Well, this was a lot of work! I really hope you enjoy this deep dive into the work of one of my favorite filmmakers, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the longer format! Are there any other directors that would be interesting for a video like this?
Stanley Kubrick, as he had a vision, like Herzog, throughout his oeuvre and was an inspiration to directors and filmmakers, like Scorsese and Spielberg mentioned above and many others of course. He certainly defined cinema and his perfectionism and the way he interacted with his actors makes an interesting topic for sure. [Edit]: Tarkowskij as a lesser known director comes to mind as well as I am writing about Kubrick.
I can't believe I only watched this now. This was amazing and it made me realize again what true cinema is and why I fell in love with it. After being bombarded with frustrating mainstream movies, social media, and other forms of visual distractions I feel like I found my way back. Thank you!
37:01 -- My favorite moment of his Ecstatic Truth is this rogue penguin in Encounters At The End Of The World. As the penguin wanders away from its colony towards the distant mountains, possibly towards certain death, Werner's voice-over comes in with a single simple question delivered with such immense curiosity: "BUT WHY!?" That image of the penguin coupled with the question...it gives you a feeling of vast perspective on all living things. First off, the image is unique. No one has ever captured an image like that because why should an image like that exist? The penguin should NOT be doing that. But it IS doing that. The penguin is suddenly drawn to the great landscape like it had a stroke of inspiration to explore, which it put above the need for it's own self preservation. It has been overcome by the beauty of the world. As the image sinks in, we realize that the penguin's eccentric voyage is not unlike the rogue human settlers of Antarctica who are the main subject of the film. The moment taps into a far greater cosmic mystery behind all eccentric behavior driven by dreams, that maybe it isn't just a human trait. There's a sense of discovery, of something simultaneously unexplainable and rightfully stirring to the soul. The image is an idea that is slightly insufficient when you try to articulate in words, as I just tried. Our being witness to that penguin opened a door, allowing us to feel an idea that is greater than the sum of the information received. Ecstatic Truth is poetry witnessed.
cows in a field articulate themselves tho they have feelings and an awareness of others to a greater extent than people give them credit, the contempt for them is udneserved
This is perhaps the best investigation and academic look into Herzog's work on TH-cam. Literally, tears in my eyes. To call yourself a 'fan' and not a student is an understatement.
I've met Herzog in 2018 during a panel talk at the DOK Leipzig and he talked about the scene in 24:31 when the two men are crawling on the ice. He said that they met these guys during the production in a local bar a day before shooting the scene mentioned above. Both were absolutely drunk (sorry Russians for this stereotype coming true again) and where asked to crawl about the ice for the documentary. They agreed and appeared (again strongly drunken) on the next day to the lake. In the very end of the scene one stops crawling and lays on the ice. Herzog discovered that this guy simply fell asleep because of his intoxication
I hope you don’t find this patronising, but you can really tell how much you’ve grown as a creator with this. I loved how you gave us a minute at the end without voiceover to feel and experience for ourselves the ecstatic truth Herzog described. What an incredibly rewarding insight into one of the most ambitious and disparate filmographies out there. Thank you, Tom. You remain my favourite creator on TH-cam. Keep it coming!
Thanks! Appreciate it! It was actually quite challenging to talk about Herzog's 'ecstatic truth' because he describes it as being so intuitive and beyond analysis that discussing it almost seemed antithetical, so I figured I'd just try to show it as Herzog himself does it.
I'm going through a difficult time in my life (is there ever any non difficult time?) and this work of yours has just helped put a lot of stuff into perspective. Its radiant with ecstatic truth.
Yes, there are easier, lighter, more fun times. I'm not in one right now - like you I'm in a difficult time - but I remember that there are radiant times. Hold fast and keep on.
Really.. To me there is not... Every day it becomes harder. But you get stronger to. So.. Dont let the sun go down so many times in your life. YOU WILL GET STRONGER and better. So, from a fellow hard warrior. I send you grettings and HOPE.
"But they serve to communicate a different kind of truth(...) He is not interested in their facts. He is interested in their dreams" I couldn't ever forget this line as long as I draw breath. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for performing such a marvelous essay on this outstanding artist and human.
That's what I love so much about your videos: You're not just there to give us a brief overview of something, but talk about what it actually means, not just to you, but to anyone who sees them. Art and stories can mean so much and change people, but often people just talk about if "it's good" and nothing else. There's something inherently resonating about great art, something full of truth and personality, that deserves communication beyond the cynical. Another amazing video, thank you for putting so much time into it.
