Werner Herzog anecdote about Klaus Kinski's "egomania"

Herzog describes Kinski foaming at the mouth because his coffee was luke-warm. A ripping yarn, but it is worth remembering - as some commenters have already pointed out - that Kinski was clearly a troubled man and was guilty of some utterly shameful things. Herzog too, while brilliant in so many ways, also made some morally questionable decisions in the name of creating art.
Taken from an interview by Paul Holdengräber.

[@jkorowicz]

"I outgutted him, outlasted him, outfigured him, outfilmed him, outperformed him....." You completely TOBLEROWNED him!

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

Go straight to hell for that one

[@lindajesse8250]

Hillarious.

[@hyperboreal]

Brilliant.

[@michaelgerrardtyson4197]

Lmfaoooo

[@kasplat5874]

@@michaelgerrardtyson4197 At times like this I'm glad I don't drink and watch KZbin because my carpet would be covered in spit takes.

[@benwasserman8223]

Herzog did some crazy things in his filmmaking career. But putting up with Kinski might be his most insane one yet.

[@rong2912]

Kinski wanted that tobler

[@Tore_Lund]

I'd imagine Werner Herzog is not the easiest to work with either?

[@m1lst3r]

Well, he made five movies with him, that gotta says something. Not to mention filmmaking that went behind Fitzcaraldo.

[@nathanchivers4754]

6 films is a bit more than "put up with"...

[@BuddyGorey]

@@Tore_Lundwhat are you an actor

[@JohannesLabusch]

To think I might have reached the end of my life without ever having heard about Klaus Kinski's hardened mouth froth ...

[@RFC3514]

Would that still count as having truly lived, though?

[@michaela2757]

We are all better for this knowledge.

[@hlcepeda]

Worth it though, to be treated to yet another brilliant employment of the classic _Toblerone Gambit._

[@mikejohnson2638]

Natash's father

[@JohannesLabusch]

@@mikejohnson2638 Her name is Nastassja.

[@paulkirton8945]

People die in plane crashes all the time , but lukewarm coffees? I can only imagine what Klaus was going through!

[@pillow4casestudies]

there are worse things than death

[@ahabduennschitz7670]

Exactly. I mean you die in a Plane crash you don't have to worry about Lukewarm Coffee anymore, but imagine beeing in this Situation not able to have hot Coffee. Thats Hell

[@roystonlodge]

“He’s out of line, but he’s right.”

[@Mike-rm1lb]

Reminds me of an album from the Dead Kennedys - Give me Convenience or Give me Death kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ6wiGaLdpyalZI

[@m1lst3r]

i remember I bought my friend a whiskey, a bottle of whiskey, but it was warm because it was warm outside. and he drank disgusted "argh, as if I am drinking piss." and it was even good whiskey.

[@PatrickSilent]

One of these days I have to try this "he screamed at me, so I ate some chocolate" tactic in my life.

[@koleyw932]

It works

[@PatrickSilent]

@@koleyw932 I can't hear you over the sound of chomped chocolate.

[@rong2912]

@@PatrickSilent The only thing more delicious than the chocolate is the look on your enemy's face while you eat it.

[@PatrickSilent]

@@rong2912 While I eat his face? 🤔

[@willhawthorne]

It only works with triangular Swiss chocolate

[@ShutterSnapped]

I love the way Herzog talks about Kinksi's hardened mouth froth as if it were some sort of newly discovered geological event, a new property of the madness of his friend just fossilizing in real time as he eats chocolate and defuses the absurd rantings over luke warm coffee.

