Review of Heart of Glass (1976) by Roberto B — 07 Feb 2009

This film makes me want to go out and buy a gigantic 1080p to watch it on. the images, mostly from bavaria but also alaska and yellowstone, are almost unimaginable - and that's the point. the first few minutes could easily (and may be intended to) put the viewer under hypnosis; I wish I knew german and did not have to busy myself with reading subtitles.

all the actors, except the prophet and the glassblowers, actually are under herzog's hypnosis. their affect and movement is bizarre and their words are often improvised, so the film is sometimes difficult to follow, but always captivating.

it certainly demonstrates herzog's commitment to develop "a new grammar for images", things we are not used to seeing in media. like many herzog films, the story is based on a historical character - a bavarian prophet who foretold apocalypse - and his exact words are used heavily.

really eery. also now I want to see bavaria.