodernist, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 12:26 (3 years ago) Permalink

My library just got Cobra Verde and the Kinski-Herzog documentary. Which should I watch first?

― Would love to hear Bam babble about this (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 July 2010 18:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

#2

― iatee, Monday, 19 July 2010 18:03 (2 years ago) Permalink

Thanks!

― Would love to hear Bam babble about this (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 July 2010 18:04 (2 years ago) Permalink

don't miss cobra verde, though

― elan, Monday, 19 July 2010 18:33 (2 years ago) Permalink

White Diamond wasn't his best but it was definitely very enjoyable.

― no turkey unless it's a club sandwich (polyphonic), Monday, 19 July 2010 18:40 (2 years ago) Permalink

Anyone seen Cave of Forgotten Dreams? I thought it was kinda cool in a "if I saw this in geography/biology/whatever class this would be awesome" way, but it's not up to snuff compared to some of his other docs, I thought. Maybe it was better in 3D, but I found the staring at the paintings, as awesome as they are, to get a little wearing after a while. I guess there's only so much painting to be shown and you gotta fill up the 2 hrs somehow.

― Yossarian's sense of humour (NotEnough), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 16:14 (2 years ago) Permalink

― ℳℴℯ　❤＼(◕‿◕✿ (Princess TamTam), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 18:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

Ah yes, but what do YOU think?

― Yossarian's sense of humour (NotEnough), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 19:26 (2 years ago) Permalink

Haven't seen it yet, I don't think it's out here.

― ℳℴℯ　❤＼(◕‿◕✿ (Princess TamTam), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 19:27 (2 years ago) Permalink

it's incredible I saw it in 3D

― conrad, Wednesday, 6 April 2011 19:33 (2 years ago) Permalink

Wish I could find a copy of the theme from Woodcutter Steiner

― 1'45" Drummer orders a beer (MaresNest), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 19:57 (2 years ago) Permalink

hoping this shows up in Denver -- the nature & science museum has a 3d imax theater thing.

― tylerw, Wednesday, 6 April 2011 19:58 (2 years ago) Permalink

AMAZING in 3D

Used to dramatic effect in the caves, and also in the scenic shots, with like little bugs flying at you and stuff. Amazing. Does anyone know anything about the music? Ernst Reijseger?

Here's Herzog talking about him and his feet (It's string heavy, but I really liked the vocal stuff a lot). Now I want to read Clan of the Cave Bear.

― deez m'uts (La Lechera), Sunday, 1 May 2011 04:41 (2 years ago) Permalink

(please note that I am talking about Cave of Forgotten Dreams -- not Herzog himself in 3D)

― deez m'uts (La Lechera), Sunday, 1 May 2011 04:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

Saw CoDF on Friday night (introduced by Herzog himself). Compelling and rather profound. Oddball group of archeologists/anthropologists being led by their own Stendahl Syndrome.

3D viewing is mandatory.

― Stockhausen's Ekranoplan Quartet (Elvis Telecom), Monday, 2 May 2011 19:29 (2 years ago) Permalink

>Ernst Reijseger

has done the music for a few of his films -- cellist with expanded technique, partial to crazy drones, but the vocals you're responding to are in collaboration with the Sardinian Choir (Tenore & Concordu de Orosei). They sing traditional Sardinian choral works while he improvises on top.

http://www.amazon.com/Requiem-Dying-Planet-Ernst-Reijseger/dp/B000GB7DTE

^^ fantastic CD of two Herzog soundtracks with them + Senegalese vocal soloist. 'Libera me, Domine' in particular.

http://www.discogs.com/Tenore-E-Cuncordu-De-Orosei-Voches-De-Sardinna/release/1865816

& this is a CD with the Choir singing the traditionals just by themselves, if you like ancient overtone-rich choral music

― Milton Parker, Monday, 2 May 2011 20:02 (2 years ago) Permalink

Oooh! Thank you so much -- I'll look into both.

― deez m'uts (La Lechera), Monday, 2 May 2011 21:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

I found the Reijseger too much in COFD but loved loved loved it in My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?