This is my favorite TH-cam video and every once in a while I feel compelled to revisit it. It talks about truth and there is much, much truty within it.
I've always had a unconscious connection to Herzog. His images: of the paddleboat on the amazon hill, still from Aguirre Wrath of God have struck me from my first exposure as a schoolboy. He is a magical human and this wonderful documentary reveals how his magic has enriched us. Thank you!
This is a masterpiece in itself. I am deeply moved by the reverence you show for Herzog even as he shows reverence for the subjects of his film. Thank you.
I keep coming back to this video. If our world dies from natural causes, then please god let the server hosting this video be one of the places in the universe that expresses something true about humainty. This is amazing Art LSOO.
Great. 3 days now since I've been introduced to Herzog's cinema, everyday watching a film or documentary by him. Already watched Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Fitzcarraldo and Burden of Dreams, and I am soooo in love by this man. Today, open the youtube and your latest video came upon me. Thanks for this, it was amazing.
I have not seen any of his movies , but after watching the first 4 minutes of this documentary, I think he might already be my favorite director of all time. I look forward to seeing all his films and learning more about the man.
Herzog has been important to me in a way that’s difficult to articulate ever since I first discovered him. I’ve continually been confounded and troubled and disturbed and challenged and amazed by him. My girlfriend and I love his documentaries and we consider him “our” filmmaker the same way some couples have “our” song or something, partly because Herzog himself is so incredibly interesting to witness, even hilarious. This fabricated, ecstatic truth, the nature of his documentaries and his presence in them, is exactly what makes them stand out so profoundly from others. Basically anytime I’ve seen a documentary, part of me wonders how it would’ve been had it been Herzog behind the camera. Thank you for this gorgeous, articulate video essay. Alongside Ebert’s letter to Herzog, this May be the best take I’ve seen on Herzog’s work and on the man himself
erste klasse. I never saw Kinski happy. but really genuinely happy that way that he expressing it naturally and with no doubts about it. this was really inner child bliss shown through work of others... resembling true faith in humanity in any form.
Definitely the most comprehensive Hertzog film review that one could possibly learn in 39 mins. Well researched and well presented. A model for any film review. Thank you. So happy to find your channel. subscribed.
Brillant! You chose the right amount of details necessary to touch something we didn't expect. I can't imagine the agony of letting all the ideas and clips go in the process of making this moving documentary.
Love your work, especially all the videos you've covered with the representation of archetypes and Robert Moore's work. I've read and listened to a lot of his stuff and you really do an amazing job of bringing those ideas to life. Powerful stuff man, thanks for everything from Canada!
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Mr. Herzog was on a podcast almost 2 years ago, but because of my ignorance I lost interest. This video brought a whole new light, and I will be listening to that podcast again with open eyes.
This was an amazing experience of sensibility and deep, both of Herzog and also of whoever made the film, wrote the script weaving in the images and the narrator's soft-spoken voice.
Thank you so much for this. Beautiful video. I shook Werner's hand 3 months ago and was only able to say: "Thank you for everything, sir" and he noded politely. We need to keep burning with all the poetry we can congregate. Wondeful video, impecably researched and edited.
This is so well made, thank you. I’ve seen ‘educational’ videos on TH-cam plenty of times, but never have I actually found one so directly insightful and well-pieced together. Doesn’t at all feel like you just are regurgitating online essays about the subject. What could be scholarly analysis ends up being very emotionally stirring, I think Herzog himself would appreciate that. I’m cringing at myself for writing an earnest TH-cam comment, but it felt necessary.
You continue you refine your familiar techniques/approach while also subtly pushing the medium in very profound ways. The bar has been raised (again) for video essays & specifically subject retrospectives and I look forward to seeing how this inspires others (TH-camrs and Professionals alike) to push themselves as you have to be efficient, yet thorough. Scholarly, yet artistic. Objective, yet emotional. Educational, yet personal. You wove a lot of different perspectives and themes into this one and it works very, very well. Many retrospectives are celebratory, far reaching and engaging, but sometimes they don't feel distinct and like a wholly unique contribution to the world/conversation. And none have had the original work by the essayist, from writing to editing, echo in such a poetic way the subject it discusses. Which that alone makes this piece transcend a most other retrospectives. I hope others recognize it. Congratulations on pushing yourself because it really paid off and we're all lucky to enjoy the fruit of that effort.
