Tag: German new cinema

Cobra Verde

Cobra Verde is a 1987 movie directed by Werner Herzog.

WHAT HAPPENS?

A bandit is sent to West Africa to convince a deranged King to resume slave trading with Brazil.

ONE LINE REVIEW

Cobra Verde is a vibrant Werner Herzog movie that features a classic Klaus Kinski performance.

THE ACTORS

In some respects, Cobra Verde is Kinski’s final powerful performance – or at least it’s his swan song with longtime collaborator Herzog. Kinski plays the bandit Cobra Verde with intriguing passive-aggressive tendencies – similar to the actor’s natural personality. For long stretches, Kinski is sullen – acting nearly entirely with his expressive eyes. As the movie progresses, Kinski seethes with contempt – erupting against the cast of countless native extras. Yet at times, the performance feels empty – an aging actor is prodded into rage.

THE DIRECTOR

Herzog’s setting is again brutally natural – we see the human and physical decay of an abandoned settlement, along with the casual degradation of chained slaves. There is no social statement to be made here – Herzog is again creating masterful realism. The scope of extras employed are extraordinary – his cameras continue to pull back revealing endless natives. In more narrative scenes, the brilliant colors, emotions and language of the locals creates a vibrancy not found in most movies.

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The Enigma of Kasper Hauser

The Enigma of Kasper Hauser is a 1974 movie directed by Werner Herzog.

WHAT HAPPENS?

A man suddenly appears in a small town unable to walk or express himself. He eventually is taken in by a benefactor and educated, which yields interesting results.

ONE LINE REVIEW

The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser chronicles a mysterious man learning to think.

THE ACTORS

It wouldn’t be a Werner Herzog movie if a mercurial lead actor wasn’t featured. While his interactions with the director aren’t as legendary as those of Klaus Kinski, Bruno S. was known as an unorthodox method actor with his own mysterious past.

His performance here is brilliant. He inhabits a character who is essentially a wild-eyed barn animal. His Kaspar has to learn to walk, talk, write and ultimately think. Bruno S. expertly conveys the character’s struggles, as he can’t control his legs – he wobbles and can’t bear weight. His gravity lunges him forward at the dinner table – he spits out his food.

Kaspar is inspected by the locals before eventually becoming part of a freak show. He later escapes and is taken in by a cultured family. Kaspar progresses to learning music, philosophy, religion and logic. His transformation is impressive, as he learns to question his world. His thoughts are both simple and profound – he asks: “Why can’t I play piano like I breathe?”

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The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is a 1972 movie directed by Rainier Werner Fassbinder.

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant tells the story of a successful fashion designer who falls in love with a younger model. The relationship deteriorates and Petra finds her life unraveling.

Fassbinder’s brilliance lies in simplicity and execution. He precisely crafts a concise, but emotionally dense story that occurs in one space and features only five characters. The movie contains only a handful of dialogue-heavy scenes yet reveals the futility and darkness of love – a theme common in Fassbinder’s movies.

The acting is phenomenal. Margit Carstensen inhabits Petra, a sophisticated, successful woman who maintains a fetishistic command over her craft and life. She is equally domineering and vulnerable – a fascinating character study that Carstensen amplifies in both mournful and brutally vicious tones.

Petra lives with her assistant and fellow designer Marlene, played by Irm Hermann. Hermann is somber and silent – lingering like a timid shadow throughout the movie. She is submissive to Petra’s demands and absorbs increasing verbal abuse. Their relationship is indicative of sadomasochism, although it is never explicitly discussed.

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Woyzeck

Woyzeck is a 1979 movie directed by Werner Herzog.

Woyzeck tells the story of a disoriented soldier who is victimized by those in his life: his young wife cheats on him, his Captain mocks him and he’s the subject of demeaning experiments. He’s often bullied until the voices only he can hear lead him to madness.

This may be the leanest Herzog-Kinski offering – it almost resembles a Fassbinder movie in its efficiency and sparse setting. Yet, the hallmark Herzog traits – the crippling futility in the face of a hostile world, gorgeous, terrifying music and the scene chewing prowess of Klaus Kinski are present.

Woyzeck is Kinski’s movie. He inhabits a character who is eternally consumed with the extra-sensory phenomena occurring around him. He hears voices emerging in the ground, through the wind and rustling in leaves. Kinski’s face is plastered with a permanent thousand-yard stare – he’s searching into an unknown that begins to torment him.

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