Forty-three Werner Herzog films that can be streamed
May 4, 2014 10:40 AM   Subscribe

Inside, please find a list of forty-three movies, TV episodes, and short subjects by Werner Herzog, all of which can be streamed, along with some short descriptions of their content. One or two of the films are in German without subtitles; this is noted in the description.

Films I couldn't locate:
  • Game in the Sand (1964)
  • Signs of Life (1968)
  • The Flying Doctors of East Africa (1970)
  • Land of Silence and Darkness (1971)
  • Handicapped Future (1971)
  • Woyzeck (1979)
  • Huie's Sermon (1981)
  • Where The Green Ants Dream (1984)
  • Cobra Verde (1987)
  • Les Fraçais vus Par (1988) -
    1. Les Gaulois
  • Giovanni D'Arco (1989)
  • Jag Mandir (1991)
  • Film Lesson (1991-1992)
  • (1992)
  • The Transformation of the World into Music (1996)
  • Little Dieter Needs To Fly (1997)
  • Höllenfahrten (1998) -
    1. Flucht aus Laos
  • My Best Fiend (1999)
  • Invincible (2001)
  • Grizzly Man (2005)
  • The Wild Blue Yonder (2005)
  • Rescue Dawn (2006)
  • My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009)
  • On Death Row (2012) -
    1. Conversation with Linda Carty
    -----
    1. Portrait: Douglas Feldman
posted by Going To Maine (64 comments total) 335 users marked this as a favorite
 
Yow! This is a very cruel post for final grading season.

I've always loved the way that Herzog could make Kinski appear across the entire spectrum from human to inhuman, often within the same shot. He just seems to understand the weird tipping point between the humane and the monstrous.
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:56 AM on May 4, 2014 [5 favorites]


Nice post. Here's one you missed...

Couldn't find the whole thing but here's a taster.
posted by peterkins at 10:58 AM on May 4, 2014 [2 favorites]


Brilliant post, thanks!

I love his documentary work. Out of the ones linked that I've seen, I think Cave of Forgotten Dreams is my favourite. His style is perfect for the feeling of unreality and near-mysticism of the shots of the caves, all flickering lights and slow pans across reverent faces. Really looking forward to working through these.
posted by billiebee at 10:59 AM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]




Expect an extra kitten in your pay envelope this month
posted by thelonius at 11:06 AM on May 4, 2014 [6 favorites]


What, no love for his narration in "Plastic Bag"?
posted by MonkeyToes at 11:07 AM on May 4, 2014 [3 favorites]


How Much Wood Would A Wood Chuck Chuck is so good y'all...
posted by ThatFuzzyBastard at 11:09 AM on May 4, 2014


A Kinski tantrum during the filming of Fitzcarraldo.

EDIT, can't vouch for its completeness but this may be My Best Fiend.
posted by epo at 11:45 AM on May 4, 2014 [3 favorites]


Wow. I'd hate to see what happens when Kinski learns that his XBox Live account has been banned.
posted by thelonius at 11:47 AM on May 4, 2014 [2 favorites]


Grizzly Man?
posted by epo at 11:50 AM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Grizzly Man yt ?

"This video is not available in your country"
posted by Going To Maine at 11:51 AM on May 4, 2014


I am excited for the opportunity once again to link to the greatest mefi comment of all time featuring Werner Herzog.

Ahem, surely you mean this one from Greg Nog is the greatest mefi comment of all time featuring Werner Herzog.
posted by Doktor Zed at 11:52 AM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Until this moment, I was unaware of the mighty need I had for this list. Thank you!
posted by C'est la D.C. at 11:59 AM on May 4, 2014


"This video is not available in your country"

OK in the UK.
posted by epo at 11:59 AM on May 4, 2014


I met Werner Herzog once, before I knew who he was. He was a clearly foreign man with dirty white sneakers who insisted on puzzling out the vending machine in our employee lounge. Why didn't he let the company releasing twelve of his films on DVD cater his lunch? I don't know.
posted by infinitewindow at 12:07 PM on May 4, 2014 [7 favorites]


"Is there such thing as insanity among penguins?" - clip from Encounters at the End of the World (2.5 minutes).

If you're only going to watch 2.5 minutes of Werner, I can absolutely recommend this... (warning: suicidal penguins).
posted by el io at 12:18 PM on May 4, 2014 [6 favorites]




I have Even Dwarfs Started Small on DVD.

