New York’s amazing repertory theater Film Forum is having an amazing (non-fiction) Werner Herzog retrospective starting May 15. There’s many an amazing film playing, but highest recommendation goes out to the love/hate, hate/hate Klaus Kinski/Herzog documentary, “My Best Fiend.” Directed by Herzog eight years after Kinksi’s death in 1991, “Fiend” was the filmmakers moving tribute to the actor and their tempestuous relationship on and off set. Herzog and Kinksi worked together on five films (including “Aguirre: The Wrath of God,” widely regarded as one of the most important “foreign” films of all time) and each time some madness ensued. However, as difficult, outrageous and manic as Kinksi’s behavior was, Herzog casts him in such an affectionate light, understanding his madness contributed to Herzog’s films and often times elevated them to a level of poetry.
Herzog’s first-person accounts of Kinski are fascinating; full of venom, mistrust, animosity, yet the utmost respect and tons of love. It’s an outstanding documentary. The doc about Herzog himself, “Burden of Dreams,” by Les Blank is equally compelling and illustrates that Herzog is quite the nutter himself (not that he portrays himself as an angel in “Fiend”).
“People think we had a love-hate relationship. Well, I did not love him, nor did I hate him. We had mutual respect for each other, even as we both planned each other’s murder.” – Werner Herzog on Kinski.
The film’s conclusion where Herzog waxes romantically about his former leading star, how much he meant to him, how much he meant to cinema is practically tear-inducing. Herzog has an amazing way with words in that he can be so ridiculous, so over-the-top and then suddenly become so grand, and beautiful.
There’s an amazing, amazing Popol Vuh (a German proto-ambient Krautrock group who did many of Herzog’s scores) instrumental at the end that anticipates My Bloody Valentine by at least 10 years that is just astounding. If anyone has the track that ends that movie, please, please for the love of god, send it to me.
In lieu I have posted two Popol Vuh songs from “Aguirre.” They are lovely in their own way.
A friend who will remain anoynmous, but close to it all noted that Herzog’s manager (also his brother) is, naturally, extremely difficult to work with and was trying to impose outrageous financial demands for Herzog to appear. No big surprise there. If you live in New York do yourself a favor and catch as many as these of these films as you can.