[@SquidwardLSDSquirtingOctopussy]

The shooting of Fitzcarraldo was crazy indeed. Not because of Kinski, but next to the plane crash, 1 day a lumberjack worker was bitten by a Shushupe. One of the most deadliest snakes in south America. And since they were cutting down trees with a chainsaw barefoot apparently, it bit him on his leg & their camp was around 15 minutes away, where a doctor would have had antivenom. But since the poison usually takes around 1 - 2 minutes before cardiac arrest sets in, he picked up his chainsaw & had to saw off his own foot in order to survive. And the best part is that all those real life native tribes people who were starring in Fitzcarraldo actually witnessed one of Kinskis freak outs when he was complaining to the chef how it's total garbage & how he would dare to even serve him such disgusting food. And the chief of the tribals would later come to Werner Herzog & ask him next to a translator, if he would like to have Kinski assassinated. Those tribals were actually scared. But not of Kinskis insane screaming but due to the fact how Werner Herzog would just stand there in total silence like a total boss. So if Werner wanted, he could have gotten rid of Kinski during the shooting of Fitzcarraldo by some south american native hitmen tribals. lol

[@frostyrobot7689]

Excellent anecdote. Totally chimes with how tribal / hunter-gatherer justice works. The troublesome ones go to sleep one night.... and they don't wake up.

[@trustme2674]

@@frostyrobot7689 im sure you know a lot about tribesmen right zoomzoom?

[@m1lst3r]

Herzog stated he needed Klaus to finish the movie. So there...

[@justinkingery2489]

Jesus, this is grisly and hilarious. Is this all in a book or in the MY BEST FRIEND doc?

[@stephaniecarrow4898]

If Herzog had been working with the mafia, they probably would have asked him the same question!

[@pieinthesky4106]

Herzog has obviously never been given luke warm coffee.

[@todwest]

Calling his documentary about Kinski "My Best Fiend" was a stroke of brilliance.

[@octaviomarcelovigooneto5430]

The abuse of her daughter was not public yet when that doc came around. I could not watch it the same way now, I idolized the man before that, now I feel disgusted when I hear about Kinski

[@XHitsugaX]

​@@octaviomarcelovigooneto5430he was a monumental abusive asswipe even without that.

[@m1lst3r]

in a way, it is accurate. they were best friends, who at times throughly hated each other.

[@Martin2-0-0-2]

The next time I eat a piece of Toblerone chocolate I will remember this story.

[@BrunoDeMarques]

Yeah … you can’t unseen that now

[@ComboMuster]

Plane crashes in the jungle, everybody cries for the people in the plane, Kinski has a fit of insanity because coffee was cold and Herzog eating a Toblerone in front of him. If you take the names out everybody would think normal day in a lunatic asylum.

[@datatsushi2016]

lol i know. This whole story is just bizarre. Like a fever dream or something.

[@gamegladi8or669]

not even cold. lukewarm

[@traceya9615]

​@@gamegladi8or669😱😱Lukewarm! The word sends me to the depths of Hell, AAAARGH!"

[@bullittvolante8215]

I love Werner Herzog, I could listen to him talk for hours. I could only imagine how insane it must have been working with Klaus Kinski.

[@DanielSantosAnalysis]

You're in luck, he's coming out with an autobiography soon and he's doing the audiobook version himself.

[@jd190d]

Watch "My Best Fiend" a documentary about Herzog and Kinski. If you wonder why Herzog ever talked to Kinski there is a scene shot where Mick Jagger and Jason Robards are in a little tower doing their lines for the movie. Then you see Kinski doing the same lines and it is so much better. Kinski at times would display pure genius in his acting, but at one time Herzog was going over to Kinski's house to kill him and it makes perfect sense from having had to deal with him.

[@PowderedToastMan477]

Kinski was of course a total maniac. But some few really brilliant actors are. Herzog was THE perfect catalyst and antidote to that insanity. Him still saying he was his friend is stunning. I really think Herzog was one of VERY few who could "get" to him. Many of us have that really crazy buddy who is a menace to everybody - still we love/loved them.

[@TjerkMuller]

After all these years, Herzog can still get animated over his misadventures with Klaus Kinski. He also has a great tale of when he was living in the same house with Kinski in the early fifties or something. Due to the war, there was a housing critics, so lots of people would rent rooms in the same house. People would also have supper together. One night a theatre critic found a way to dine with the inhabitants and the great actor. So he remarks, admiringly, that he thought Kinski's performance in a recent show had been superb. At which Kinski throws a hot potato and a spoon in the critics face, and starts on a diatribe: "Superb? Superb?! I was a genius! I was phenomenal! I was epochal!" Because in Kinski's mind, how dare this worm of a critic, who is unable to produce anything of substance himself, presume to be able to judge him, the god of theater? Oh man, this guy was the quintessential narcissist. I often find myself laughing out loud at (tales of) his antics. Then again, at his core Kinski actually was a vile person. He was so self-absorbed he even made a habit of sexually abusing his own daughter, Pola, from the time she was five or six until she was nineteen. The guy was so self-absorbed he probably convinced himself it was an act of love. A twisted figure for sure.