Thanks! Love that you talk about the medium of the video essay, because I've thought about that a lot while making this video; Herzog's concept of ecstatic truth is by his own account something you know/feel instantly and 'not in need of analysis', which made talking about it seem sort of counterintuitive, but I figured this is where the video essay format really offers you so much more to work with to present a concept which cannot be fully captured with just words.
The most poetic of filmmakers. Images that always fascinate, whether it be feature or documentary. I look forward to continuing seeing more of his output, which is so diverse. What I have seen thus far gives me a good idea of the man. He is a thinker outside the box it might be said.
What is truth? Can we see it when it is shown? Can we hear it when it is told? Can we feel it when it is expressed?... You sir are the soul of a lost art. One I thought I would never see again. May you never stop showing you light to us.
My favourite director along David Lynch and Tarkovsky, the three know what's up with modernity and I freakin love em for educating me so well. Thank you for this great video, my brother.
This is one of the greatest documentaries on TH-cam like others have said, and it put into context why I've always loved Herzog. If I could give any human being a great big hug and thank them Itd be Werner, definitely.
Brilliant as usual. I haven been one of your earliest fans. Keep it up bro. We all are storytellers. Some find the words whereas others find themselves in those words.
The filming technique seems similar that of Terrence Malick. I wonder if he will take over for this imporant director. This was delightful and fasinating to watch. can't wait for the next one.
I loved some of Herzog's movies so much, that it made me cry. This was a great insight into his work and mind, and I'm truly grateful for it; you reminded me how impressive and beautiful his movies are. Time for some rewatching; cheers!
goddamn, you managed to put everything i love about Herzog into words.his reverence for other cultures, approaching anything alien to him with genuine wonder and sincerity is so beautiful. just an unparalleled genius ... only thing i can throw on that gives me genuine faith in humanity (as much as it's possible) and - dare i say - hope for the future
That was heavy stuff. Thx you. Minutes before this video I was watching Skateboarding tricks. Then German Tom Selleck came along. I didnt know how deeply invested was W.H Hardcore dude !
I don't imagine that i could be as creative as this gentleman, and this video makes me glad i'm not such a gifted artist.. poor Werner has suffered for his art. This video tore at my heart so much I had to take breaks, I love you Werner where ever you are.
A beautiful treatment of a beautiful soul. Herzog is so easy to miss, to ironize and even mock, especially in US culture, which is terrified of real depth, for which it has so profound a need and so little space in its heart. Most, even good, interviewers and documentaries pass over any contact with the soul, the poetry, of his work. It is philosophical (in the ancient, not academic sense), and this documentary brings that through well. Herzog's work, like all great art, it is both a vision of truth and what that vision lets us see. You may open many eyes to that double-vision, and that is good work indeed.
This was such a beautiful essay. As someone who already loves Herzog's films, you still managed to convey something powerful that I'd never seen in them. Near the end I had tears in my eyes and was laughing at the same time. That kind of laughter which isn't directed at a joke, or at irony, but instead at a much simpler kind of ecstasy. Maybe it's partly just an inevitable result of watching Klaus Kinski's infectious smile, but it was your editing, use of music, and wonderfully-written narration that pushed that ecstasy over the top. Thank you. And as to tackling this longer video format in the future, I'd love to see more takes on transcendental film. Tarkovsky rather than Kubrick; Ozu rather than Coppola; Schrader rather than Nolan; Dryer rather than Welles; etc. I think the spiritual/transcendental style of filmmaking is much more rewarding for longform essays than any other (however masterful) kind of filmmaking. And for documentaries, I think that Joshua Oppenheimer's two recent films (The Act of Killing, and The Look of Silence) would also make for fantastic followups, since Herzog himself has so much respect for Oppenheimer.
Werner is one of my heroes! As Star Wars fans, we are blessed to have him in The Mandalorian. As cinema fans, we are blessed that he took the role in The Mandalorian to fund more of his film projects. Herzog is one of the most prolific filmmakers of all time.
