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You thought I was kidding, but no...

What's gotten into Herzog these days?

Herzog can do whatever the fuck he wants, as far as I'm concerned.

It's right out of left field, but not necessarily a bad idea.
Herzog is one of those directors with enough individuality that he can remake an occasional film (even a classic, and despite only having seen it once, Bad Lieutenant could certainly qualify as greatness)

So, bizarre as it may seem, there's nothing actually "wrong" with the idea.
Admittedly, the original handled the whole "documentary realism" (which is one of Herzog's strengths) just fine. But, I can see Herzog maybe bringing his own style to the spiritual and supernatural elements.

Admittedly, though, I still haven't seen "Rescue Dawn" so can't comment on his direction of a 'Hollywood' film. And the casting of Nicholas Cage seems kind of unexceptional.

It's a fine idea, with one big probelm: It will not be Bad Lieutenant. Like I said in the New Films in Production thread (maybe the posts should be moved here) the film is typical, run-of-the-mill "dark night of the soul" stuff, made great by Ferrara's distincy gritty, lurid style of filmmaking, Keitel's brilliant performance (one of the greatest ever on film), and a grand heaping dose of Catholic guilt. Herzog style, while in the area of documentary realism, is very far removed from Ferrara's. Nic Cage is no, and can never be, a Harvey Keitel, though if Herzog can coax the bat-shit insane Nic Coppola from the pre-Hollywood Star days, it may work out nicely. And it's already known that they're dropping the nun plot, so there goes the catholicism, which is fine, since I don't associate it with Herzog. And then there's Zoe Lund...

It can be a fine film, but it's so far removed from the original, which was made distinct by its cast and crew, that I can't help but ask why bother with a "remake"? At least have the decency to rename the film before it comes out.

too bad he couldn't go back with a time machine and kidnap Kinski for the role.

miless wrote:too bad he couldn't go back with a time machine and kidnap Kinski for the role.

the nun?

I think he obv means the Sub Pop band, circa last year.

That's hilarious! I didn't expect that for sure.

Btw anyone knows what happened to Werner's "Cheese" movie?

Cage is filming "Knowing" in Australia for director Alex Proyas. Herzog's expected to follow "Bad Lieutenant" with Focus' "The Piano Tuner" late this year.

Does this mean he's doing a remake of the Quay Brothers too?

And the hits just keep on coming: apparently Herzog is also co-directing a film with David Lynch!

Is Lynch not just executive producing this? There's no clear-cut declaration that he's actually co-directing.

This is nuts.. All this "Herzog Goes to Hollywood" shit makes me queasy. There's no way any of this stuff can have the staying power of something like "Aguirre" or "Stroszek." He's barking up the wrong tree.

Can we now expect Werner to be praising the Cage as "one of the greatest talents of his generation?" Gag me.

I agree that the idea is compelling, but I've thought so little of Herzog's recent non-documentary work, that I'm a little skeptical. Also, I despise Nicholas Cage.

I've got a bad feeling about this.

He really should do the cheese movie. That's pure, unadulterated Herzog territory right there. If he announced he was filming that one I'd be in (Herz)hog heaven. The others he's got slated for 2008? I'll hold off till more is known, but the Cage pic especially is sounding decidedly ropey (and this from someone who loved the original).

Yeah, I don't see the point of remaking films that were already done right the first time. "Bad Lieutenant" was superb.

montgomery wrote:I despise Nicholas Cage.

Can we now expect Werner to be praising the Cage as "one of the greatest talents of his generation?" Gag me.

You guys are SO not alone. Without uncle Franky, this dude's biggest roles woulda been bussing tables.

emcflat wrote:This is nuts.. All this "Herzog Goes to Hollywood" shit makes me queasy. There's no way any of this stuff can have the staying power of something like "Aguirre" or "Stroszek." He's barking up the wrong tree.