[@aldosigmann419]

Of his 3 kids only one attended his funeral. Sometimes one can think a person is a prima donna put on - but Kinski's derangement was real.

[@oriraykai3610]

Today he'd just be a typical leftist from the US.

[@MrExorbitus]

@@aldosigmann419kinski was a difficult piece of human flesh

[@jeremytitus9519]

@@MrExorbitusI will have this on my tombstone. A difficult piece of human flesh.

[@donlopezdeaguirre4048]

Dir kann man wohl jeden Dreck erzählen und das wird gewiss geglaubt.Erst recht ein Vierteljahrhundert nach dem Ableben. Unfassbar. Eine absolut ekelerregende Kampagne gegenüber einem Nonkonformisten. Ekelhaft.

[@dramares]

How the Herzog/Kinski pairing... Didn't end up in a murder/suicide... I'll never know...

[@shenotski]

practice

[@computer_in_a_cave2730]

Spite and malice go hand in hand - there is no purpose in someone dying - its the psychotic version of "What is the sound of one hand clapping" - if one of the binary antagonists dies then spite or malice respectively have no purpose and none to act against.

[@horrorfanandy4647]

Came pretty damn close to it! Utter insanity!

[@RFC3514]

Rumour has it that Kinski's death from a heart attack in 1991 was caused by a sequence of events that started with his coffee machine mysteriously cutting off at 50 ºC, followed by the repairman eating a piece of Toblerone right in his face. The exact identity of that repairman was never ascertained.

[@Tomurow]

Me an’ my band, ‘Klaus Kinski’s Solidified Froth’ are playing at the local arts centre next week.👍

[@pickleneck526]

I heard "Toblerone Intimidation Tactics" will be playing there as well.

[@Tomurow]

@@pickleneck526 I hope they play the entirety of their classic record, “Jungle Obcsenity”🤓

[@ninhil2]

First I thought he would give the chocolate to him to soothe him but eating it himself is just hilarious edit: "Although some of the occupants were seriously injured, they survived"

[@d1agram4]

That was like the Watch story in pulp fiction but with mouth froth and tolberone

[@westernnoir4808]

You made me laugh out loud. But not long enough to have mouth foam thankfully.

[@p.f132]

I'm still amazed Kinski wasn't murdered on set.

[@fernandopessoa7077]

If you haven’t already read Conquest of The Useless by Herzog, it’s his diary from the filming of Fitzcarraldo. Utterly spellbinding.

[@petermoes1668]

Thanks for the suggestion

[@fernandopessoa7077]

No worries, there’s also Of Walking in Ice, his schlep from Munich to Paris during the winter in 1974, I particularly liked him breaking into an unoccupied house to spend the night and finishing the crossword for them before leaving. As you do.

[@polarvortex3294]

@@fernandopessoa7077 Yes, that is proper etiquette. I forgot to do this one time and had to break back in the next day to make amends. I don't know what I would have done if the puzzle wasn't still sitting on the table.

[@kirstencarpenter663]

I don't think anyone could tell this story better than him. I laughed about this very funny telling of 6 people plausibly being killed in the jungle an egomaniac going on tangent over his coffee temp then he started eating chocolate. Best story teller of all time. That chocolate company should have made this into a commercial would be actually based on real events but they have to have this guy in the commercial 100%.

[@AITreeBranches]

The anger solidifies arround his mouth, that is pure genius.

[@GaboDelgado1]

I don't know why I tought Herzog was going to give Kinski his chocolate

[@m1lst3r]

Lol I thought too.

