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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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All Film Ifs Volcanoes People Thinking Way Years Humans Knows Looks Cinema Courses World Should North Korea Would Be Cameras Made Men Actors

Famous Werner Herzog Quotes

“I think a state should not be in the capacity of killing anyone with the exception of warfare.”

Thinking Should States Capacity Killing Exception Warfare

Author:Werner Herzog

“You should look straight at a film; that's the only way to see one. Film is not the art of scholars but of illiterates.”

Way Should Looks Art Film Scholar

Author:Werner Herzog

“You should bear in mind that almost all my documentaries are feature films in disguise.”

Should Mind Film Bears Features Disguise Documentaries

Author:Werner Herzog

“There are photos of Kim Jong-un right up atop the volcano. I actually wrote a letter to him asking if I could speak on camera. I never got an answer. But what was interesting was the people who were responsible for us, our "guards," it took them two days to figure out how I should address him. "President? No, you can't because there's a president for eternity." And it was a time when his status was still in flux. Only a few months later there was this party congress which assigned an official title to him, but that was after we did our film.”

“My crew [on "Fitzcarraldo" filming] actually said, "We have filmed it from outside on the rocks of the shore. We should be on board [the ship]," and I said it's dangerous, I only do it if you cinematographer Thomas Mauch and you actor [Klaus] Kinski decide on your own.”

Ifs Should Said Actors Rocks Dangerous Ships Boards Shore Crew Cinematographers

Author:Werner Herzog

“The elections have a different platform, the town hall is the platform for it. But the other question behind all this is should I run for president?”

Should Different Running President Behinds Towns Election Halls Platforms Should I

Author:Werner Herzog

“I always had a feeling, for example, that there should be something from Verdi's "Requiem" in the film. You hear it when you see the lava flow in Iceland. That turned out to be a very easy choice.”

Should Feelings Film Choices Easy Example Flow Iceland Lava Requiem Verdi

Author:Werner Herzog

“Maybe I should stay a good soldier of cinema.”

Should Soldier Cinema Good Soldiers

Author:Werner Herzog

“I looked, for example, to certain types of literature to which I would like to refer, like The Peregrine by J. A. Baker, and I mention a book, "read this, read it, read it if you are serious of being in any type of art or into filmmaking," or films that I should quote as examples.”

Ifs Should Art Book Film Certain Literature Example Serious Type Filmmaking Bakers

Author:Werner Herzog

“Otherwise [digital revolution] hasn't changed my way of filmmaking, I'm not nostalgic in postulating we should still make films on celluloid. I love celluloid but I don't need to continue on celluloid.”

Way Needs Should Stills Film Changed Revolution My Way Digital Filmmaking Nostalgic Celluloid Digital Revolution

Author:Werner Herzog

“I shouldn't make movies anymore. I should go to a lunatic asylum.”

Should Lunatic Asylums Lunatic Asylums

Author:Werner Herzog

“Every man should pull a boat over a mountain once in his life.”

Men Should Mountain Every Man Boat

Author:Werner Herzog

“Perseverance has kept me going over the years. Things rarely happen overnight. Filmmakers should be prepared for many years of hard work. The sheer toil can be healthy and exhilarating.”

Should Years Hard Happens Hard Work Healthy Prepared Perseverance Filmmaker Sheer Be Prepared Toil Exhilarating

Author:Werner Herzog

“I think there should be holy war against yoga classes.”

Thinking Should War Class Holy Yoga Holy War

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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