Another connection between Herzog in the Mandalorian and the Star Wars universe is that the island he films the movie where he hypnotised the people is Sceilg Mhicil in South West Ireland. This is the same island called Ahch-To, in the force awakens where they find Luke Skywalker
@LikeStoriesofOld This was an excellent video, very information, very inspirational. Not knowing much about Werner Herzog, you've opened my eyes to new possibilities of how to express my character's flaws and struggles. I am now seeing new perspectives and approaches to giving my novels a bit more meaning and substance to an otherwise fictional world. As for your question on the length of the videos. I think your 30+ minutes videos should be specials. You should really save them for content that is worthy of such a long run time. Because what will inevitably happen is that if you are posting videos that are long, people will skip on watching them because they are too frequent. Also, you may run into an issue where you start to struggle filling such a long time gap. So I definitely think these videos have a purpose and a place, but they should be used strategically. Either way, this has been great content and very enjoyable video to watch. Thank you.
I really like the way you form such a well thought out critique of the films and film makers that you admire in such an articulate way while also applying obvious talent and skill to way you craft each of your documentaries.
Already posted here before.. but having watched again.. just wanted to offer heart felt thanks, appreciation and gratitude for creating such an amazingly expressive documentary. It is faultless.. speaks to the mind and the heart.. and your tireless and, I don't doubt, passionate research and understanding toward putting this together is deeply deeply appreciated. I'm not so sure there can ever have been a more fundamentally connecting vision of the works of Herzog in documentary form (perhaps in any form).. and the work is deeply humane and deeply liberating of the ideas and scope of Herzog himself.. perhaps even beyond that which Herzog could relay.. given that you have condensed his art form so well. Thank You! Given the general state of TH-cam (and audience participation) (any video that involves a cat chasing a dog receives 1.5million views within 3 weeks) You are a shining light. : )
Well, this was a lot of work! I really hope you enjoy this deep dive into the work of one of my favorite filmmakers, and I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the longer format! Are there any other directors that would be interesting for a video like this?
I like the deep dive. I want to learn more about film.
Christopher Nolan
Scorsese or Spielberg
Stanley Kubrick, as he had a vision, like Herzog, throughout his oeuvre and was an inspiration to directors and filmmakers, like Scorsese and Spielberg mentioned above and many others of course. He certainly defined cinema and his perfectionism and the way he interacted with his actors makes an interesting topic for sure.
[Edit]: Tarkowskij as a lesser known director comes to mind as well as I am writing about Kubrick.
Kieslowski;Von Trier, Visconti, Leone, Malik, Kubrick, Nolan...the list is endless.
I can't believe I only watched this now. This was amazing and it made me realize again what true cinema is and why I fell in love with it. After being bombarded with frustrating mainstream movies, social media, and other forms of visual distractions I feel like I found my way back. Thank you!
i feel the same!
37:01 -- My favorite moment of his Ecstatic Truth is this rogue penguin in Encounters At The End Of The World. As the penguin wanders away from its colony towards the distant mountains, possibly towards certain death, Werner's voice-over comes in with a single simple question delivered with such immense curiosity: "BUT WHY!?" That image of the penguin coupled with the question...it gives you a feeling of vast perspective on all living things. First off, the image is unique. No one has ever captured an image like that because why should an image like that exist? The penguin should NOT be doing that. But it IS doing that. The penguin is suddenly drawn to the great landscape like it had a stroke of inspiration to explore, which it put above the need for it's own self preservation. It has been overcome by the beauty of the world. As the image sinks in, we realize that the penguin's eccentric voyage is not unlike the rogue human settlers of Antarctica who are the main subject of the film. The moment taps into a far greater cosmic mystery behind all eccentric behavior driven by dreams, that maybe it isn't just a human trait. There's a sense of discovery, of something simultaneously unexplainable and rightfully stirring to the soul.
The image is an idea that is slightly insufficient when you try to articulate in words, as I just tried. Our being witness to that penguin opened a door, allowing us to feel an idea that is greater than the sum of the information received. Ecstatic Truth is poetry witnessed.
I just came from a clip of that part!
Maybe it's suicidal. Lemmings all jump off a cliff but why?
@@annalisavajda252they don't though
Pudí ho k tomu nějaký pocit.
"We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in a field." What a beautiful way to end it :)
cows in a field articulate themselves tho
they have feelings and an awareness of others to a greater extent than people give them credit, the contempt for them is udneserved
This is perhaps the best investigation and academic look into Herzog's work on TH-cam. Literally, tears in my eyes. To call yourself a 'fan' and not a student is an understatement.
I've met Herzog in 2018 during a panel talk at the DOK Leipzig and he talked about the scene in 24:31 when the two men are crawling on the ice. He said that they met these guys during the production in a local bar a day before shooting the scene mentioned above.
Both were absolutely drunk (sorry Russians for this stereotype coming true again) and where asked to crawl about the ice for the documentary.