― Alba, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:49 (2 years ago) Permalink

I listened to Reijseger all day yesterday on grooveshark, loved it. Played the trailer for my students today, they found it 60% enjoyable, 40% boring (I could tell)

Still, they seemed interested. I've done my duty.

― deez m'uts (La Lechera), Friday, 6 May 2011 03:50 (2 years ago) Permalink

I saw Cave of Forgotten Dreams last night with the wife. It had some of the usual Herzog off-kilter narrative, which featured some albino crocodiles that had no connection to the cave, and it did seem a bit padded out to fill the requisite 2 hrs for a theatrical film, but damn those cave paintings and the cave itself were of brilliant superstar-quality! The 3-D helped me to understand the art, because cave walls are so undulating they greatly affect how they were painted and how you view the paintings.

The music was pretty cool most of the time, but I thought it was kind of lol when Herzog solemnly announces we shall all stop and listen to the awesome silence of the cave, and then within 20 seconds or so the music soundtrack cuts in over the silence, because audiences just don't really want to listen to awesome silence for more than 20 seconds.

― Aimless, Sunday, 8 May 2011 20:30 (2 years ago) Permalink

Heart of Glass should have gotten at least one vote. that movie is sublime.

― it is his "enigmatic signifier" (the table is the table), Sunday, 8 May 2011 20:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

I thought it was wise to only make people listen to the awesome silence for 20 seconds! Leave the party while you're still having fun, etc.

Heart of Glass should get a vote for the soundtrack alone!

― deez m'uts (La Lechera), Sunday, 8 May 2011 22:44 (2 years ago) Permalink

The heartbeat sound annoyed me.

― Jeff, Sunday, 8 May 2011 22:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

loved the crocodile coda

― bear, bear, bear, Monday, 9 May 2011 01:14 (2 years ago) Permalink

this was great, even in 2D (missed the 3D showing arrrghhh)

cave sniffer!

― underrated earl sweatshirt fans i have boned (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 17 May 2011 16:10 (2 years ago) Permalink

mutant albinos.

loved this, of course. no 3d showing here. is it more expensive to show or something? idgi

― hippy borthday, free wings for u (Matt P), Tuesday, 17 May 2011 16:17 (2 years ago) Permalink

seeing those cave paintings left me speechless for most of the rest of the day and when I started talking, all I could talk about was the film. so much closer to modern art / impressionism / surrealism than most of anything that's happened since. the scale of time, not just how old they are but the fact they were painted over a span of 5000 years, nearly twice as long as of what we're used to calling history etc

I also found the music a bit too intrusively busy in parts. I loved the expository and the interviews, but still hope the DVD comes with a feature that basically lifts everything out and gives you a good 20-40 minutes of just the paintings. you need more than 10 consecutive minutes of staring at them to even come to grips.

― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 17 May 2011 17:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

& loved the ending of course but was didn't even need to doubt this article would be online to google before I even got home

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/tags/mutant+albino+crocodiles/default.aspx

― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 17 May 2011 17:41 (2 years ago) Permalink

was didn't even like needta y'know

― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 17 May 2011 17:42 (2 years ago) Permalink

hes playing the villain in the next tom cruise movie

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/10/werner_herzog_will_play_the_vi.html

― The sham nation of Israel should be destroyed. (Princess TamTam), Wednesday, 5 October 2011 19:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

'Into the Abyss' is fantastic. (And, in what might be a first for me with his films, I nearly cried in a couple of spots.)

― vitameatawalloginavegamin (donna rouge), Monday, 7 November 2011 07:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

I totally bawled in a couple of spots, but I'm pretty easy that way.

― Simon H., Monday, 7 November 2011 07:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

On his move to acting villainy:

http://www.movieline.com/2011/11/werner-herzog-talks-one-shot-tom-cruise-he-means-business.php

― Dr Morbois de Bologne (Dr Morbius), Monday, 7 November 2011 12:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol@this exchange:
Cruise is an interesting actor to me — someone who’s never directed, but who’s instead worked with some of the foremost filmmakers of the last half-century: Kubrick, Scorsese, Coppola, Spielberg, and many others. Have you met him?
Yes.

