For one, I simply like hearing his voice I think. But of course he is a good director as well. There is something different about his approach, and it seems he is more passionate about the topics, he goes all in and becomes rather obsessed about stuff. He also appears compassionate towards his subjects. In his documentaries about the capital punishment, for example, he tried not to take sides or be accusatory, at least not in an obvious in your face type way.
My favourite of his is Lessons of Darkness. It is fairly uncategorizable; it can hardly be called a documentary.
The film roams across the oil fields of Kuwait, left burning after the first Gulf War. Steadycam helicopter shots glide over landscapes set to the haunting music of Mahler, Arvo Pärt and others (there is, of course, some Wagner). There's little narration; the few fragments are abstract and prophetical. The whole film is a rather disturbing tone poem about a futuristic, burning apocalypse. It's fantastic.
The White Diamond [2] is also great. The subject matter (an attempt to fly a special air balloon to study the rain forests of Guyana) is interesting, but takes second or third place to the beautiful photography of the forests and the superb, eerie music of Ernst Reijseger, whose film music was released as the album Requiem for a Dying Planet [3], and a couple of Herzogian moments as he gets sidetracked by a weird native (whose philosophical monologue may have been scripted by Herzog) and a waterfall.
Ah! I know about Lessons of Darkness and wanted to watch it. But couldn't find it on Netflix. I'd have to rent Amazon/Google Play or sign up for Netflix DVD service. But I put on my list of things to watch.
Never heard of The White Diamond, so thanks for suggestion, I'll add it to my list as well!
By the way, I can't recommend the 3D version of Cave of Forgotten dreams enough. I usually hate 3D movies but there is something really special about being able to see the depth in the cave paintings.
My only problem with "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" was that it probably should have been an amazing 45 minute film, but he stretched it to twice that to make it into a feature. By the end, what was initially magical felt diminished by repetition.
In contrast, when I visited Grotte de Niaux [1], we were allowed only a brief moment to see the cave paintings to keep the cave temperature constant. That limited time was truly special.
It's a 45 minute film if all you're interested in is the knowledge it brings. It's a two hour film if you allow yourself to take in the beauty Herzog captures.
I second this. I've been getting more into his films lately. One of my favorites so far is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Ecstasy_of_Woodcarve.... It's a documentary about ski-jumping -- something I tend to think about at most once every four years (if that much), and never thought was terribly interesting. Herzog, through an impressive combination of narration, music, and photography, turns it into an almost mystical experience.
Not only is he a great narrator and director, he's also a fantastic writer. Conquest of the Useless, a collection of diary entries from the time he was making Fitzcarraldo, reads like a non-fiction Heart of Darkness. Can't recommend it highly enough.
I also recommend Herzog on Herzog [1]. Part of a series of books where filmmakers discuss their own works with a loose interview structure. Very readable and accessible. For a supposedly difficult ateur, he comes across as approachable and pragmatic.
I, for one, am very excited. Werner Herzog has one of the most fascinating minds, and his ability to capture new and interesting perspectives in his films consistently amazes me.
Tech needs Herzog. This industry has too much money grubbing and too much Asperger's. I'm sure Herzog will be able to break through that all to poignantly show us what is beautiful and what is banal.
Kinski was a very, shall we say, capricious actor (also, a psychopath and as, it turned out later, child molester) whose intense acting had a big part in the success of Herzog's earlier movies (Fitzcarraldo, Aguirre, Nosferatu). During the filming of Aguirre (in the middle of the jungle), Herzog supposedly forced Kinski to fulfill his contract at gun point. The natives which were hired to help and act in the film also offered to kill Kinski for Herzog because he was such a maniac.
Of all the movies Kinski has done I saw Aguirre and "The Great Silence". I really liked Aguirre because it has a more positive vibe to it. The anti-happy-end of "The Great Silence" is also very appealing, yet really depressing.
Nevertheless, certainly one of the best movies I've ever seen. You can say what you want about Kinski, he was a great actor and I highly recommend watching at least some of his movies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_Forgotten_Dreams
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encounters_at_the_End_of_the_W...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Abyss_%28film%29
For one, I simply like hearing his voice I think. But of course he is a good director as well. There is something different about his approach, and it seems he is more passionate about the topics, he goes all in and becomes rather obsessed about stuff. He also appears compassionate towards his subjects. In his documentaries about the capital punishment, for example, he tried not to take sides or be accusatory, at least not in an obvious in your face type way.