Werner Herzog on Letterman, October 11, 1982

By request: Werner Herzog's first television interview, here promoting his film "Fitzcarraldo" (clip deleted here for copyright caution).

[@vincentsignorelli7759]

I was at this taping, and after the show I got his autograph on the back of my son Miles infant photo, Dear Miles, please grow into a nice boy.

[@laurastrobel718]

That's beautiful 💓

[@bustermot]

Did he?

[@vincentsignorelli7759]

Yes he did , was so random , as I knew about the backstage entry from the scene in Taxi Driver, where De Niro is on the phone in the corridor !

[@CaptainBlaine]

It’s interesting how much his face, mannerisms, voice and overall demeanor changed as he got older. Probably the result of a diverse and interesting life.

[@peteradaniel]

Or randomly getting shot on tv.

[@monakat8517]

Wait til you get old

[@linajurgensen4698]

The result of working with Klaus Kisnki.

[@lrrrruleroftheplanetomicro6881]

He's very anxious, his first big interview in another language. It's also clear, that he never thought to blunt his emotions with drugs, which is nice.

[@gir5o1]

You should try working with Klaus Kinski and see how you turn out 🤣

[@letsif]

Still active and creating great art to this day. Great man.

[@damesaphira9790]

Nope...he rides on his accent.

[@josefwissarionowitschstali1225]

The well-tempered antipode to Klaus Kinski.

[@richsackett3423]

@@damesaphira9790 fraid so.

[@Vingul]

@@damesaphira9790Nope.

[@Vingul]

@@richsackett3423Wrong.

[@kinskifilms]

I had no idea he appeared on Letterman. Thanks for uploading. I actually worked with Werner for a few months on an installation at the Whitney Museum. It was the experience of a lifetime.

[@mateuszwerner8576]

Could you tell a bit more of this experience please?

[@imnotkevinbrennan5955]

was that the hercules segers semi-tribute thing he did?

[@kinskifilms]

@@imnotkevinbrennan5955 That's the one! He had been a hero of mine for ages and it was a terrifying prospect at first. You never want to meet your heroes. But he was a sweet guy. A few highlights include spending several hours with him at my desk poring through youtube looking for music ideas for the piece and the day Ernst Reijseger showed up with his cello and did impromptu performances throughout the museum. It was great being able to spend so much time collaborating with Herzog. Definitely a surreal bucket list moment.

[@honora217]

@@kinskifilms you’re blessed!

[@walterweiss7124]

visiting the famous museums in NYC was a great pleasure for me almost 20y ago, but your experience must be extraordinary

[@sh4312]

I'll never not love how he pronounces 'jungle'.

[@Oilibhear333]

One of Germanys greatest filmmakers! Danke, Werner!

[@jackiesixtysixtyjackie]

werner has no ego, my hero

[@zenpaganwarrior]

Any Herzog fans out there who haven't seen My Best Fiend or Burden of Dreams, do yourself a favor and watch them asap. Thank you, Don Giller, for your archive-worthy Letterman clips!

[@habovay3]

I've tried watching My Best Friend but mad man Kinski is absolutely exhausting. Had to bail.

[@liamstacey419]

There are beautiful opera houses in South America. I attended a Mozart opera at the one in Santiago chile and felt transported straight to Vienna.

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

His Antarctica documentary is sublime. It made me want to go ten times more. Wish I could remember the title. A lot of his documentary work, and there's a lot, is available here on yt to watch for free.

[@dongiller]

“Encounters at the End of the World.”

[@L.L.2045]

Oh yes I saw it a few years ago and to this day I remember it as one of the best documentaries I have ever seen in my life. The music!

[@ryanbrodydigregorio]

The suicidal penguin will haunt my dreams forever.

[@999titu]

Those who have watched his work, know that he is a genius

[@josefwissarionowitschstali1225]

A MAD genius.....