Also WH the secret Paulette: "Brian de Palma is certainly the better director than me."

― mark s, Monday, 7 November 2011 12:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

And, in what might be a first for me with his films, I nearly cried in a couple of spots

What, you've never cried at 'Kaspar Hauser' or 'Land of Silence and Darkness'??!?!?!?

― R. Stornoway (Tom D.), Monday, 7 November 2011 12:33 (1 year ago) Permalink

I wouldn't agree with WH there, but I've seen one great film from him and it's Aguirre.

― Dr Morbois de Bologne (Dr Morbius), Monday, 7 November 2011 12:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

Saw Into the Abyss yesterday, it was fantastic. I loved the choice of final interview about "living the dash", I loved how congested that guy was, I loved WH's questions during all of the interviews. Everything about this movie chilled my blood, I loved it. I can't wait to see what the other 3 capital punishment movies are like -- I guess there are others coming?

― the MMMM cult (La Lechera), Sunday, 13 November 2011 22:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

the other 3?

anyway, on this one:

http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/into-the-abyss/5892

― Dr Morbois de Bologne (Dr Morbius), Monday, 14 November 2011 03:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

i don't remember where i read it, but i read something about how he intended to make one doc about cap punishment, and then decided to spread it out over several movies? maybe i dreamt that.

― the MMMM cult (La Lechera), Monday, 14 November 2011 03:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

Well, "Into the Abyss" is a whole tapestry, and only part of it is about death row. It's very much about life. I have also filmed some death row inmates for a series of one-hour films for television, which will be called "Death Row." That's very much focused on one person on death row, and no big tapestry of people around it, members of the families of victims, and whatever.

― Bon Ivoj (jaymc), Monday, 14 November 2011 03:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

god this film is amazing?, is a masterpiece, i think. it's punctuated by absolute testimonial gold but it transcends being a film about the death penalty, or the extent to which that's a debate, by just being so human. i really thought it was gonna be a polemic before seeing, pitching WH's case, but it's just about life, how people can manage it, through the lens of people who really had to go through it & put their effort into understanding.

the humour of a twenty minute run halfway through was such a relief, too, after the yknow cold open kinda crimescene section. but oh man this film.

― Abattoir Educator / Slaughterman (schlump), Monday, 14 November 2011 05:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

Is there any love for Gesualdo? I just watched it tonight, and next to Land of Silence and Darkness, which also received 0 votes in this poll, it's my favorite human subject Herzog documentary.
The bagpipe scene where the guy was playing into the cracks to satisfy the evil spirit of Gesualdo was just totally O_O amazing, as were all of the professional ensemble vocal performances. Top notch even if that one lady with the red hair was TOTALLY ott.

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Thursday, 29 March 2012 04:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

It's the next day and I am still thinking about this. The OTT red haired woman is "Milva", apparently? She is truly UNBELIEVABLE.

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Thursday, 29 March 2012 13:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

i need to see that one! looks amazing, and weird. didn't even know it existed til alex ross did his gesualdo article in the Ny-er a couple months back.

― tylerw, Thursday, 29 March 2012 15:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

Gesualdo is the portrait of a perfect Herzog subject, and it's handled well and concisely. Also, only an hour long.

I really want to post lurid details about Gesualdo, but I will refrain out of politeness.

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Thursday, 29 March 2012 15:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah he seems like a wild n crazy guy, with emphasis on the "crazy"

― tylerw, Thursday, 29 March 2012 16:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

haven't seen it, sounds interesting

― You big bully, why are you hitting that little bully? (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 29 March 2012 16:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

feel like there is always more Herzog for me to watch

― You big bully, why are you hitting that little bully? (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 29 March 2012 16:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

Listen to how beautiful crazy sounds! This seems to be Gesualdo's greatest hit, if youtube results are any indicator. (This is one of the ensembles from the movie)

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Thursday, 29 March 2012 16:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

hey here's the whole thing
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBanw2yUPdk

― tylerw, Thursday, 29 March 2012 16:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

my son, my son what have ye done isn't very good

― shur fine (am0n), Thursday, 29 March 2012 16:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

ha, that one is sitting in my watch instantly queue, i keep suggesting it to my wife and she says hell no. she's probably right.

