Saute ma ville

I’m watching the extras from the Jeanne Dielman 23, Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles DVD. There was a really interesting interview/documentar with Akerman about the movie — insightful and surprising — and she described what it was like being 25, and suddenly being declared a “great director” (after the screening at Cannes, where most left the theatre, but the people who remained all invited her to screen at different film festivals). She said that she worried how she was going to do something better than Jeanne Dielman for her next movie — and that she wasn’t sure she’s ever done that.

It is a magnificent film.

Squish the cat!

Saute ma ville. Chantal Akerman. 1971. ⚄

Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe

Well, this is odd. There’s no explanation as to why he’s cooking his shoes… I’m assuming there will be? It’s a media event?

Right:

Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe is a short documentary film directed by Les Blank in 1980 which depicts director Werner Herzog living up to his promise that he would eat his shoe if Errol Morris ever completed the film Gates of Heaven.

This is pretty good.

Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. Les Blank. 1980. ⚃

Burden of Dreams

I just watched Fitzcarraldo, and I have somehow bought the Les Blank documentary about it, too? So now I’m watching that.

Such concept.

Oh! I have this because it was included on a Herzog box set I bought.

It’s really boring so far! Very dry, and with a voice-over explaining everything.

There were a lot of rumours about Herzog doing horrible stuff?

Heh. Jason Robards and Mick Jagger were originally in this.

After 40% of the movie was finished, Robards got ill, so..

“I live my life or I end my life with this project.”

Blank apparently didn’t have sound going for parts of the movie either? It’s quite disturbing the way he flies in a sound bed (with foley, I think?) for most of the non-interview scenes.