[@jeffthekiller2511]

I haven't seen any of his work but I know he is a force of nature

[@rpidly4915]

i love how delighted he is describing the plot elements

[@BOBMAN1980]

I don't think I've ever seen Herzog smile and much and consistently as he did in this interview. I can't help but attribute it his knowing that Letterman--whether people want to admit it or not--is a little on his level. . .or at least on a harmonizing wavelength.

[@KingMinosxxvi]

His father married several women who ALL supported him financially. His father did nothing but drink and a study a wide range of things to produce a book which he never wrote. This is the kind of person that produces amazing people.

[@frankiethefish73]

His father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament.

[@KingMinosxxvi]

@@frankiethefish73 SHHH!!!

[@maureenthomas9758]

​@@frankiethefish73worst of all he had to pay for his own luge lessons

[@maskedladyrobber]

You need to hear Herzog's DVD commentaries on his German films. So entertaining!

[@jamescrossland2599]

This man is an innovative "new category" type of film maker. He is history of film!

[@mrblonde609]

Directing movies is a complicated profession. Don't you agree?

[@Merlin_Price]

I'm david pumpkins maaaaaayn.

[@gj8683]

Yes, but especially if you're Werner Herzog.

[@bfkc111]

I don't think so. True, very few can do it, but the reason is just that some people have ideas, others don't, and that's the whole difference and around which everything else puts itself into order without much greater difficulty than any long-lasting team effort. That's how it seems to me, other will also just speculate by saying "ooooh, it's a miracle" or whatever.

[@MarkHogan994]

@@bfkc111 Woosh buddy. Joke went way over your head. The complicated profession line is a reference to The Mandalorian (new Star Wars TV show that Herzog is in). His character has a similar line about bounty hunting in the first episode of the show.

[@mikearchibald744]

Not if your antoinioni.

[@nancyhanson3472]

I adore Werner Herzog. He is absolutely brilliant. My favorite filmmaker!! Thank you for posting this. Very much appreciated!!

[@acrovader]

Werner Herzog is one of my heroes!

[@f.d.3289]

"If it was necessary to climb down into hell and wrestle a film out of the claws of the devil, I would do so. I wouldn't be scared of anything." I love that guy :) Thanks for the upload!

[@guyfaux900]

Is that the only time he used to that epic quote?

[@pavel6688]

So is this how he met Kinski?;)

[@muditmalhotra86]

@@pavel6688 hahahaha, good one!

[@ChrisWilliams-pw6gw]

@@pavel6688 lol

[@ChrisWilliams-pw6gw]

Total commitment

[@thenewnarrativeproject7725]

Amazing Filmmaker!... a true artist with a very deep understanding of the human condition.

[@MrRemark21]

When this was aired on NBC late night, school lunch menu courtesy of the Glendora, CA Unified School District: Taco Treat, Shredded Lettuce, Seasoned Green Beans, Chilled Pears, Sweet Potato Bread.

[@c.a.savage5689]

Anyone who thinks Herzog is smug, or doesn't take his responsibilities to his film crew seriously should read his diary-based book, "Conquest of the Useless : On the making of Fitzcarraldo". While totally committed to his artistic vision, like a religious fanatic, he also realizes the seeming absurdity of his demands on the crew. Even nature is against him. It makes for an interesting read.

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

A VERY interesting read!!

[@Vingul]

@@BerniewahlbrinckYep, read it three times.. so far. «Of Walking in Ice» is worth a read, too.

[@Liisa3139]

Quite a handsome guy with a nice gentle look in his eyes.

[@RollingOrmond]

My Best Fiend a great doc. about the Herzog/Kinski relationship.

[@Vercingetorix504]

He's clearly a genius, Letterman was smitten😍

[@roxannepearls901]

My favorite lunatic ❤️❤️❤️

[@garrybaldy327]

Werner Herzog. The man who kept trying to murder Klaus Kinski. My hero.

[@mrblonde609]

Love him, but without Kinski he wouldn't be where he is now. But Herzog elevated Kinski from a stereotype villain to a force of nature. Both men were born for eachother.

