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Werner Herzog Quotes

Film director

German film director known for his unique style and profound thematic explorations. His notable works include 'Aguirre, the Wrath of God' and 'Wings of Desire'.

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Famous Werner Herzog Quotes

“We ought to be grateful that the Universe out there knows no smile.”

Knows Universe Ought Grateful Be Grateful

Book:CINEMA, THOUGHT, LIFE. Conversations with Fata Morgana

Source: CINEMA, THOUGHT, LIFE. Conversations with Fata Morgana

“I know for sure that there is only one step from insecticide to genocide.”

Knows Steps Killing Genocide Insecticides

Author:Werner Herzog

“I'm trying to find these rare moments where you feel completely illuminated. Facts never illuminate you. The phone directory of Manhattan doesn't illuminate you, although it has factually correct entries, millions of them. But these rare moments of illumination that you find when you read a great poem, you instantly know. You instantly feel this spark of illumination. You are almost stepping outside of yourself and you see something sublime.”

Knows Feels Trying Moments Facts Millions Phones Sparks Sublime Illumination Manhattan Entry Rare Moments

Author:Werner Herzog

“We do not see the danger clearly enough that we develop images adequate to our state of civilization. When you watch TV, you know instantly that there's something wrong with the images. When you open a magazine and see the ads, you know there's something wrong with the images. And it's unhealthy and not good and outright dangerous, in my opinion.”

Knows States Enough Opinion Watches Dangerous Danger Tvs Civilization Magazines Ads Adequate Unhealthy

Author:Werner Herzog

“You are confronted with abysses of time that are, in a way, unfathomable. You see a painting in charcoal of raindeer and it was left unfinished and somebody else finished it. But through radio carbon dating we know that the next one completed the painting 5,000 years later. You're just blown away by the notion of passage of time. We have no relationship to that kind of depth of time.”

Knows Way Years Kind Next Left Painting Dating Depth Notion Radio Finished Passages Carbon Abyss Unfinished The Next One Passage Of Time Unfathomable Blown Away Charcoal

Author:Werner Herzog

“I have been in lots of very intense life situations. I have been shot at, and I have been hungry, and I have been in solitude, and I have also briefly been behind bars. So in a way, I know the heart of men.”

Knows Men Way Heart Has Beens Behinds Situation Solitude Shots Bars Hungry Intense

Author:Werner Herzog

“I make films because I have not learned anything else and I know I can do it to a certain degree. And it is my duty because this might be the inner chronicle of what we are. We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field.”

Knows I Can Might Would Be Film Certain Can Do Fields Duty Degrees Cows I Can Do It Chronicles

Author:Werner Herzog

“Once in a while I come across a director who hasgrown up thousands of miles from me, and the work touches me.Through these issues/50/images I am connected and something is illuminated.And I know then that I am not alone.”

Knows Issues Directors Connected Miles Not Alone Touch Me

Author:Werner Herzog

“I'm reminded of an interview Larry King had on his talk show with one of Michael Jackson's sisters. He's talking about how many millions she made on her latest record, and all of a sudden, she looks at him tearfully and says, "Larry, you know, I'm not interested in money or sales or songs. I'm a spiritual person." And I thought, "Oh my god..."”

Knows Looks Persons Made Shows Spiritual Song Talking Millions Records Kings Interviews Not Interested Larry Talk Shows

Author:Werner Herzog

“Most of the volcanoes are pretty far away. You have to go to, God knows, Alaska. Or you have to go to the Southern Indies or you have to go to a specific island.”

Knows Islands Southern Far Away God Knows Alaska Volcanoes

Author:Werner Herzog

“I'm talking a lot on financing in the Masterclass and I know what it means to because I had to finance my first films, all of them, and I earned my money as a welder in a steel factory doing night shifts while I was still in high school during the day.”

Knows Firsts Mean Stills School Film Night Talking High School Finance Factories Steel Financing Night Shift

Author:Werner Herzog

“I know what I'm talking about and I've never been over budget, in 70 films.”

Knows Film Talking Budgets

Author:Werner Herzog

“When you look at any of my films you will immediately be able to tell this is a [Werner] Herzog film. Even if you didn't have any credits, in two minutes flat you would know.”

Ifs Knows Looks Two Able Film Minutes Credit Flats

Author:Werner Herzog

“For example, the face of Nicole Kidman in Queen of the Desert and she is the most beautiful goddess on screen that you can find anywhere around in the world. There's no imperfections, and yet I don't need to know every single pore in her face.”

Knows World Needs Beautiful Faces Example Screens Desert Queens Imperfection Goddess Nicole

Author:Werner Herzog

“I know whenever it comes to be really dysfunctional and vile and base and hostile on screen, I'm good at that.”

Knows Screens Hostile

Author:Werner Herzog

“If an actor knows how to milk a cow, I always know it will not be difficult to be in business with him.”

Ifs Knows Actors Difficult Know How Milk Cows

Author:Werner Herzog

“The universe is not harmonious: you know that by looking outside.”

Knows Universe Harmonious

Author:Werner Herzog

About the Author

Born: September 5, 1942
Known for: Film director
Quotes: 306

Books & Sources

Conquest of the useless: reflections from the making of FitzcarraldoRelated source material

CINEMA, THOUGHT, LIFE. Conversations with Fata MorganaRelated source material

Conversations on CinemaRelated source material

Herzog on HerzogRelated source material

Images at the horizon: a workshop with Werner HerzogRelated source material

Nosferatu--Phantom der NachtRelated source material

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