Woyzeck

Rating:
Summary: Not Herzog's best - but still good...
Review: Do not expect the same level of greatness and general quirkiness in this Herzog film as you will find in his classics (Aguirre, Fitzcarraldo, Nosferatu, Heart of Glass) - however, this is a pretty good adaptation of Woyzeck - with Klaus Kinski still looking manic as ever. I don't think even Herzog felt this one was truly special - there is no commentary track, for example, when most of the subsequent dvd releases of his films have included this feature. Maybe it is because this one is pretty straight forward. The costumes, dialogue, and acting are all good. It just feels like it's missing something...

Rating:
Summary: Woyzeck-Where Art Thou, Herzog?
Review: I just saw this on video and it's one of Werner Herzog's more mediocre films along with "Heart of Glass" and "Fata Morgana/Lessons in Darkness" (DVD). I thought Kinski did a decent job although he's been better, especially in other of Herzog's films. I know that he did this right after "Nosferatu the Vampire" so maybe he was a bit tired but really he gave it his all. Anyways, I just want to know that even though Werner Herzog has given excellent audio commentaries on most of his films released by Anchor Bay Entertainment, he neglected to give one for this film. I would've liked to have heard his comments for "Woyzeck" since his audio commentaries are one of the best reasons to invest in DVD's. They always have intriguing insights into his films and I always find what he has to say fascinating. Why he neglected to contribute a commentary track for this, his only narrative DVD release without one as far as I know, is something I'm wondering. Oh well. I think this film is worth seeing anyways as are all of Herzog's releases. A merdiocre Werner Herzog film is far better than most film director's best films.

Rating:
Summary: Woyzeck-Where Art Thou, Herzog?
Review: I just saw this on video and it's one of Werner Herzog's more mediocre films along with "Heart of Glass" and "Fata Morgana/Lessons in Darkness" (DVD). I thought Kinski did a decent job although he's been better, especially in other of Herzog's films. I know that he did this right after "Nosferatu the Vampire" so maybe he was a bit tired but really he gave it his all. Anyways, I just want to know that even though Werner Herzog has given excellent audio commentaries on most of his films released by Anchor Bay Entertainment, he neglected to give one for this film. I would've liked to have heard his comments for "Woyzeck" since his audio commentaries are one of the best reasons to invest in DVD's. They always have intriguing insights into his films and I always find what he has to say fascinating. Why he neglected to contribute a commentary track for this, his only narrative DVD release without one as far as I know, is something I'm wondering. Oh well. I think this film is worth seeing anyways as are all of Herzog's releases. A merdiocre Werner Herzog film is far better than most film director's best films.

Rating:
Summary: Woyzeck Powerful Truthful Kinski Assoluta
Review: Klaus Kinski gives the finest performance of his career in this fine adaptation of the play, later used by Alban Berg for his opera Wozzeck, completed in 1924. The story has always had a power and truth all of its own; indeed it is based on an actual incident. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Woyzeck Powerful Truthful Kinski Assoluta
Review: Klaus Kinski gives the finest performance of his career in this fine adaptation of the play, later used by Alban Berg for his opera Wozzeck, completed in 1924. The story has always had a power and truth all of its own; indeed it is based on an actual incident. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Good
Review: Klaus Kinski portrays the title character in this taught, sad version of the play. We are treated to a baseline amount of Kinski raving (particularly during the scene in which he confronts his adulterous wife), but his performance is more subdued than usual, which is of course the point: Woyzeck's a beat-down man. (This could also have something to do with the fact that Woyzeck was shot hard on the heals of Nosferatu.) Herzog's usual invective against the military establishment, hucksterism and corruption in general is here evident. And, yes, there is a scene with a monkey. Overall, though, I was slightly surprised at the quality of the acting performances and delighted with Herzog's steady directorial hand. Woyzeck is an underrated film, and very worth watching.

Rating:
Summary: Essential Herzog
Review: Many fans of Aguirre seem to have trouble with this film, which has only 27 edits. One need not have a stalwart attention span to endure this film, only an interest in insanity, a recurring theme of Herzog's work. The performances are really brought to the fore in this film, making it's theater origins all the more apparent, particularly with the solilioquies that several of the characters give when they are alone. But just as cinema was borne of theater, there are some quintessentially cinematic scenes that more than make up for any staginess elsewhere. I rank Herzog up there with Kubrick and Scorsese as directors who understand better than anyone else the power of music combined with psychically compatible images. The opening sequence is a prime example. While this is not one of his very best films, it is one of his most difficult and well-acted. B+

Rating:
Summary: Essential Herzog
Review: Many fans of Aguirre seem to have trouble with this film, which has only 27 edits. One need not have a stalwart attention span to endure this film, only an interest in insanity, a recurring theme of Herzog's work. The performances are really brought to the fore in this film, making it's theater origins all the more apparent, particularly with the solilioquies that several of the characters give when they are alone. But just as cinema was borne of theater, there are some quintessentially cinematic scenes that more than make up for any staginess elsewhere. I rank Herzog up there with Kubrick and Scorsese as directors who understand better than anyone else the power of music combined with psychically compatible images. The opening sequence is a prime example. While this is not one of his very best films, it is one of his most difficult and well-acted. B+

Rating:
Summary: So-So Herzog
Review: Surprisingly straight version of Buchner's play by Herzog. Only two really interesting scenes in the film. One is the death scene in which Kinski and Eva Mattes play it to the hilt, and the other involves one of Herzog's trademark monkey scenes. It's not bad, just that after viewing Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo, you'll be expecting more.

Rating:
Summary: So-So Herzog
Review: Surprisingly straight version of Buchner's play by Herzog. Only two really interesting scenes in the film. One is the death scene in which Kinski and Eva Mattes play it to the hilt, and the other involves one of Herzog's trademark monkey scenes. It's not bad, just that after viewing Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo, you'll be expecting more.