Werner Herzog on DVD

[Gordon]

Never a dull moment in the Herzog Universe!

"It was not a significant bullet. I am not afraid."

Zen and the Art of Being Interviewed.

[denti alligator]

How does the 2-disc version of Nosferatu (Anchor Bay, R1) differ from the version in the Herzog-Kinski box set?

[tryavna]

How does the 2-disc version of Nosferatu (Anchor Bay, R1) differ from the version in the Herzog-Kinski box set?

They just removed one of the discs (the one with the English-language version) for the boxset. So all you get if you go with the 2-disc release is the other version. I prefer the German version, of course, so it's not an essential omission. But it's a bit disappointing for completists. Still, the value of the boxset cannot be beat!

[denti alligator]

How does the 2-disc version of Nosferatu (Anchor Bay, R1) differ from the version in the Herzog-Kinski box set?

They just removed one of the discs (the one with the English-language version) for the boxset. So all you get if you go with the 2-disc release is the other version. I prefer the German version, of course, so it's not an essential omission. But it's a bit disappointing for completists. Still, the value of the boxset cannot be beat!

But how is the English-language version different? Didn't they just dub an English track?

[tryavna]

How does the 2-disc version of Nosferatu (Anchor Bay, R1) differ from the version in the Herzog-Kinski box set?

They just removed one of the discs (the one with the English-language version) for the boxset. So all you get if you go with the 2-disc release is the other version. I prefer the German version, of course, so it's not an essential omission. But it's a bit disappointing for completists. Still, the value of the boxset cannot be beat!

But how is the English-language version different? Didn't they just dub an English track?

No, it's not just a dub. At the time of filming, Herzog directed all the action twice for the cameras -- once in German, once in English. So, technically, there are two different versions, and there are in fact slight variations. But both are scene-for-scene the same.

That being said, I'd recommend that you go with the boxset. It's really not that big a deal. It's just interesting for Herzog completists because this was the one instance where he choose to film two versions rather than just dub into English during post-production.

[denti alligator]

Thanks for the clarification. I've never fully understood how Herzog uses audio. With Aguire and Fitzcarraldo the German audio doesn't fully match the lips movements of most of the actors. Either the looping was poorly done or they were speaking different languages. Anyone know.

[Nihonophile]

Thanks for the clarification. I've never fully understood how Herzog uses audio. With Aguire and Fitzcarraldo the German audio doesn't fully match the lips movements of most of the actors. Either the looping was poorly done or they were speaking different languages. Anyone know.

The language in Fitzcarraldo is not German, it is English. As per Herzog's commentary, he said that English was the most common language on the set so he chose that over having his actors speaking German. However, Herzog says that he prefers the German dub.

[denti alligator]

Thanks for the clarification. I've never fully understood how Herzog uses audio. With Aguire and Fitzcarraldo the German audio doesn't fully match the lips movements of most of the actors. Either the looping was poorly done or they were speaking different languages. Anyone know.

The language in Fitzcarraldo is not German, it is English. As per Herzog's commentary, he said that English was the most common language on the set so he chose that over having his actors speaking German. However, Herzog says that he prefers the German dub.

That makes sense. The English audio track doesn't match too well either, but the German does somehow sound more "right" to me.

Anyone know what language was used on the set of Aguirre?

[tryavna]

Thanks for the clarification. I've never fully understood how Herzog uses audio. With Aguire and Fitzcarraldo the German audio doesn't fully match the lips movements of most of the actors. Either the looping was poorly done or they were speaking different languages. Anyone know.

The language in Fitzcarraldo is not German, it is English. As per Herzog's commentary, he said that English was the most common language on the set so he chose that over having his actors speaking German. However, Herzog says that he prefers the German dub.

That makes sense. The English audio track doesn't match too well either, but the German does somehow sound more "right" to me.

Anyone know what language was used on the set of Aguirre?

It's been a while since I listened to the commentary track, but I believe Herzog said that all the actors in Aguirre spoke their own langauges while in front of the camera and that most of them were dubbed (often by other actors) during post-production. At any rate, I know that Herzog addresses this issue specifically in his commentary.

BTW, I have to disagree with Herzog on the Fitzcarraldo issue. I prefer the original English track. For one thing, that's the only way you get to hear Claudia's actual voice. For another, the English track matches up with Kinski's lips, so I'm pretty sure Kinski was speaking English throughout.

[tryavna]

I prefer the english track for Fitzcarraldo for the same reasons tryavna mentioned. I plan to see Aguirre soon so I'm interested in any thoughts on what is the best audio option. This is from the DVD times review;

Audio
There is a choice of soundtracks – German Dolby Digital 5.1, German Dolby Digital 2.0 surround or English Dolby Digital 1.0 mono. In theory, in the absence of anyone speaking Spanish, the English dub should do just as well as any of the other soundtracks, as few of the actors' original voices are used and overdubbed anyway. The English dub however, since it was the first language of none of the principals, seems to lack some of the emotional force of the film's dialogue. The German DD 5.1 remix is mainly centre speaker based, but it seriously overuses the surrounds for certain scenes such as the rapids sequence, is very distracting and not true to the sound levels of the original soundtrack. I personally settled for the German DD 2.0 surround, which seemed to offer the most satisfactory presentation of the soundtrack. It's adequate, no better or worse I imagine than the filming conditions allowed the source material to be.

Hmmm... I didn't remember there being a 5.1 remix for Aguirre. But then again, it has been a while since I've watched the film. (It's about time that I revisit the whole Herzog-Kinski set.) Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend a German dub -- probably the 2.0. The English dub on Aguirre is not particularly good, since I don't think any of the actors were using English.