They agreed and appeared (again strongly drunken) on the next day to the lake. In the very end of the scene one stops crawling and lays on the ice. Herzog discovered that this guy simply fell asleep because of his intoxication
Herzog can see the possible alternate interpretations of our behaviour.
This is the best reason for TH-cam to exist.
Thank you ❤️
No one can talk about crazy filmmakers without talking about the man, the myth, the legend, Werner Herzog.
Great to see a video like this one.
I think this has become my absolute favorite TH-cam channel. You dig deep.
Ted Naifeh : My Entire Soul agrees with you.
Ted Naifeh : I watched Fitzcaraldo last night and every time I am in awe and feel like I’m watching a biography. Herzog is the absolute MASTER.....🙏🏼
I hope you don’t find this patronising, but you can really tell how much you’ve grown as a creator with this. I loved how you gave us a minute at the end without voiceover to feel and experience for ourselves the ecstatic truth Herzog described.
What an incredibly rewarding insight into one of the most ambitious and disparate filmographies out there.
Thank you, Tom. You remain my favourite creator on TH-cam. Keep it coming!
Thanks! Appreciate it! It was actually quite challenging to talk about Herzog's 'ecstatic truth' because he describes it as being so intuitive and beyond analysis that discussing it almost seemed antithetical, so I figured I'd just try to show it as Herzog himself does it.
Exactly what I thought mate!
And legend has it, he is still looking for that song.
Ice, Ice, Baby, I think.
Right when I feel like I'm giving up hope you give me this and I feel Herzog smile at the humanity of my despair. Thank you.
I'm going through a difficult time in my life (is there ever any non difficult time?) and this work of yours has just helped put a lot of stuff into perspective. Its radiant with ecstatic truth.
Yes, there are easier, lighter, more fun times. I'm not in one right now - like you I'm in a difficult time - but I remember that there are radiant times. Hold fast and keep on.
Really.. To me there is not... Every day it becomes harder. But you get stronger to. So.. Dont let the sun go down so many times in your life. YOU WILL GET STRONGER and better. So, from a fellow hard warrior. I send you grettings and HOPE.
life has becoming harder and harder....
Youth is a blunder,
Manhood a struggle,
Old Age a regret.
Benjamin Disraeli
@@GuacamoleyNachoalles absolut nicht zutreffend 🤪😉
"But they serve to communicate a different kind of truth(...) He is not interested in their facts. He is interested in their dreams" I couldn't ever forget this line as long as I draw breath.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for performing such a marvelous essay on this outstanding artist and human.
That's what I love so much about your videos: You're not just there to give us a brief overview of something, but talk about what it actually means, not just to you, but to anyone who sees them. Art and stories can mean so much and change people, but often people just talk about if "it's good" and nothing else. There's something inherently resonating about great art, something full of truth and personality, that deserves communication beyond the cynical. Another amazing video, thank you for putting so much time into it.
This is my favorite TH-cam video and every once in a while I feel compelled to revisit it. It talks about truth and there is much, much truty within it.
I think of Werner Herzog as showing me the dreams of people i will never meet.
I've always had a unconscious connection to Herzog. His images: of the paddleboat on the amazon hill, still from Aguirre Wrath of God have struck me from my first exposure as a schoolboy. He is a magical human and this wonderful documentary reveals how his magic has enriched us. Thank you!
This is a masterpiece in itself. I am deeply moved by the reverence you show for Herzog even as he shows reverence for the subjects of his film. Thank you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Beautiful. Elegant. Mesmerizing. Sublime.
Love you
“My belief is that all these dreams are yours as well. And the only distinction between me and you is that I can articulate them.” 35:58
I keep coming back to this video. If our world dies from natural causes, then please god let the server hosting this video be one of the places in the universe that expresses something true about humainty.
This is amazing Art LSOO.
There are very few true artists making films. Herzog is one of them. Thanks for the long work on this.
Great. 3 days now since I've been introduced to Herzog's cinema, everyday watching a film or documentary by him. Already watched Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Fitzcarraldo and Burden of Dreams, and I am soooo in love by this man. Today, open the youtube and your latest video came upon me. Thanks for this, it was amazing.
This is a very underrated channel. You deserve a larger audience.
Kase ho
I have not seen any of his movies , but after watching the first 4 minutes of this documentary, I think he might already be my favorite director of all time. I look forward to seeing all his films and learning more about the man.