But there's no guarantee that even if he were chasing the same kind of projects as Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo he would even come close to the work of his major period. Some artists go their entire career putting out excellent, top notch stuff; but more often they have a period in their lives where, somehow, for who knows what reasons, they produce major work on a consistent scale and then suddenly stop. From what I've seen, Herzog had a major period and attained within that period a stunning level of work that few can match, but within that period only. Although he is still capable of very good work of considerable interest, and tho' I'm glad he's still working and working well, I don't think he will match his peak levels anymore. And to be unhappy about that is to be just a little ungrateful.

The man is so productive anyway that in no time he will have finished this and be putting out his new thing.

Mr_sausage wrote:

emcflat wrote:This is nuts.. All this "Herzog Goes to Hollywood" shit makes me queasy. There's no way any of this stuff can have the staying power of something like "Aguirre" or "Stroszek." He's barking up the wrong tree.

But there's no guarantee that even if he were chasing the same kind of projects as Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo he would even come close to the work of his major period. Some artists go their entire career putting out excellent, top notch stuff; but more often they have a period in their lives where, somehow, for who knows what reasons, they produce major work on a consistent scale and then suddenly stop. From what I've seen, Herzog had a major period and attained within that period a stunning level of work that few can match, but within that period only. Although he is still capable of very good work of considerable interest, and tho' I'm glad he's still working and working well, I don't think he will match his peak levels anymore. And to be unhappy about that is to be just a little ungrateful.

The man is so productive anyway that in no time he will have finished this and be putting out his new thing.

I think his documentary work at least has been as good as it ever was, personally. Plus, he's really only attempted two narrative features in the past 20 years anyway, so who can really say whether he's still "got it" in that respect or not?

Agree that his documentary work is as good, or almost as good, as ever (with the exception of Wild Blue Yonder, whatever category that belongs in). However, I've found his 2 last narrative films to be horrible-to-passably watchable, so in that respect I can at least assume, or fear, or worry, or suspect that he has no longer "got it." I might be a little more optimistic if Nic Cage, possibly my least favorite actor (along with Stephen Dorff), wasn't in it (and if I wasn't such a fan of the original).

I agree that Rescue Dawn cannot possibly compare with his earlier films like 'Aguirre' or 'Fitzcarradlo', but it's a compelling film in it's own right and is certainly a Herzog film. 'Rescue Dawn' never felt like a Hollywood film with it's lack of war porn violence, any real 'plot' as it were, and a rather depressing film for much of it's running time. The three lead performances are stunning, to say the least, with Zahn being surprisingly poignant in his role. The ending is

Spoiler

, of course, a happy one as it's based on a true story and while I think the film would've been more interesting had things not worked out for Bale in the end, we can't deny that's what truly happened to Dieter.

It's definitely worth seeing and even if you don't like it it's fascinating to see what Herzog does with a Hollywood film.

Yeah, Herzog's seems to have gone insane and I mean that as a deviation from his usual crazy self. The Lynch collaboration could bred some interesting results, though. I'm not a huge Lynch fan by any means but the fact that he is deeply influenced by Even Dwarfs Started Small (hands down, my favorite Herzog) implies that they could create something crazy, in a good way. This movie, however, just sounds like Herzog fulfilling the wishes of drunken fans.

Mr_sausage wrote:I'm glad he's still working and working well, I don't think he will match his peak levels anymore.

I know. It just seems so lazy for a man who has gone around proclaiming his "ecstatic truth" for decades now to seemingly be slowly abandoning it for easy work or just more regular paychecks. Much as I love Grizzly Man, I'm not ready to let it go down as the last great Herzog film.

He should do what he wants. He's completely entitled. But then give up your phony sermons about "the truth of accountants" and just go work for a living.

Anyway, I'm sure Encounters at the End of the World will be wonderful and I'll have plenty of reason to shut up and just love him again.

sidehacker wrote:Yeah, Herzog seems to have gone insane and

There's really nothing I can add here to make that comment any funnier.