[jesus the mexican boi]

Amazon is listing WHERE THE GREEN ANTS DREAM with a release date of April 25 from some outfit called Tango Entertainment. Tango's website doesn't list it, though. Anyone have any other verification of this? Specs?

[ogtec]

Those in the UK and near a Music Zone shop (I don't think they sell over the internet) might be interested to know that the Anchor Bay Herzog box set (not the Kinski one, the other one with Even Dwarfs Started Small, Fata Morgana, Heart Of Glass, The Enigma Of Kaspar Hauser, and Stroszek) is on sale at the moment.

Specifically the store on London Bridge, where they had two earlier today. They're priced at £9-97, which is about £22-00 off. I don't think all stores carry the same stock, but it might be worth looking at one local just in case.

George

[jesus the mexican boi]

Amazon is listing WHERE THE GREEN ANTS DREAM with a release date of April 25 from some outfit called Tango Entertainment. Tango's website doesn't list it, though. Anyone have any other verification of this? Specs?

Deep Discount is listing this now at $9.68 with free shipping.

[emcflat]

Herzog does Verdi:

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=KLT004043

Can anyone comment on this?

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

winterandwinter.com

New for 2006


Music for Werner Herzog
Soundtracks
»The White Diamond«
»The Wild Blue Yonder«
Ernst Reijseger [cello], Mola Sylla [vocals], Voches de Sardinna
910 127-2 [1 CD]

[Michael Kerpan]

Herzog does Verdi:

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=KLT004043

Can anyone comment on this?

I am betting that, as with his other opera projects, Herzog was "stage director" and not director of the visual recording of the performance. Most opera videos are pretty pedestriatian cinematically -- no matter how impressive their stage design and direction.

I wouldn't particualarly recommend this unless you are a fan of early Verdi.

[Ishmael]

Herzog does Verdi:

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=KLT004043

Can anyone comment on this?

I can't comment directly on this, but I can tell you that a couple years ago I saw a production of Tannhauser that Herzog directed. I found it to be completely unimaginative and thoroughly boring. And I love the score, so I blame the staging. However, I could imagine someone arguing that they appreciated its minimalism. So does Herzog approach Verdi in the same way for the performance on this DVD? I don't know, but personally I'd be cautious unless you just don't care about the staging one way or another.

[Gordon]

I have the German DVD of Green Ants from Arthaus. Excellent anamorphic transfer. It also has a commentary by Herzog in German. A strange and wonderful piece of creative mythologizing by Herzog. Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein's natural cinematography is as beautiful as ever with many striking shots throughout. Great to finally see a US release.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

If you're really curious, Herzog's production of Tannhäuser is on DVD as part of Image's "Masterpieces of Opera" collection. His staging of Rossini's La Donna del Lago was also released as a standalone title (it's OOP, though). I haven't seen any of these myself, so caveat emptor.

[putney]

I don't know if it's been mentioned, but has anyone else bought the herzog documentaries box? 6 dbl layer discs. so far, it's really really great, a few i'd been wanting to see for a while. one odd thing though, the "God's Angry Man" is the german version only, which is a shame, because gene scott's voice is one of the few voices as compelling as mr. herzog's, and he is translating through most of the german version. i have an old dub of the english version, but does anyone know why maybe it isn;t on the box? (the rest of the films all have options to be watched in their various language versions.)
"echoes from a sombre empire" is so , so , so amazing.

putney

[richast2]

winterandwinter.com

New for 2006


Music for Werner Herzog
Soundtracks
»The White Diamond«
»The Wild Blue Yonder«
Ernst Reijseger [cello], Mola Sylla [vocals], Voches de Sardinna
910 127-2 [1 CD]

excellent news. as soon as I finished watching The White Diamond I tried to find a copy of the soundtrack.

[Gordon]

I don't know if it's been mentioned, but has anyone else bought the herzog documentaries box?

Yes, I have it. One of my best - and most expensive - purchases. The Dark Glow of the Mountains looks gorgeous. Wings of Hope is mind-blowingly compelling.

Yes, it is very strange that the German overdub version is the only option on God's Angry Man, whereas both versions are available on The Dark Glow of the Mountains, although the original German is superior on that film, but Dr Gene's voice and words are what make that film and I was a little perturbed by the lack of english-only version.

"echoes from a sombre empire" is so , so , so amazing.

Agreed. Astounding film.

[Lino]

A very thorough review is up at DVDTalk:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=20788

[King of Kong]

For those interested, I have posted a review of Grizzly Man on my blog - http://blackandtaneyes.blogspot.com/200 ... -2005.html

[emcflat]

From Video Business:

Ryko Corporation, the independent music and video company known for distributing a quintessential mix of indie fare, is being acquired by Warner Music Group for $67.5 million from an investment group led by JPMorgan Partners.

The move brings Ryko under the same ownership as WMG-owned Rhino Entertainment, another label known for its pop culture and cult fare, distributed by WMG's WEA. WEA already had been performing fulfillment services for Ryko. Under the new ownership, Ryko is expected to continue to distribute its growing slate of eclectic DVD labels to retailers looking for something different.

Upcoming releases from the company include Wild Blue Yonder, Werner Herzog's follow-up to his critically acclaimed Grizzly Man. The title is coming to Ryko through Subversive Cinema, which also recently released some of David Lynch's work through Ryko, including Eraserhead and Dumbland.