Herzog has been important to me in a way that’s difficult to articulate ever since I first discovered him. I’ve continually been confounded and troubled and disturbed and challenged and amazed by him. My girlfriend and I love his documentaries and we consider him “our” filmmaker the same way some couples have “our” song or something, partly because Herzog himself is so incredibly interesting to witness, even hilarious. This fabricated, ecstatic truth, the nature of his documentaries and his presence in them, is exactly what makes them stand out so profoundly from others. Basically anytime I’ve seen a documentary, part of me wonders how it would’ve been had it been Herzog behind the camera.
Thank you for this gorgeous, articulate video essay. Alongside Ebert’s letter to Herzog, this May be the best take I’ve seen on Herzog’s work and on the man himself
erste klasse. I never saw Kinski happy. but really genuinely happy that way that he expressing it naturally and with no doubts about it. this was really inner child bliss shown through work of others... resembling true faith in humanity in any form.
I carry Herzog's book, "Of walking in ice" everywhere with me.
I can’t wait to read that one fr
Thank you. I'll get it immediately.
@@Allenmarshall Finally read it - it was as fantastic as I’d hoped, if not a bit shorter.
Thanks for the rec
I often fantasize about walking to my oblivion in the antarctic while orthodox christian choirs fill the air with hymns. That penguin was on point.
This is a masterpiece of a video essay. I cannot overstate how powerful and moving this was to me.
As a great fan of this wonderful film maker Werner Herzog I have seen all his films. Thank you for this great documentary.
Definitely the most comprehensive Hertzog film review that one could possibly learn in 39 mins. Well researched and well presented. A model for any film review. Thank you. So happy to find your channel. subscribed.
I once got to meet Herzog when he came to my university. Intimidating in all the right ways
Brillant! You chose the right amount of details necessary to touch something we didn't expect. I can't imagine the agony of letting all the ideas and clips go in the process of making this moving documentary.
Your videos are like a spiritual journey every time I watch one I discover something about myself that I never knew existed
Your taste in music is just as good as your taste in film, I appreciate to find another person who values the art they consume.
Love your work, especially all the videos you've covered with the representation of archetypes and Robert Moore's work. I've read and listened to a lot of his stuff and you really do an amazing job of bringing those ideas to life. Powerful stuff man, thanks for everything from Canada!
I like narrator's voice in Like Stories of Old.
i dropped out of film school and i swear i learned more about documentary and truth-telling in this video than i did in all of those 2.5 years.
Honestly one of the most visionary videos I've seen on this platform. Bravo.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Mr. Herzog was on a podcast almost 2 years ago, but because of my ignorance I lost interest. This video brought a whole new light, and I will be listening to that podcast again with open eyes.
Goddamn, I almost cried. Your videos are absolute works of art, and are deeply satisfying. Thanks man.
Fascinating and life affirming... sometimes I need to be reminded how deep and rich our world is.
This was an amazing experience of sensibility and deep, both of Herzog and also of whoever made the film, wrote the script weaving in the images and the narrator's soft-spoken voice.
Thank you so much for this. Beautiful video. I shook Werner's hand 3 months ago and was only able to say: "Thank you for everything, sir" and he noded politely. We need to keep burning with all the poetry we can congregate. Wondeful video, impecably researched and edited.
This is so well made, thank you. I’ve seen ‘educational’ videos on TH-cam plenty of times, but never have I actually found one so directly insightful and well-pieced together. Doesn’t at all feel like you just are regurgitating online essays about the subject. What could be scholarly analysis ends up being very emotionally stirring, I think Herzog himself would appreciate that.
I’m cringing at myself for writing an earnest TH-cam comment, but it felt necessary.
You never fail to touch my soul
Thank you for your efforts LSOO.
You do the world a great service with your amazing work.
I love Herzog. Thank you for this wonderful video.
Herzog is easily one of my favorite directors. This is a worthy tribute.
There is nothing to add, but silent appreciation and gratitude for art at it's finest.
You continue you refine your familiar techniques/approach while also subtly pushing the medium in very profound ways. The bar has been raised (again) for video essays & specifically subject retrospectives and I look forward to seeing how this inspires others (TH-camrs and Professionals alike) to push themselves as you have to be efficient, yet thorough. Scholarly, yet artistic. Objective, yet emotional. Educational, yet personal.