[@geckowizard]

Because that would have made perfect sense if you momentarily forgot that this scenario involved Herzog and Kinski.

[@davidbirch98]

I love this guy! He made sanity, beauty, and comedy out of chaos.

[@alexio1372]

I could listen to this man recite Green Eggs and Ham all day.

[@funkyalfonso]

Years ago I made a big mistake. I read Kinski's autobiography.

[@bosewicht2389]

This may be the most German story ever told

[@m1lst3r]

how so?

[@Ulfnarr]

this comment made me laugh out loud and i don't even agree with you!

[@sethgaston8347]

Klaus may be the only instance of a post war German somehow being successful in a post-war field, by acting MORE AGGRESSIVE than he had during the war 🤣. It’s usually the opposite 😆 What a madman!

[@annalisavajda252]

Sweet revenge.

[@CrniWuk]

There is a story where Kinsky threatened to leave the film set and apparantly Herzog told him that he would shot Kinsky with a rifle and then kill himself. Those two people really loved each other. I think Herzog was like the Antikinsky. How else could someone put up with him for such a long time?

[@matthewsmith6051]

The irony here is that it's Herzog's very own egomania which wins by attrition.

[@brandonsmith9098]

Therein lies the genius of Herzog.

[@webkid4567]

I think Herzog has a certain level of genius that's more equal to his level of confidence though. Herzog thinks "I have a creative vision and I believe it deserves to be seen through," and the opinions/desires of others just don't necessarily enter into it, whereas Kinski was just completely self-absorbed way beyond the point of mental illness. "I am a brilliant actor BECAUSE I'm the best there's ever been at anything ever" is different from "I have put out brilliant performances THEREFORE I am considered a brilliant actor and at times I agree." There doesn't seem to be any malice mixed in with Herzog's ego, and he knows and acknowledges there have been and will be others greater than him. Kinski just thought he was the only important human and the rest of us were ants. That to me is closer to the definition of egomania, ego and self-absorption to the point that your reality is so different from everyone else's that it's psychotic.

[@danjameson1572]

my favorite Kinski line from "For a Few Dollars More": in TEN MINUTES YOU'LL BE SMOKIN IN HELL."

[@mikecimerian6913]

The making of Fitzcarraldo was insane. It is a story in itself.

[@kc4cvh]

I can understand now why Kinski was released after his performance in the pilot episode of Hogan's Heroes.

[@coreycleven8414]

I would totally watch that anecdote as a film. I've never heard of someone so subtly defeating someone like that.

[@jceepf]

Now I understand why he was so good in "For a few dollars more" playing the hunchback: he did not have to act!

[@jekw23]

Ha….I remember thinking “Now I know what Klaus looked like as a young man……he looked like an old man”.

[@larsemilarnason4029]

That Klaus Kinski's hardened mouth froth info was new to me ...at 62 I guess I´m still learning important things Klaus Kinski was a grate artist RIP

[@captainpawpawchannel]

He was an horrible man though

[@TheGreatGodPan]

@@captainpawpawchannel on all accounts, and abused his daughters. He admittedly made a great Nosferatu, though.

[@philippjach8076]

I was thinking the same haha

[@_scabs6669]

Peak KZbin. This is definitively one of the best clips on the Internet.

[@Ganiscol]

I recommend watching some of Kinski's interviews on German primetime or late night feuilleton TV when the host made an effort to get him to detonate - he was a mad man but also often times a genius actor. Between Herzog and Kinski it had to feel like the clash of titans on set...

[@frankmaka2763]

Man, no wonder he was so convincing as the Hunchback in For a Few Dollars More! Guys was acturally nutso! What a film but credit to him, I loved his appearances in the film, so memorable.

[@Berus7777]

You know that question "If you could throw a dinner party and invite ANY (3,4,5) guests from history or currently living, who would you invite? Werner Herzog is ALWAYS on my list. I regret not knowing him personally. He's an amazing artist, philosopher (in his own way) and personality.

[@octagonseventynine1253]

Herzog comes across quite chill but the fact Kinski found him intimidating is a little scary lol

[@timgimmy609]

It seems like Herzog had infinite patience up to the point where he is considering murder as an alternative.

