Werner Herzog: The Ecstatic Truth | Eye Filmmuseum
Echos aus einem dÅsteren Reich (1990) Werner Herzog Film + Deutsche Kinemathek. Courtesy Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam.
Written by Max Weiner
Few filmmakers have had the sheer economical output that Werner Herzog has. In a career spanning over half a century, his films - icons of cinema - tell stories of the human condition like no other. Dazzling displays of cinematic brilliance with auteur’s touch define the works of the great Herzog, and at the Eye Filmmuseum we see it on full display. “The Ecstatic Truth” is the exhibition’s name, and also its core meaning; it’s the phrase that could define Herzog’s career in its entirety. Showcasing his films - from documentaries to full features - the exhibition is aimed at encapsulating the range that Herzog has been able to travel behind the camera, as well as his ability to highlight stories of those who perhaps would have never been heard or seen. The series opened on June 18th, and viewers have a chance to catch this stunning work until the first of October.
Die gro·e Ekstase des Bildschnitzers Steiner (1974) Werner Herzog Film + Deutsche Kinemathek. Courtesy Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam.
Stroszek (1978) Werner Herzog Film + Deutsche Kinemathek. Courtesy Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam.
According to the Eye Filmmuseum, the title of the series “reflects on Herzog’s fundamental quest, how he constructs and stylizes images that expose [a] deeper level of truth.” Throughout his career, he has been known to show a different side of the planet’s capabilities and her interaction with the human race. Although it may not be what we want to accept, Herzog recognizes that it is the truth, and ultimately he wants us to confront it head on. His stunning ability to capture nature’s most extreme possibility serves as a reminder that our planet is a dying resource; ultimately his scenarios will be truths.
Fitzcarraldo (1982) Werner Herzog Film + Deutsche Kinemathek. Courtesy Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam.
In an age dominated by streaming services and at-home film premieres, “The Ecstatic Truth,” if anything, shows us the power of cinema and the importance of the theater-going experience. On the walls of the exhibition we see large-scale stills of Herzog’s films, shown with striking color and a grandiose flare that seemingly can only truly be felt in the seat of a movie theater. We soak it up and take it in, but it inspires us to really go and experience this true art in its pure form. Shots from his iconic Nosferatu and Fitzcarraldo show us the importance of his filmography in its argument for the preservation of tradition. Some very cool behind-the-scenes images are also featured, and serve to cement Herzog as one of the mythical figures of postwar cinema. He is no nonsense. He is the truth.
Fitzcarraldo (1982) Werner Herzog Film + Deutsche Kinemathek. Courtesy Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam.
One of the aims of “The Ecstatic Truth” was to not only highlight Herzog’s films, but also his championing work for the underprivileged; it has largely gone under-recognized. In many of his films, he serves up stories of places and people who get clouded by the swill of pop culture, but their efforts - from heroic to mundane - are shown in full color. Perhaps this is his true importance as a director, and one that is, literally, an ecstatic truth. There will always be people in the world who can teach us something; maybe we’ve just been looking in the wrong spots. When we look towards Werner Herzog, however, we see the light, and lord is it marvelous.