You wove a lot of different perspectives and themes into this one and it works very, very well. Many retrospectives are celebratory, far reaching and engaging, but sometimes they don't feel distinct and like a wholly unique contribution to the world/conversation. And none have had the original work by the essayist, from writing to editing, echo in such a poetic way the subject it discusses. Which that alone makes this piece transcend a most other retrospectives. I hope others recognize it. Congratulations on pushing yourself because it really paid off and we're all lucky to enjoy the fruit of that effort.
Thanks! Love that you talk about the medium of the video essay, because I've thought about that a lot while making this video; Herzog's concept of ecstatic truth is by his own account something you know/feel instantly and 'not in need of analysis', which made talking about it seem sort of counterintuitive, but I figured this is where the video essay format really offers you so much more to work with to present a concept which cannot be fully captured with just words.
thank you so much for your highly curated productions, it is really a bliss and inspiration.
You see the genius in Herzog's films. You have captured his true spirit in this documentary.
The most poetic of filmmakers. Images that always fascinate, whether it be feature or documentary. I look forward to continuing seeing more of his output, which is so diverse. What I have seen thus far gives me a good idea of the man. He is a thinker outside the box it might be said.
Excellent film crit. I will rewatch his films now with a completely new perspective.
What is truth? Can we see it when it is shown? Can we hear it when it is told? Can we feel it when it is expressed?... You sir are the soul of a lost art. One I thought I would never see again. May you never stop showing you light to us.
The first time I saw one of your videos I thought of Werner Herzog. Your analyses are always incredible
My favourite director along David Lynch and Tarkovsky, the three know what's up with modernity and I freakin love em for educating me so well. Thank you for this great video, my brother.
i love Herzog and his films.Thanks a lot!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS I CANT WAIT TO WATCH!
There is no doubt he is indeed the most important director alive. He's in a league of his own.
Thankyou sincerely. You change life just like wheels, electricity and aeroplanes did. You are a world asset.
This is one of the greatest documentaries on TH-cam like others have said, and it put into context why I've always loved Herzog. If I could give any human being a great big hug and thank them Itd be Werner, definitely.
You are the Werner Herzog of TH-cam. Another brilliant video essay...
truly I am moved so deeply .....after years of being a petrified forest...really thank you
I don't love or even like all of his films, but the ones I do, I hold dear. As one of the most honest filmmakers alive today, W.H. has no peer.
Superb. Great work! Herzog is a gift to the human race.
Brilliant as usual. I haven been one of your earliest fans. Keep it up bro. We all are storytellers. Some find the words whereas others find themselves in those words.
The filming technique seems similar that of Terrence Malick. I wonder if he will take over for this imporant director. This was delightful and fasinating to watch. can't wait for the next one.
Well done! One of the best docs on Herzog I have seen.
Bravo!! This was fantastic!!!!... I was lucky enough to attend Herzog's Rogue Film School in 2014.
Thank you so much for your contribution to society
What an extraordinary documentary. I was absolutely entranced or 40 minutes. Thank you sop much or sharing it with us.
I loved some of Herzog's movies so much, that it made me cry. This was a great insight into his work and mind, and I'm truly grateful for it; you reminded me how impressive and beautiful his movies are. Time for some rewatching; cheers!
goddamn, you managed to put everything i love about Herzog into words.his reverence for other cultures, approaching anything alien to him with genuine wonder and sincerity is so beautiful. just an unparalleled genius ... only thing i can throw on that gives me genuine faith in humanity (as much as it's possible) and - dare i say - hope for the future
You are a treasure to humanity.
This was awesome bro, I am an illiterate when it comes to film, but your work and that of Herzog has a captivating quality to it.
That was heavy stuff. Thx you. Minutes before this video I was watching Skateboarding tricks.
Then German Tom Selleck came along. I didnt know how deeply invested was W.H Hardcore dude !
The fact that there is a universe alone indicates harmony
You are so inspiring. I think there is the rest of essays, and there is enlightement: your channel. You are what I aspire to accomplish.
I think perhaps this should be put forward as best video on TH-cam ever. Let alone about Werner Herzog 😄
To find something beautiful without studying it too much... this video is one of those. It is art.
I don't imagine that i could be as creative as this gentleman, and this video makes me glad i'm not such a gifted artist.. poor Werner has suffered for his art. This video tore at my heart so much I had to take breaks, I love you Werner where ever you are.