[@apseudonym]

"klaus, there's people that are dying" -herzog, probably

[@kaibrinkmann2905]

Goosebumps while listening!

[@kenfu9334]

looks like kinski still haunts this poor guy

[@WarrenPostma]

Werner Herzog is a legend.

[@Marvel66666]

Elke Sommer told that during a film scene, Kinski was supposed to gently grab her hair. But then he grabbed her hair and almost tore it out. Elke screamed and slapped his face. The scene was interrupted and Kinski was admonished by the director. Kinski then took off a shoe and smashed all the wall plates in the rented movie villa, which were very expensive.

[@dmblum1]

There should be a Hanz and Franz version of a Herzog and Kinski.

[@lindajesse8250]

Absolutely beautiful story telling from my fav director and narrator.

[@commanderkeen3787]

Lmao imagine being a crew member on one of these films and just being a casual observer to these famously bizarre Herzog/Kinski shenanigans 😂

[@PowderedToastMan477]

Seeing the docu and hearing the insanity that took place, I still cry hearing him talk about Klaus as a friend.

[@richardmurphy9006]

Werner 😅mentioning Toblerone is hilarious 🤣

[@indieshack4476]

What a story teller - wonderful!

[@pferreira1983]

This reminds me of that scene in Airplane II where everyone goes nuts on the ship only after finding out there's no coffee. Kinski is one of those passengers. 😂

[@OnafetsEnovap]

And probably beating the shit out of the stewardesses and pilots. :)

[@mr.orange8211]

Eating chocolate has never been so badass

[@riccardoangeli802]

Kinsky non era previsto nel genere umano ... Incredibile Inquietante Intenso Epocale

[@mindjob]

Thanks for your work Werner

[@holzmann-]

Without Kinski, no one‘d know about Herzog😎

[@KoolKaton]

Nobody remembers the Radioactiveman simpson episode, where all the set is destroyed by acid and Krusty comes out of nowhere complaining about the coffee ??

[@pattystephens8129]

I never have conversations like this

[@andy99ish]

Hearing how Herzog went to his hut for his Toblerone I was afraid that he would offer that treasure to calm down ego-hissing Kinski... And that the climax of "outgutting, outlasting, outfiguring, outfilming" was to be appeasement. But to my great relief Herzog did not. That day entitlement evil did not succeed in the Brazilian jungle. Thank you Werner !

[@ed7384]

Anecdotes don’t come better than this one

[@joechill1]

A soldier of cinema.

[@charliekane135]

I thought it was Geoffrey Rush in the thumbnail 😆

[@chokin78]

Not sure which one was crazier: not giving a fuck over a plane crash because of a lukewarm coffee, or psyching out an already out of mind Kinski with a toblerone...

[@pikiwiki]

the very essence of what you call a mini drama

[@ImDJ733]

Genius on genius, but when director is genius then he is The Captain of that universe. Thank you both of them . . .

[@Lonigo77]

This is really intriguing. Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre were both about insanity to begin with. Herzog must have known that bizarre behaviors would erupt once he dropped Kinski into the jungle. Jungles can do that to people.

[@Oldman808]

Herzog is even crazier than Kinski.

[@ATEC101]

Never heard any guff from Clint Eastwood or Lee Van Cleef about Kinski. Then again it's Clint, Lee and Sergio Leone. He knew his place back then.

[@artyfhartie2269]

Klaus Kinski was in many film noir back in the 1960s and 1970s. He was also in many so called spaghetti westerns like For a Few Dollars More. Herzog films would not be great art without him.

[@Jardinserpent]

i bet werner herzog could describe me going to the toilet in an enthralling way

[@stkfc7440]

Same for me because it's a crime scene he's good at those

[@stevenc123]

"And he would wipe his poop away it you see the poop at his butt would harden. It was very hard sort of poop. After an hour it solidifies somehow and wiped it off and then he left"

[@mikemccormick8115]

This is one of the funniest interviews ever!😂😂😂

[@Graterstuuf]

Their relationship is that of legend and would be amazing as a film.

