Werner Herzog- Heart of Glass
Herz Aus Glas (Heart of Glass)
directed by Werner Herzog
1976
Germany
"It may have seemed like a sign of hope that the birds followed them out into the vastness of the sea."
It's no secret that Werner Herzog thrives on a challenge, and his 7th feature length film 'Herz aus glas' (heart of glass) is a perfect testament to this. Filmed on location in Bavaria, in an undefined pre-industrial era setting; Heart of Glass depicts the story of a small rural village helplessly descending into a collective madness. Watching from the woods is Hias, a clairvoyant plagued by visions of impending disaster. With the exception of a small team of factory glassblowers and Josef Bierbichler, who plays Hias; the entire cast acted under hypnosis throughout. This success of this experiment is much debated, but I found it incredibly effective, giving an impeccably stylised and suitably dreamlike portrayal of the town's somnambulant decline. After extensive auditions and 'test sessions', a carefully selected cast were chosen from non-actors who were both genuinely interested in the project and suitably receptive to hypnosis. The majority of lines in the film were rehearsed while hypnotised, but my fascination lies in the spontaneous moments of mannerism and unscripted dialogue which occasionally reveal themselves.
The sensory impact of Heart of Glass is astounding. Visually and sonically, it's a feast. The opening and closing scenes are in themselves hypnotic and curiously powerful. The synchronicity of gorgeous landscape shots, a bewitching Popol Vuh soundtrack and Herzog's poetic text results in something which I imagine will be responded to in dramatically different ways by each person subjected to it, but for me, it's something which is almost overwhelmingly beautiful. If, like myself, you like your art to be like a psychiatrist's ink blot test, then this film comes extremely highly recommended. However, much like the bleak 'Fata Morgana', if it simply fails to entrance you like it entranced me, then it's slow pace may become an obstacle. This film is not a puzzle, please do not exert yourself to decipher it. I find it most worthwhile to simply let your mind relax, and take in the sights and sounds of what feels like a hazy and magnificent dream.
-phil