A beautiful treatment of a beautiful soul. Herzog is so easy to miss, to ironize and even mock, especially in US culture, which is terrified of real depth, for which it has so profound a need and so little space in its heart. Most, even good, interviewers and documentaries pass over any contact with the soul, the poetry, of his work. It is philosophical (in the ancient, not academic sense), and this documentary brings that through well. Herzog's work, like all great art, it is both a vision of truth and what that vision lets us see. You may open many eyes to that double-vision, and that is good work indeed.
There really is something Saintly about Herzog and his work in the Great European Tradition of Art.
Hier heb je echt veel energie in gestoken, werkelijk een pronkstuk! Dank Je!
The distinction Herzog makes between the accountant's truth and the sublime truth is critical.
This was such a beautiful essay. As someone who already loves Herzog's films, you still managed to convey something powerful that I'd never seen in them. Near the end I had tears in my eyes and was laughing at the same time. That kind of laughter which isn't directed at a joke, or at irony, but instead at a much simpler kind of ecstasy. Maybe it's partly just an inevitable result of watching Klaus Kinski's infectious smile, but it was your editing, use of music, and wonderfully-written narration that pushed that ecstasy over the top. Thank you.
And as to tackling this longer video format in the future, I'd love to see more takes on transcendental film. Tarkovsky rather than Kubrick; Ozu rather than Coppola; Schrader rather than Nolan; Dryer rather than Welles; etc. I think the spiritual/transcendental style of filmmaking is much more rewarding for longform essays than any other (however masterful) kind of filmmaking. And for documentaries, I think that Joshua Oppenheimer's two recent films (The Act of Killing, and The Look of Silence) would also make for fantastic followups, since Herzog himself has so much respect for Oppenheimer.
Wow. I am excited for this. 40mins of pure awesomeness.
Thank you for sharing this peace of art: Incredible work 🙏🙏
Now I just listen to you while painting. Your usage of voice helps to calm the mind and you are a good thinker
Werner is one of my heroes! As Star Wars fans, we are blessed to have him in The Mandalorian. As cinema fans, we are blessed that he took the role in The Mandalorian to fund more of his film projects.
Herzog is one of the most prolific filmmakers of all time.
Another connection between Herzog in the Mandalorian and the Star Wars universe is that the island he films the movie where he hypnotised the people is Sceilg Mhicil in South West Ireland. This is the same island called Ahch-To, in the force awakens where they find Luke Skywalker
YOU ARE SUCH A BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR YOU TUBE. THANKYOU, YOUR MY HERO!!!!🙏🏿❤🙏🏿❤🙏🏿❤🙏🏿❤💯💯💯💯🇬🇧🌍🌟🤝
Thank you so much, this made me cry!
@LikeStoriesofOld This was an excellent video, very information, very inspirational. Not knowing much about Werner Herzog, you've opened my eyes to new possibilities of how to express my character's flaws and struggles. I am now seeing new perspectives and approaches to giving my novels a bit more meaning and substance to an otherwise fictional world.
As for your question on the length of the videos. I think your 30+ minutes videos should be specials. You should really save them for content that is worthy of such a long run time. Because what will inevitably happen is that if you are posting videos that are long, people will skip on watching them because they are too frequent. Also, you may run into an issue where you start to struggle filling such a long time gap.
So I definitely think these videos have a purpose and a place, but they should be used strategically. Either way, this has been great content and very enjoyable video to watch.
Thank you.
Great comments, Ninja!
I really like the way you form such a well thought out critique of the films and film makers that you admire in such an articulate way while also applying obvious talent and skill to way you craft each of your documentaries.
Like Stories of Old is almost incontestably the best channel doing thematic analysis of film on TH-cam. I wish you the best and many more subscribers.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
I really enjoy your work. It is marvelous. Please do not stop.
Incredible, you have outdone yourself. Of course I would love to hear your analysis of Kubrick.
Already posted here before.. but having watched again.. just wanted to offer heart felt thanks, appreciation and gratitude for creating such an amazingly expressive documentary.
It is faultless.. speaks to the mind and the heart.. and your tireless and, I don't doubt, passionate research and understanding toward putting this together is deeply deeply appreciated.
I'm not so sure there can ever have been a more fundamentally connecting vision of the works of Herzog in documentary form (perhaps in any form).. and the work is deeply humane and deeply liberating of the ideas and scope of Herzog himself.. perhaps even beyond that which Herzog could relay.. given that you have condensed his art form so well.
Thank You!
Given the general state of TH-cam (and audience participation) (any video that involves a cat chasing a dog receives 1.5million views within 3 weeks)
You are a shining light.
: )