I am not sure why there are people who do not.
posted by delfin at 12:35 PM on May 4, 2014 [3 favorites]


What a great find, and effort to present it! Thank you, "Going to Maine"!
posted by Vibrissae at 12:45 PM on May 4, 2014


What, no link to Werner Herzog as a GPS navigation voice?
posted by jadepearl at 12:52 PM on May 4, 2014 [6 favorites]


Great post, thanks.

I'll be streaming Even Dwarfs... Soon, but if you can, watch the DVD with the commentary track- by Herzog and Crispin Glover. It's amazing. They need to make a movie together.
posted by rock swoon has no past at 12:59 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


This scene from Aguirre has stuck in my head and my heart for years now. I don't know if I should thank Werzog & Kinski or curse them...
posted by jammy at 1:03 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


You are a good person.
posted by mudpuppie at 1:08 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


This is so wonderful, thank you.
posted by Corduroy at 1:18 PM on May 4, 2014


Ctr-F "Grand"

...

Still not streaming? Damn.

Werner Herzog as The German in The Grand.

Thanks for adding the film notes. I'm not sure I'd have the stamina to look everything up myself.
posted by Room 641-A at 1:21 PM on May 4, 2014


Speaking of Herzog, he has just wrapped up filming Queen of the Desert, a biopic about Gertrude Bell (who is always referred to as the "female Lawrence of Arabia").
posted by Corduroy at 1:49 PM on May 4, 2014


Oh, thank you! This post is a treasure chest!
posted by daisyk at 1:49 PM on May 4, 2014


He was a clearly foreign man with dirty white sneakers

How did he serve them?
posted by shakespeherian at 1:53 PM on May 4, 2014 [2 favorites]


No, "The Dark Glow of the Mountains"?
posted by alex_skazat at 1:57 PM on May 4, 2014


The stream for Even Dwarves Started Small brought up an ad for "Date a Midget". The only time I've ever clicked a google ad and it seems dead.
posted by bonobothegreat at 2:04 PM on May 4, 2014


No, "The Dark Glow of the Mountains"?

I couldn't find a version that had English subtitles.
posted by Going To Maine at 2:09 PM on May 4, 2014


Speaking of Herzog, he has just wrapped up filming Queen of the Desert, a biopic about Gertrude Bell

Good, because I needed to hear about her biography yesterday.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:18 PM on May 4, 2014


Let's not forget his masterful turn in the otherwise wretched Jack Reacher.
posted by chinston at 2:36 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


Your list is missing Lessons of Darkness (1992); there are parts of it on vimeo and elsewhere, but I can't seem to find a complete stream. It's an impressive, lyrical, depressing documentary about the aftermath of the Gulf war.

on preview: jinx, peterkins.
posted by progosk at 3:08 PM on May 4, 2014


Your list is missing Lessons of Darkness (1992); there are parts of it on vimeo and elsewhere, but I can't seem to find a complete stream. It's an impressive, lyrical, depressing documentary about the aftermath of the Gulf war.

Yes. I hunted around for it but didn't have any luck, & then must have let it slip off my list.
posted by Going To Maine at 3:16 PM on May 4, 2014


These lists are woefully lacking Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call, which is precisely the sort of wonderful/awful/weird sequel that you'd hope Herzog would make.
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 3:16 PM on May 4, 2014 [4 favorites]


These lists are woefully lacking Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call, which is precisely the sort of wonderful/awful/weird sequel that you'd hope Herzog would make.

Ah! Yes. I also hunted for it but failed to find anything, & must have let it slip as well.
posted by Going To Maine at 3:22 PM on May 4, 2014


Herzog directed Port of Call New Orleans? That movie was pretty great. Didn't the director of the original Bad Lieutenant get all pissy about it or something?

(Fake Werner Herzog also makes a great podcast guest).
posted by Redfield at 3:28 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


I would very much appreciate it if someone could start a website that generates Werner Herzog film titles (in both English and German).
posted by Corduroy at 3:28 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


chinston: "Let's not forget his masterful turn in the otherwise wretched Jack Reacher."

I've done my best to try to forget that movie.
posted by octothorpe at 3:30 PM on May 4, 2014




"The Dark Glow of the Mountains" maybe my favorite of Herzog's... Herzog and the equally insane / uncompromising Rheinhold Messner, together, naked in the mountains. What could be be better?
posted by ph00dz at 4:34 PM on May 4, 2014




From homunculus's link: "I would note: chickens are living manifestations of death, bred only to be domesticated and killed. When we look into their eyes, we see the part of ourselves of which we are most afraid – our ultimate destination. Death."