― tylerw, Thursday, 29 March 2012 17:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

its watchable, just didn't do a whole lot for me. produced by david lynch!

― shur fine (am0n), Thursday, 29 March 2012 17:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

been very curious about that one, as I love everyone involved.

― You big bully, why are you hitting that little bully? (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 29 March 2012 17:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

Gesualdo: Death For Five Voices is probably my sentimental favorite Herzog film. Partially because I love Gesualdo's music so much, but also because it is the perfect subject material for a Herzog 'documentary'. It's been layered and over-mythologized to such an extent that no one will ever know exactly what happened, and then Herzog gets in there with his freewheeling camera and taking a wrecking ball to reality

I watch that youtube of 'Moro, lasso, al mio duolo' a lot. Many recordings of Gesualdo lay on the ambience & cavernous room tone, but it really is meant to be sitting room music performed in small spaces so you can follow every last quirk of each individual voice, so the two performances in Herzog's film are basically two of my favorite Gesualdo recordings of all time

― Milton Parker, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

remarkably poor grammar in that post, even for me, but go ahead and dig for reality

― Milton Parker, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

Bells From The Deep 1

at first, i thought this was balls from the deep.

― kurwa mać (Polish for "long life") (Eisbaer), Thursday, 29 March 2012 21:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

fata morgana is the answer to your question. or maybe land of silence and darkness.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 30 March 2012 06:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

I loved both of those, but I found the Leonard Cohen songs in Fata Morgana extremely distracting. The Third Ear Band song was good, though. I've probably said that before.

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Friday, 30 March 2012 13:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

Also I didn't realize it, but I guess Milva is famous -- http://www.youtube.com/artist/Milva

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Friday, 30 March 2012 13:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

watching 'fata morgana' was the 1st time i ever really "got" the appeal of leonard cohen

― johnny crunch, Friday, 30 March 2012 13:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

The Third Ear Band song was good, though.

... and Blind Faith too

― Charles Kennedy Jumped Up, He Called 'Oh No'. (Tom D.), Friday, 30 March 2012 14:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

my son, my son what have ye done isn't very good

I liked it a lot, more than Rescue Dawn or Bad Lt. The first half-hour had me discouraged but it built something powerful.

― Axolotl with an Atlatl (Jon Lewis), Friday, 30 March 2012 14:53 (1 year ago) Permalink

was listening to the 'heart of glass' audio commentary, love this

under hypnosis imagination functions very well. i tested it by having people under hypnosis and i would ask them to write a poem because there is something like poetic language in all of us and of course it wouldn't function if i asked you 'you are shakespeare write me a sonnet' it wouldn't function, it depends on the quality of suggestion so i told the people under hypnosis this 'you are on a foreign island, the first one who sets his foot now on this island for centuries and it's overgrown with uh jungleous butterflies strange birds singing and you are walking through the jungle and you come across a gigantic cliff and upon closer inspection this entire cliff this entire escarpment is made of pure emerald and a holy monk hundreds of years ago spent his entire life with a chisel and a hammer to scratch a poem into the wall of that because it's like diamond and it took him all his life to engrave only three lines of a poem' and i said please open your eyes and you will see it you will be the first one to see it and you will read it to me

― johnny crunch, Friday, 13 April 2012 13:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

ha ha ha

― john-claude van donne (schlump), Friday, 13 April 2012 13:32 (1 year ago) Permalink

a finer human could not have been produced by science
i never listen to the commentary but i appreciate that someone does and then transcribes it for my enjoyment

