It is not easy confinement viewing. Here is the Wikipedia plot summary.
"A group of dwarfs confined in an institution on a remote island rebel against the guards and director (all dwarfs as well) in a display of mayhem. The dwarfs gleefully break windows and dishes, abandon a running truck to drive itself in circles, engineer food fights and cock fights, set fire to pots of flowers, kill a large pig, torment some blind dwarfs, and perform a mock crucifixion of a monkey."
Trailer
I couldn't really do it justice as I couldn't watch it in one sitting. Herzog's career is so massive and encompassing, I couldn't really write about that either. Instead, I made three short films using photos and footage from the film.
"When we behave nobody cares. But when we are bad, nobody forgets."
"Werner Herzog on jumping into a cactus"
"1.33 of weirdness while I tried to get the 'When we behave...' quote."
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I hope someday when you realize the pain and agony you've put me through trying to maintain a facade of calm in the face of your increasing madness that you too will jump into a cactus.
ReplyDeleteHere if it makes you feel any better here is a story that my friend ....Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav, the 18th-century Hasidic master, once told me (I think it was in Hebrew school) A king one day summoned his counselor. “I have read in the stars,” he said, “that all who eat of the next harvest will be driven mad. What shall we do?” To which the counselor advised that he and the king should eat the previous year’s dwindling reserves and let the populace eat the tainted food. “I don’t wish to remain lucid in the midst of a people gone mad,” replied the king, “so we shall all enter madness together. When the world is in a state of delirium it is senseless to watch from the outside: the mad will think that we, too, are mad.” Yet the king also desired to keep alive the memory of his decision and of his former state. Putting his arm around his friend’s shoulder, he said: “You and I shall therefore mark each other’s forehead with a seal, and every time we look at one another, we shall know that we are mad.”
ReplyDeleteThank you for that story from Rabbi Nachman. I love that. It surely expresses the sentiment of this film. If you find an appropriate mark, I'll gladly join you....
ReplyDeleteI fairly used it from a Rolling Stone interview with Herzog. Resonated with me.
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