I haven't seen tons of short documentaries but I can't imagine finding one that's more inspiring, definitive, funnier, crazier, and just better for the film aficionado than this piece by BURDEN OF DREAMS director Les Blank. With only 20 minutes you get a definitive portrait of one of cinema's greatest: Werner Herzog. And it's as simple as this: if Herzog doesn't inspire you here, if after watching WERNER HERZOG EATS HIS SHOE you don't end admiring him (or admiring more if you already did), well, why do you admire a filmmaker then if not for something related to their bravura? I mean, even if you haven't seen any of his films, this short documentary should be enough to get Herzog.
Here we have his views on television, filmmakers (he mentions big ones like Orson Welles and François Truffaut) and on film as a social issue. But most importantly, we have the proof that there's at least one filmmaker, 'cause yes he's still around in 2013 making one or more films per year, that's honest, daring, a bit f****** crazy, and that really cares for art.
The title perfectly indicates what we are going to watch but the reason why he'll eat his shoe is what matters – Herzog made a promise to the then unknown Errol Morris: if Morris could complete a feature film, Herzog would eat his shoe. Pushed by Herzog and his "having no money ain't an excuse to not make a film as you can steal a camera like I did" philosophy, Morris did complete his first feature GATES OF HEAVEN (1978), which I have yet to see (Herzog loved it).
Herzog's little speech on making your first picture should definitely be in any film student's mind all the time, not to mention his willingness to do pretty much anything (like throwing yourself to a cactus) for the people that work for you in a film. So there, if you don't know Herzog or his films, this could very well be a great starting point. It's extremely well made, really funny, inspiring, unique and crazy (certainly), hell, it even has Charlie Chaplin eating too a shoe!
*Watched it on 10 March, 2013
Here we have his views on television, filmmakers (he mentions big ones like Orson Welles and François Truffaut) and on film as a social issue. But most importantly, we have the proof that there's at least one filmmaker, 'cause yes he's still around in 2013 making one or more films per year, that's honest, daring, a bit f****** crazy, and that really cares for art.
The title perfectly indicates what we are going to watch but the reason why he'll eat his shoe is what matters – Herzog made a promise to the then unknown Errol Morris: if Morris could complete a feature film, Herzog would eat his shoe. Pushed by Herzog and his "having no money ain't an excuse to not make a film as you can steal a camera like I did" philosophy, Morris did complete his first feature GATES OF HEAVEN (1978), which I have yet to see (Herzog loved it).
Herzog's little speech on making your first picture should definitely be in any film student's mind all the time, not to mention his willingness to do pretty much anything (like throwing yourself to a cactus) for the people that work for you in a film. So there, if you don't know Herzog or his films, this could very well be a great starting point. It's extremely well made, really funny, inspiring, unique and crazy (certainly), hell, it even has Charlie Chaplin eating too a shoe!
*Watched it on 10 March, 2013