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I’ll watch anything by Werner Herzog and his documentaries are especially great. But this feature starring Klaus Kinski is my favorite thing he’s ever made, and one of my favorite movies period. Like most Herzog the whole project is seriously demented and there’s an *Apocalypse-Now-*like doubling thing going on, where the making of the film was almost as insane as the story he was dramatizing. I just saw Herzog has a new memoir out called Every Man for Himself and God Against All. I mean come on, I can’t wait to read that.
Feb 27, 2024
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Like the Ebert review said, this movie is like an overwhelming hallucination. I appreciate that it can be brutal without gore. Was Klaus Kinski even acting?
I watched on a dark, rainy afternoon. I'd recommend the same viewing atmoshphere
Jan 28, 2024
Outside of Dune 2, this is my most anticipated this year. Eggers hasn't missed yet and I'm excited to see his remake. I'm fortunate to have seen a restoration of the original 1922 film (with an original live score by local artists) and I'm a fan of Dracula (which it illegally adapted lol), so I'm interested what choices Eggers will take for this remake.
I really ought to watch Werner Herzog's version, too.
Aug 1, 2024
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We all bow down to Fassbinder’s “BRD Trilogy.” Obviously. But I only recently learned of a filmmaker who also made a trilogy of films dealing with postwar German history from an equally singular, provocative, and entertaining place, Christoph Schlingensief. The two wild man auteurs even share many of the same actors; Margit Carstensen, Irm Hermann, Volker Spengler, Peter Kern, etc. Aided by Udo Kier (who appears in all three films), Schlingensief was unafraid to tackle explosively sensitive material in recklessly exciting and absurdist ways. 100 Years of Adolf Hitler (1989), The German Chainsaw Massacre (1990), and Terror 2000 (1992) make up the Germany Trilogy. The German Chainsaw Massacre’s my personal fave of the lot. It was quickly written in a few days after the Berlin Wall all came down and was shot in a mere two weeks immediately after. Heavily inspired by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, which he was a huge fan of, it follows a group of East Germans who wind up entangled with a psychotic West German family looking to turn them into wurst for their butcher shop. In a Year of 13 Moons’ Volker Spengler steals the show in a yellow raincoat and metal helmet (with sausages attached to it), drooling on himself, and flailing a chainsaw around. Like Fassbinder, Schlingensief died way too young. And also like him, thankfully, there’s a seemingly endless amount of material to sift through.
Apr 7, 2022
Top Recs from @will-welch
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Many years ago my friend Nico and I used to watch these videos Isaac Mizrahi made where he'd answer fans’ questions. A lady in the Midwest was like, “I live in a small town where nothing stylish ever happens, and I need a new look.” Isaac was like, “Here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna find the most expensive hairdresser in your town, you’re gonna give him all your money, and you’re gonna let him do whatever he wants to you.” I think that is the best advice I’ve ever heard. It has really stuck with me even though I’m not a lady, I’m not from the Midwest, and I don’t need a new look.
Feb 27, 2024
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This morning my friend Camilla texted a photo of me wearing sneakers to dinner last night and I was just like aw man ugh. I looked like a dork. I think it’s because, now that I’m in my 40’s, wearing “dad sneakers” isn’t a style move. They’re just sneakers. Please delete that photo, Camilla. I will wear my real shoes next time.
Feb 27, 2024
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My favorite young musician. The photographer Jason Nocito took me to see an Ekkstacy show in Brooklyn last year and it blew my mind: punk rock that incorporates all the best parts of Soundcloud rap (which itself borrows heavily from emo and punk… the circle is complete). Stacy has insane charisma, songs that are built like battleships, and miserable lyrics like “I walk this earth all by myself / I’m doing drugs but they don’t help.” And “sometimes I wish I was dead.” Perfect.
Feb 27, 2024