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Friday, 13 April 2012 13:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

how's the film, btw? i've never seen, & have that ass-backwards impulse to read this regardless: http://www.ipgbook.com/every-night-the-trees-disappear-products-9781569766071.php

― john-claude van donne (schlump), Friday, 13 April 2012 13:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

amazing landscapes, popol vuh, entertaining, hyno-induced nonsequiturs, i couldnt ask for much more tbh

― johnny crunch, Friday, 13 April 2012 13:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

uh that should read *hypno*-induced

― johnny crunch, Friday, 13 April 2012 14:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

ha. thanks. i've seen herzog's films in a really skewed order, i still have a bunch of the big guns to see.

― john-claude van donne (schlump), Friday, 13 April 2012 14:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

the book looks good, fwiw

― john-claude van donne (schlump), Friday, 13 April 2012 14:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

Not his best movie but sdtk is top 3 PV albums imo.

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Friday, 13 April 2012 15:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

later in the commentary he also said 'i like to use actors who know how to milk cows'

― johnny crunch, Friday, 13 April 2012 15:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

'into the abyss' is on netflix streaming now

― lebron traveled (am0n), Sunday, 15 April 2012 18:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

into the abyss was some really sad stuff, great film. it made me think about having nightmares where you've committed a crime or something, just the root ugliness at the heart of the state and the serious criminal.

― ooooiiiioooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaoooooh un - bi - leevable! (LocalGarda), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 20:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

It was really sad. I don't know if I could watch that one again.
I just watched Invincible for the first time last night, and it was pretty good but the Zimmer soundtrack was a bit syrupy for me.

― former personal denim advisor to the mayor, (La Lechera), Tuesday, 8 May 2012 23:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

Invincible was one of the first movies I watched with Je55e.

― Jeff, Wednesday, 9 May 2012 00:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

http://futurestates.tv/episodes/plastic-bag

― am0n, Thursday, 10 May 2012 21:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

xpost Zimmer with Herzog is such a weird idea. And mini-Zimmer Klaus Badelt did most of the scoring on Rescue Dawn too.

― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 10 May 2012 21:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

are u guys watching that? herzog is narrating from a plastic bag's pov

― am0n, Thursday, 10 May 2012 22:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah it's pretty great

― Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 10 May 2012 22:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

music score is sorta bad

― Roger Barfing (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 10 May 2012 22:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah Into the Abyss completely ruined my night. just deeply depressing on multiple levels. don't think it's one i'll ever return to.

― circa1916, Thursday, 10 May 2012 23:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

Yoo hoo
Has anyone read the book about Heart of Glass yet? Every Night the Trees Disappear by Alan Greenberg?

If so,
(1) recommend?
(2) is the music discussed at all, or just the movie/circumstances surrounding the making of the movie?

― these albatrosses have no fear of man (La Lechera), Tuesday, 25 September 2012 00:11 (7 months ago) Permalink

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/jack-reacher/trailers/jack-reacher-theatrical-trailer-30887645.html

― turds (Hungry4Ass), Thursday, 18 October 2012 08:04 (7 months ago) Permalink

I got the Heart of Glass book (Every Night the Trees Disappear) for Christmas and I'm already halfway done. It's got short chapters/vignettes about the production of the movie (which involved villagers and hypnotism, typically) intercut with excerpts of some kind of treatment of the movie itself. Enjoyable easy reading, nothing about the music yet but at least it's not stuffy/academic (yet).

― passion it person (La Lechera), Saturday, 29 December 2012 17:05 (4 months ago) Permalink

added to wishlist

― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Monday, 31 December 2012 00:31 (4 months ago) Permalink

I just finished it -- it's enjoyable, and has lots of poignant/puzzling classic Herzog moments. Nothing about the soundtrack, but there's a small bit at the end about the Ancient Music Ensemble that plays on Skellig rock, but I don't even remember that part at all. Guess it's time to watch the movie again!

― passion it person (La Lechera), Monday, 31 December 2012 15:36 (4 months ago) Permalink

Oh and there's this hilarious part where Herzog is like (I'm paraphrasing here) "I'm the best person at handling music in movies, I am #1" and then some other guy comes along and says no, he is the worst.

