Sigh. I so respect Herzog and I am amazed at this film. But I am also not going to lie to you: it is just too damned slow and too difficult to follow for my tastes. The story behind the film, and the reason for renting it yourself if you are daring, is that Herzog had his cast under hypnosis while filming. The acting technique is therefore, um, very stylized. Everyone moves and speaks in a fluid manner, a little bit off in outer space, but not as over-the-top as you might think. Movements are unpredictable, as are emotional outbursts. But a lot of the time people just stand there like a zombie. And everyone is slow. S-L-O-W. The haunting music by Popul Vuh: Slow. The majestic Bavarian mountain footage: Slow. The glass blowing sequences: Fascinating, but slow. I’m glad I saw this; I don’t want to see it again. (Nota bene — perhaps this movie rocks in an altered state? After all, it literally was performed by people in an altered state!)
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Jordan Hoffman is a New York-based writer and film critic working for The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Thrillist, Times of Israel, NY Daily News and elsewhere.
He is the host of ENGAGE: The Official Star Trek Podcast, a member of the New York Film Critics Circle and challenges you to a game of backgammon.