[@sex6cult9revolution]

@@mrblonde609 100% agreed.

[@garrybaldy327]

@@mrblonde609 That may or may not be true, I just like the idea of an incestuous rapist and wife abuser being murdered. The Herzog/Kinski partnership is unrivalled in cinema (maybe Scorsese/De Niro?), but that wasn't what I was talking about.

[@RollingOrmond]

@@garrybaldy327 More decades-late #MeToo attacks that haven't been verified.

[@kurtpeterson4193]

@@RollingOrmond In the first edition of the memoir, entitled I Am Crazy For your Strawberry Mouth, published in 1975, Klaus Kinski described in detail how he had seduced many young girls. He was always always quite open about his taste for underaged girls.

[@GrantTarredus]

The epitome of what it means to be an artist; Herzog is unlike any other I know. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@SwisstedChef2018]

What Werner did for FItzcaralldo and Aguirre is so amazing, NOT every director does that

[@carlkontermann5637]

NO director does that

[@regzzuse280]

@@carlkontermann5637 I love this quick replies. No, not every director takes a risk of his crew being eaten by tribe members in the middle of nowhere, and even worse signs Kinski for multiple parts. So no, not every director does such things.

[@Vingul]

@@regzzuse280they also don’t make films as good as Fitzcarraldo.

[@jrlakin370]

Herzog is the coolest cat!

[@AA-sn9lz]

His cat died today. :(

[@triptothebeach]

Thanks from germany for uploading this interview.

[@allybally0021]

Ja. Ich bin ein Rathaus. Danke.

[@allybally0021]

@Elon Musk Das war gestern. Jetzt bin ich ein Zug. Ein blau Zug. Ein schell blau Zug. Ja.

[@allybally0021]

@Elon Musk Aber naturlich. Weil es in Island ist. Ich wohne in Currywurstburg. Es ist ein Dorf in Franken. Danke.

[@allybally0021]

@Elon Musk Nein. Das ist nicht ein Dorf. Es ist ein Drachenhöhle. Das ist zu gefährlich. Es tut mir leid. Ich bin nicht ein Rathaus. Nicht wirklich.

[@eddiebrock5633]

@Elon Musk TRAUT EUCH! KOMMT ZU MIR!

[@DTSsince2016]

This Letterman episode aired on my birthday. I was born in 1999.

[@HookNVibe]

It was my birthday aswell 10/11/1988

[@DTSsince2016]

@@HookNVibe Awesome!

[@Chikenman54321]

thanks for uploading.. these are my two heroes in life

[@lisajojo4842]

Great upload, thank you so much!

[@RobGordon35]

Thank you for posting this!

[@RoddyTullenz]

Such a great piece you've archived.

[@ThomasJScharmann]

He is an immortal legend. This footage is the myth.

[@steveholmes77]

Fantastic. Thanks for Uploading! This is certainly a rare interview.

[@delbongo]

What a treasure, cheers for uploading

[@vintagevhsarchive]

This is really interesting, and it's great quality. Thanks for uploading.

[@dongiller]

Long before I had acquired a much-cleaner source.

[@indiegroundvid]

thx for uploading this

[@twohamburgers]

how the hell do you make a movie like this, the crew alone - Werner is amazing

[@walterweiss7124]

absolute madmen

[@RichardHandal301]

Great. I always love his lengthy interviews on radio such as Fresh Air. Thanks, Don.

[@Silberfuchs1982]

2 days before I was born and I ain't lying

[@andrelloyd4010]

A wonderful visionary and director !

[@BatteryExhausted]

Shit. He was doing this since before I was born! Great upload. Thanks!

[@DavidSaks]

And on the eighth day God created a filmmaker.....

[@jaydedinnoo8819]

THAT is a gud line 👍🏻

[@GreenWhiteRevolution]

Wörner Hörsog.