― passion it person (La Lechera), Monday, 31 December 2012 15:51 (4 months ago) Permalink

other guy is wrong

― dan selzer, Monday, 31 December 2012 15:59 (4 months ago) Permalink

Agree. I just checked and it was Thomas Binkley of the Ancient Music Ensemble, who only approved of the way Hollywood handles movie music. Apparently he spent a large portion of the evening talking about Mickey Mouse, so clearly he cannot be trusted.

― passion it person (La Lechera), Monday, 31 December 2012 16:17 (4 months ago) Permalink

I wish more hollywood movies had used ppl like Binkley/Ancient Music Ensemble!

(wish someone would put out David Munrow's Zardoz score on CD)

― ~farben~ (Jon Lewis), Monday, 31 December 2012 16:37 (4 months ago) Permalink

The Devils too!! Have you ever heard A Walk with Love and Death by Georges Delerue?
I trust Thomas Binkley with ancient music, but not so much with talking cartoon mice.

― passion it person (La Lechera), Monday, 31 December 2012 16:40 (4 months ago) Permalink

Yeah Walk w Love n Death is a nice example! Delerue did a couple others with that period flavor too... The Borgias (old miniseries) was one...

― ~farben~ (Jon Lewis), Monday, 31 December 2012 16:42 (4 months ago) Permalink

― lag∞n, Friday, 11 January 2013 23:37 (4 months ago) Permalink

happy ppl is a weird title

― johnny crunch, Saturday, 12 January 2013 23:22 (4 months ago) Permalink

agree, but it has to be a quote from someone in the movie
...right?

i mean i'm gonna go see it regardless, don't really care what it's called

― this customer is a jerk (La Lechera), Saturday, 12 January 2013 23:45 (4 months ago) Permalink

cobra verde is very underrated

― the late great, Saturday, 12 January 2013 23:47 (4 months ago) Permalink

floor of skulls iirc

― the dyspeptic Hirax (Jon Lewis), Sunday, 13 January 2013 04:28 (4 months ago) Permalink

i watched the happy people, it was p great, touching seeing this trapper dude out there just being the most competent philosophical guy at one w nature, i guess herzog didnt film it just edited it down from a longer russian mini series and gave it the trademark narration, only complaint the russian translation seemed quite artless and flat

― lag∞n, Tuesday, 22 January 2013 16:43 (3 months ago) Permalink

Cobra Verde isn't perfect BUT it does have the ultimate Herzog ending (well, that one or Stroszek's)

― Simon H., Tuesday, 22 January 2013 19:43 (3 months ago) Permalink

Is Cobra Verde the one with the big dance number at the end? (never thought I'd say that, but there it is)

― this customer is a jerk (La Lechera), Tuesday, 22 January 2013 21:28 (3 months ago) Permalink

really want to see Happy People, although the Herzog narration in one of the clips I watched was surprisingly annoying and riddled with cliches -- "No rules, no bureaucracy, total self-reliance" blah blah

― space phwoar (Hurting 2), Monday, 28 January 2013 03:07 (3 months ago) Permalink

taiga-related, v interesting story:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/For-40-Years-This-Russian-Family-Was-Cut-Off-From-Human-Contact-Unaware-of-World-War-II-188843001.html#ixzz2JLsEc9A3

― am0n, Wednesday, 30 January 2013 17:37 (3 months ago) Permalink

awesome story

― this customer is a jerk (La Lechera), Wednesday, 30 January 2013 18:47 (3 months ago) Permalink

seriously, that article is amazing, must read

― this customer is a jerk (La Lechera), Wednesday, 30 January 2013 19:08 (3 months ago) Permalink

Sent to myself for train reading on phone.

― hibernaculum (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 30 January 2013 19:22 (3 months ago) Permalink

piece is mindbending

― lag∞n, Thursday, 7 February 2013 10:39 (3 months ago) Permalink