[@user-hi4ic1yr1x]

have you seen "mein liebster fiend"? it's a documentary Herzog made about Kinski (but mostly their relationship) and yeah, it's amazing

[@Graterstuuf]

@@user-hi4ic1yr1x yes.

[@Rev_Oir]

Met a PI who was hired to shadow Kinski by his employee, who was afraid he would hit her again. He behaved himself... THIS time. But she was ready to take him down if he got violent again.

[@JosephB-tv7gf]

He, he, he! Another classic tale from dem Meister der Geschichten, Herr Herzog. A real talent, this gentleman.

[@MattDowling]

I woul watch a 'Harzog & Kinski' biopic if they made it. I imagine it would be insanity on par with Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.

[@walterbrownstone8017]

I don't know either of these guys but that was hilarious.

[@paulkocyla1343]

There are 100s of videos about narcissistic people on the net and how to treat those persons. This one is the best so far :) Freakin´ Kinski got the message right in da face!

[@jimcrawford5039]

Kinski was crazy in the train scenes in Doctor Zhivago.

[@aaoppe]

I just love the contrast between Herzog’s masterful command of the English language and the thick German accent that glazes it. English is indeed the language that rules the world.

[@johnharpdalton7766]

Ultimately, hilarious and astonishing.

[@Neil-Aspinall]

If you've never seen Fitzcarraldo you must. It is one of the craziest films you will ever witness.

[@matthewakian2]

Somebody needs to make a film about Kinski. He's such a crazy bastard.

[@georgekostaras]

I think Werner really enjoyed working with Klaus. Probably gave him a nice adrenaline rush

[@m0thdm]

"after an hour...... it solidifies.... "

[@Enkarashaddam]

Out of context this is so weird and passionate and I have no idea what is going on. I love it

[@george1914]

I'm beginning to think that Herzog is literally me..

[@edwardmorley5273]

I recall a TV interview with a former policeman who attended the flat of kinski after one of his rants... He said everything in the flat that was left could be put through a tennis racket, he destroyed absolutely everything... It must have been a sight. If actually very much enjoy watching him on screen.. He grabs your attention. No one said an actor has to be civilised, it's the creative process. A much missed actor.

[@m1lst3r]

i can imagine Kinski coming home after one day, blissful, then suddenly, out of blue, started destroying stuff in his flat.

[@patbau96]

He also abused his daughter for years. A little civility goes a long way. Don't think she misses him much.

[@edwardmorley5273]

@@patbau96 that is very well documented.. He did the same with his mother also, I was just talking of which the actor.... Nowadays one is an angel or perfect.... Did you enjoy any of the films he made?.

[@lawrencefrost9063]

Civility is over rated, however what that man did to his daughter is not something anyone should forgive. You miss a pedophile?

[@lawrencefrost9063]

No one is asking for people to act like saints or angels, just human. I don't care if he is the greatest actor of all time, I can't respect anyone who rapes their own child.@@edwardmorley5273

[@JackSurvana]

This is just like that scene from spongbob where they eat chocolate around a fire

[@volkerengels5298]

Klaus has transcended egomania. No doubt

[@VideoDotGoogleDotCom]

Wow.

[@Cadence733]

Check out the video about their relarionship, there seriously needs to be a film ( drama not documentary) made about these two.

[@michaelmouse4024]

Aguirre Der Zorn Gottes - a metaphor for brexit madness: there is no way out of the jungle and the lunatic asks "Who else is with me?"

[@helenez2318]

After 9_11 we swore never to drink luck warm coffee in a plane again Klaus was one of the great

[@kylemitchell5301]

Typical interaction between 2 germans

[@wasgibtesleute3318]

Herzog was awesome in "Jack Reacher" with Tom Cruise.

[@susanb4816]

A pot calling the kettle black lol

[@FlavioMarceloSousa35]

Sounds charming.

[@davidrichardson8855]

I think that their levels of insanity were on par with each other- just expressed differently.

[@blueabattoir]

Wish I was there.

[@1badjesus401]

thought gonna GIVE chocolate to him..but EAT it? .. Herzog had IRON ⚾️⚾️!