Werner Herzog's Cultural Life

 Werner Herzog is a truly remarkable person.

This BBC Sounds programme profiles his life, told in an extended interview, and was recorded to coincide with the release of his memoir, which is called 'Every Man for Himself and God against All: A Memoir', which I need to get a copy of.

Werner Herzog recalls his impoverished childhood in a remote Bavarian valley at the end of the Second World War. 

He says that, as a teenager, his discovery of a book about the Lascaux cave paintings was ‘like a bolt of lightning’ to his creative imagination, and led to him making a documentary film about prehistoric cave art many years later. 

He describes how his films often start with a vivid or unusual image, and how he seeks to capture a sense of awe at the power of the natural world. 

Werner Herzog discusses the extremely arduous and dangerous conditions in which he made some of his best known films, including Fitzcarraldo and four other films starring the temperamentally volatile lead actor Klaus Kinski. 

He talks about the importance of his film on the Chauvet caves.

He also talks about the importance of walking. He wrote a wonderful book 'Of Walking in Ice' which he describes as being one of the books carried by Bruce Chatwin.

He also describes the making of the film 'Fitzcarraldo' with Klaus Kinski - you have to watch this movie. And also 'Burden of Dreams' - on the making of the film.

I have a connection with one of his films. He made a film called 'Encounters at the End of the World'. 

I was asked to produce some educational materials for the film, and was invited to the UK premiere.

Earlier listened again to this extraordinary interview with Werner Herzog, just to be sure I'd heard it all correctly. Should he ever die, and I'm not sure it's a given, we'll all notice. Electrics will flutter, the sky will turn dark at noon...https://t.co/P8WVvz8cbp

— NOT QUITE LIGHT - NQL (@NotQuiteLight) November 8, 2023

You really need to give this a listen...