Tag: Werner herzog

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.

Continue reading “Cobra Verde”

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?”

Continue reading “The Enigma of Kasper Hauser”

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.

Continue reading “Woyzeck”

Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Aguirre, the Wrath of God is a 1972 movie directed by Werner Herzog and starring Klaus Kinski.

Aguirre, the Wrath of God tells the story of Spanish conquistadores searching for the mythical El Dorado in Peru. Crossing the Amazon, the expedition struggles to survive against brutal conditions and hostile natives. Klaus Kinski plays Don Lope de Aguirre, who seizes control of the expedition and leads the group into chaos.

There’s a great chance Kinski is completely miscast as a 16th century Spanish conquistador. He’s slight, wobbly kneed and his kettle helmet barely conceals cascading dirty blonde hair. He’s an art school German out of place in the jungle playing a Spaniard.

Yet, in a Werner Herzog production – one that cannot help blurring the line between fiction and documentary – Kinski is the perfect choice to play Aguirre, a man bent on capturing the illusion of greatness regardless of the human cost.

Further, it takes a performance as outlandish as Kinski gives to honor the spectacle of Herzog’s vision.

The opening scene is majestic. Drifting clouds settle to reveal the enormity of the Andes Mountains before tiny specks come into surface. Herzog’s troupe are trekking down a dangerous slope into the Amazon jungle, hauling along a horse, pigs, chickens, and a cannon. Struggle marks the actors’ eyes as they have become fully immersed outsiders – even the natives are hesitant to find their footing in the treacherous terrain.

Herzog’s crew are essentially conquistadors. We have scripted dialogue to remind us otherwise, but the first portion of the movie feels more like a documentary. A basket of chickens tumbles from a cliff, a rider almost gets hung up on a crooked branch, actors swat away bugs. It’s a dangerous and brutally unfair journey.

The plot develops around the expedition’s leader Pizarro deciding to divide the group and find resources before going further into the unknown. He leaves the nobleman Ursua as his second in command. One of the rafts gets stuck in the eddy and the men are ambushed. Suddenly, the ranks are thin and plotting begins. It doesn’t take long for Aguirre to overthrow the rule of Ursua.

As Aguirre becomes the defacto fictional leader of the expedition, Kinski begins to personify the character. He’s going to battle with his cast mates. As the natives struggle to steady the sedan carrying Ursua’s mistress and Aguirre’s daughter, Kinski manhandles them, grabbing and prodding – berating them for their stumbles. Moments before Ursua is overthrown, Aguirre winds among the soldiers, clutching and pulling them into him – urging them to join his treason.

Continue reading “Aguirre, the Wrath of God”