Wait. WAIT. It took 35 years for Werner Herzog to realize that John Waters is gay. But chickens? He stares into their beady eyes and immediately perceives the abyss.
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:35 PM on May 4, 2014 [3 favorites]


Using the crude metric of favorites, it seems that MetaFilter definitively prefers Werner Herzog to Errol Morris.
posted by Going To Maine at 6:09 PM on May 4, 2014


"The Dark Glow of the Mountains" maybe my favorite of Herzog's... Herzog and the equally insane / uncompromising Rheinhold Messner, together, naked in the mountains. What could be be better?

What could make it better? How about Herzog having all of the cast hypnotized, and the fact that it worked for most of them during filming?
posted by mr. digits at 6:26 PM on May 4, 2014


I've seen enough of his documentaries that I've started to really love his voice. Tip-of-the-hat to the link for the Hertzog GPS navigation voice.

An aside: I imagine his son would have self-confidence problems.
posted by wormwood23 at 6:38 PM on May 4, 2014


La Soufrière has these scenes when the town is almost empty of human beings that are extremely poignant. It's worth watching just for that.
posted by graymouser at 6:43 PM on May 4, 2014


This is a significant playlist.
posted by turbid dahlia at 7:43 PM on May 4, 2014


Grizzly Man yt ?

"This video is not available in your country"


Disallowed countries
AS - American Samoa
GU - Guam
MH - Marshall Islands
MP - Northern Mariana Islands
PR - Puerto Rico
UM - United States Minor Outlying Islands
US - United States
VI - United States Virgin Islands

According to Region Restriction Checker
posted by WhackyparseThis at 7:47 PM on May 4, 2014


Thanks so much for putting this together. It made my sunday evening a lot better, for some values of better.
posted by mrdaneri at 8:06 PM on May 4, 2014




I found the The Dark Glow of the Mountains on the tube.

FWIW, my absolute favourite is The Great Ecstacy of the Woodcarver Steiner. The brown fashion, the big microphone, and the hypnotising Aguirre IV by Popol Vuh... Wow.
posted by postagepaid at 10:44 PM on May 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


I found the The Dark Glow of the Mountains yt on the tube.

Alas, no! That is the first part of Portrait Werner Herzog. Unless maybe you copied the wrong link?
posted by Going To Maine at 4:59 AM on May 5, 2014


"He just carried on with the interview while bleeding quietly in his boxer shorts.” An unrepentant Herzog insisted, “It was not a significant bullet. I am not afraid.”
posted by andromache at 9:59 AM on May 5, 2014


I Fav'd this of course like everyone else but the links will die sooner than later so there is savefrom.net and a big old hard drive.
posted by stbalbach at 10:04 AM on May 5, 2014


Oh man, too bad you couldn't find Cobra Verde... love that movie.
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:19 AM on May 5, 2014


Wow. I'd hate to see what happens when Kinski learns that his XBox Live account has been banned.

The tension builds pretty quickly in this classic Kinski interview.
posted by juiceCake at 11:54 AM on May 5, 2014


Actually, here is the greatest Werner Herzog comment made on Metafilter. By favorite count it beats the other two combined. Truly, the best of the Werner.
posted by Vindaloo at 5:19 PM on May 5, 2014


Oh, awesome post btw, thanks for the links!
posted by Vindaloo at 5:21 PM on May 5, 2014


Greetings from Open Culture! Metafilter Highlights a Trove of Werner Herzog Films Online.
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:45 AM on May 6, 2014 [2 favorites]


I think the producer of this segment made a few poor camera choices at the end, but it's still pretty good: Stephen Colbert interviews Werner Herzog about Cave of Forgotten Dreams.
posted by Going To Maine at 5:19 AM on May 6, 2014


Films I couldn't locate:
The Wild Blue Yonder (2005)


You know, I got this through Netflix recently because the description sounded awesome and it stars Brad Dourif (my favorite X-Files villain). But it was quite experimental, and quite a bad experiment at that. I did appreciate the attempt, and the NASA footage was pretty mesmerizing. But it looked like he hired Brad Dourif to narrate outside of a building for a day, and threw music from his iPod into this assemblage of NASA footage from the 70s. They can't all be Stroszeks!
posted by inkytea at 8:05 AM on May 6, 2014


1982 episode (yt) of UK's The South Bank Show showing Herzog on a European road trip (I think, not watched it yet).
posted by epo at 7:32 AM on May 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


« Older All Heart, No Libido   |   Bonding. James Bonding. Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments