Thanks to my friend Grabbo and now this class, I'm becoming a huge fan of Werner Herzog. I recently watched "Even Dwarfs Started Small" and was again blown away by Herzog's craft. I find his films to have the most compelling little tidbits of dialogue. From EDSS: "When we behave, no one cares. When we are bad, no one forgets us."
Anyway, I happened across this fantastic clip of Werner Herzog eating a shoe. Apparently he does a lot of crazy things on bets lost, and always follows through (When 2 actors were injured in Even Dwarfs Started Small, he promised that if they could make it through finishing the film he would jump into a patch of cacti, and he did, to be left pulling needles out of his skin for 6 months). Here, he had said, if Errol Morris finishes the film Gates of Heaven, then I will eat my shoe. Enjoy.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Werner Herzog Eats a Shoe
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Errin, thanks so much for posting this. It was inspiring at many levels and entertaining at many others.
There's a key part or inspiration - and of course I won't be able to quote it verbatim - when he says something like "If you want to make movies and don't have the money then steal cameras (etc. etc.) and make it happen. When the drive becomes THAT strong, when every fiber of your being is determined to accomplish what you wish to accomplish, then you become your goals and nobody can ever take them from you again.
I admire dedication of that level above nearly all other things.
There is also the great story of the epic journey that was the making of his film "Fitzcarraldo" (watch the documentary film "Burden of Dreams" (Les Blanc)), where, at some point during shooting, when they where pulling a massive steamship over a mountain, the crew's safety was in question...the crew was a bit hesitant, until Herzog volunteered to position himself in the most 'dangerous' spot, claiming that it was only fair that way.
I just finished reading the book "Herzog On Herzog", anyone interested in him and his work should definitely pick it up. I consumed that thing in about 5 days, hooked.
It is a series of interviews done with him, questioning in chronological order starting with the beginning of his career...going through the making of most of his films and all the wonderful stories and anecdotes that go along...all told by Herzog himself.
Herzog is amazing...I've especially been on a real kick lately...just dropped a bunch of dough on a boxed set of his documentaries and short films. (...see wernerherzog.com)
Also, watch him act (hilariously) in Harmony Korine's film "Julien Donkey-Boy"!
No more moody brooding!
Post a Comment