[@solunasunrise]

wüth hiss niu movie

[@abeedhal6519]

@@solunasunrise r/whoosh

[@itsokay7989]

@@abeedhal6519 please stop with that Reddit cringe. Try to be a better person, I know you have it in you

[@abeedhal6519]

@@itsokay7989 r/whoosh

[@walterweiss7124]

Wørnør Hørsøg ;P

[@Soul74]

Thank you Don.

[@Funkywallot]

Avant-garde film maker on a u.s. mega popular night show. Those were the times.

[@Vlade2002]

Werner, a grounded and stable guy

[@MrHubadub]

A stable genius

[@idontextback]

I love Werner Herzog !!!! So cool to see this.

[@Hylss]

Nice to see more of his eyes. He looks good.

[@tomatofaceddisgrace]

I just adore him

[@abuferasabdullah]

Thanks Don

[@tony232cool]

one of the best filmmakers sitll alive. Propably one of the best ever who could capture the human condition.

[@VADELMAHILLO-cw7jm]

ONE OF MY FAVS

[@helicopterspies]

The way he pronounces "jungle" ... I love it.

[@MrJm323]

02:18 and 03:00 The German word for "jungle" is "Dschungel".

[@Livingtree32]

@@MrJm323 Actually both words stem from the Persian word jangal, which the English borrowed through Hindi during their time in India. The Persian word is ironically pronounced more like the "mispronounciation" of Herzog in this video.

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

@@Livingtree32 Thank you!

[@Mortimer71]

The man who has his very own dialect!

[@vampoftrance]

Coming from him at this age now I understand the philosophy. A wonderful film, see it today one of my top ten.

[@BradTheProducer]

You see, this is an alternate timeline where he actually succeeded in capturing Baby Yoda and harnessed his power to grow young again.

[@hmbpnz]

This is spectacular.

[@kikhaky]

Herzog was just too badass for Dave to try to make fun of.

[@claytonchaney9171]

David Letterman interviewed both kinski and herzog,,,,both who do not suffer fools,,,,,Dave can be respectful and funny when he wants to be,,,,,he treaded quite lightly and nicely here .....

[@turnpiketumbler8938]

Klass, the day i was born!

[@kevinbirge2130]

Letterman’s guests were the best.

[@holyworrier]

Now he looks much more striking.

[@MyEnemy]

I wish he'd regrow the moustache.

[@poisoninyourcoffeewolvesof5182]

His voice sounds balmy and interesting! He seems to be a gentleman, I cant understand why Klaus disliked him so!

[@loretta4k334]

It's pretty obvious that Kinski really liked Herzog, he just wanted to maintain his public madman image and pretended to hate everything.

[@robertvasquez240]

And Herzog obviously liked Kinski since they made a number of films together.

[@unterbergersee-rehmittoupet911]

Probably because Klaus Kinski was completely insane

[@stephenpemberton85]

They actually loved one another like Brother's

[@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast]

Wow. This is good stuff!

[@franksessions4346]

Art Bell has a great interview with him

[@CantaloupeJones]

I love him

[@fanboy2015]

I think Brando would have stayed in his trailer and not come out, if he had worked with Kinski.

[@walterweiss7124]

Colonel Kurtz meets Fitzcarraldo - WOW, what an idea ;)

[@gamegladi8or669]

@@walterweiss7124Kurtz meets Aguirre would be insane!

[@tylerdurden6208]

Fitzcaroldo, a masterful film, see it if you can.

[@Cuzjudd]

I'mma half to

[@stringstaffan4]

Thank you so much! Never seen this one before

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

Moving that boat, a feat worthy of Hannibal almost! What a great documentarian. Thanks Don :)

[@peterbreughel4440]

Dave prepared for this interview and asked some serious questions.

[@gasjet2000]

Except he didn't know, or chose to pronounce the first name "Werner" incorrectly.

[@bustermot]

He grew up in Indiana in a different time. Most people I knew in the Midwest back then didn’t know or care to pronounce things correctly. Also, there hadn’t been a check on the omnipotence of the white man and his dastardly ways at this stage.

