Werner Herzog (above right) with favorite star Klaus Kinski during the shooting of Fitzcarraldo (1982). [Or perhaps it is Cobra Verde. See comment below.] Janet Maslin’s very funny review of Herzog’s book, Conquest of the Useless, Reflections From the Making of ‘Fitzcarraldo,’ can be read here.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Remarkable Mr. Herzog
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4 comments:
Dear Jerry,
I love Herzog's work from Fitzcararaldo to My Favorite Fiend, Incident at Loch Ness and beyond. Klaus Kinski has always fascinated me.
How well I remember early morning breakfasts at King's Row Cafe in West Hollywood and having Mr. Kinski stare at me. He would hold his mug of cappuccino and unwaveringly stare at me.
I remember feeling like some village maiden being overseen by the Graf on his horse. After 5 mornings like that, I finally decided that I couldn't be the village maiden, I must be the Mistress or he wouldn't have gazed so fixedly upon me.
Upon that realization, I stared back, after a minute or so, his eyes dropped and he never dared stare at me that way again...
Stephanie Locke
I don't think taht photo's from the set of "Fitzcarraldo". Kinski did not have long hair at that time. I think this would be from "Cobra Verde".
Thanks for the correction, Richard, and thank you for the story, Stephanie.
Kinski is a fascinating character. Herzog describes him in terms of fights and screaming tantrums, but according to Jess Franco, who also worked with him, he was a pussycat.
Speaking of film books:
"Herzog's response was to look for more trouble: he brought in Klaus Kinski to play Fitzgerald/Fitzcarraldo. Herzog had gone into the Peruvian jungle once before with Kinski, for "Aguirre", an experience that had led to threats of gunplay. The likelihood of a more amiable outcome on "Fitzcarraldo" may be judged from Kinski's memoirs.
Although these cannot guide us toward any external reality, they do leave a vivid impression of the actor's feeling toward Herzog, which may be summed up as murderous rage. In April 1981, Herzog started shooting "Fitzcarraldo" again from the beginning, in the face of his star's unrelenting fury."
"Film Follies: The Cinema Out of Order" by Stuart Klawans, p.153
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