Werner Herzog is 76 years old with three films coming out in 2019. I don’t know how he does it, but I try to find out in this conversation. From a childhood encounter with god in the Bavarian mountains to sitting across from Mikhail Gorbachev, Herzog shares some pivotal moments from his decade-spanning life and career. In previous interviews he has expressed his disdain for introspection. This is not that interview. This is something different, something – I hope– that’s more representative of who Werner is in the world. Inquisitive, empathetic, principled, honest, and above all, warm.
Show-notes:
- A trailer for Meeting Gorbachev, now out in theaters
- Sam and Werner sat down for The New Republic, back in 2016.
- Herzog has his own personal website, where you can learn even more about him and his decade-spanning career.
- Into the Abyss, mentioned in this conversation, is available to stream on Netflix.
- To learn more about ecstatic truth, visit his longer explanation posted on RogerEbert.com.
- Lastly, Family Romance, LLC –Werner’s next film– will premiere at Cannes next week. You can watch a trailer here.
Illustrations by Krishna Shenoi. Music by Dylan Peck.