[@kanaric]

it's still the case. No place names that are french are pronounced properly in the midwest@@bustermot

[@foljs5858]

A time when late night shows were not about BS infantile games and celebrity BS like Fallon and co

[@theCurl]

yes, letterman was all about mature, serious content like seeing how many spidermen could fit in a jamba juice, throwing flaming bags of flour off the roof of a building, dressing up in a velcro suit to jump off a trampoline and stick to a wall, having chris elliot call himself marlon brando while decidedly not doing a brando impression, and making the guy who owns the bodega next door a regular feature. next to sophisticated content like that, playing beer pong with your guests is just silly. fallon might as well have a ridiculous segment called something like “stupid human tricks.” wait a minute...

[@seththomas9105]

@@theCurl What was great about Letterman at this time was how they did all the off the wall stuff and then had great interviews like this. When Dave went to CBS that went away. Sad.

[@ianmcneely2446]

He’s unrecognizable.

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Legend

[@jo-annfat-bricks2471]

Kinsky had 50 lbs of armor on a feeble raft while director Werner Hertzog was in a speed boat with a mega phone rooting on potential disaster.

[@katdujka4760]

Gosh he’s so cool and handsome.

[@Rebecca-gc9gw]

This man gave us “Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo”. Thank you, Werner.

[@rhm3408]

Like with Arnold, he seems to have a STRONGER accent now, than he did in the 70s or 80s...?

[@c.a.savage5689]

l had the same reaction, having just heard his interview on Seth Meyers. It's possible that in 1982 he was speaking alot more English on a daily basis. Perhaps with age, speaks more German and just doesn't care about the accent. l can understand that.

[@muhammadalikhan7244]

Thanks Werner Herzog for saving our new clown prince of crime aka the living legend Joaquin Phoenix

[@RileyDia]

"Of Course I'll Be Around"

[@Norfolk250]

Very handsome

[@thisishouston1]

He was amazing in the Mandolorian, too!

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Genius

[@DrinkinZima]

Love his work, his voice is sublime.

[@burningmisery]

Werner Herzog had balls made of Krupp steel. I wish he would lend his voice to an AI.

[@danielprates2208]

What do you mean? He has. Look for the infinite discussion, him and Slavo Zizek

[@karlmortoniv2951]

Now I’m imagining him as HAL’s voice in “2001.” 😮

[@patrickg5648]

That’s fucking ghoulishly evil, why do you want people to be able to literally put words into this man’s mouth

[@danielom8446]

He would detest your desire

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Oh, no. I doubt he would do that, at least I hope he wouldn't, at least not is some grubby capitalistic way.

[@soniacomelli339]

My God, he was so hot...😍😍😍

[@Jzscrstsprstr]

There's so much '80s in this video.

[@FrivMusic]

This interview is insane

[@BigDaddyZakk420]

He somehow looked older than he does now. Baffling.

[@franziskakre8309]

The reason why he looked older is he made so many movies with Klaus Kinski.

[@Cuzjudd]

Lmao

[@bernhardplatzdasch408]

Herzog needs to write an autobiography.

[@AlexRutiaga]

Even better, he made an autobiographical film about himself

[@Daness74]

Da isser,mein allerliebster Hamsterschatz Werner Herzog!in seinen Gewässern kenne ich keinen größeren Fisch - wirklich richtig guter Mann/Mensch/"Dödel" = 👍👌💋

[@schiller2222]

Pass auf du, ich mach einen Wirbel in Amerika!

[@GRedit1000]

could have used that scene from "Fitzcaraldo"

[@yvc9]

Making films is a very complicated profession

[@sebastianalegria3401]

I've never seen this interview before, and as I can see must have been quite hard for Herzog having deal with Klaus Kinski who's a difficult actor on the set. Besides, I've always wondered, is it my idea or were Kinski's characters exactly himself in the real life?