Herzog & Demme

I had a random celeb spotting today coming back from lunch w/ a co-worker. On 5th Ave in front of B&N, I saw a guy being stopped by another person and realized it was "Ted" from "How I Met Your Mother". He was w/ a woman (girlfriend?) and looked a bit apprehensive to stop, we kept moving so don't know if he had a tiny mob approach before he could get away or was able to get a pic w/ the one fan and move on. My co-worker thought he was a cutie.;)

A planned celeb sighting happened tonight when I went to a speaking event sponsored by the Museum of the Moving Image that had Jonathan Demme interviewing Werner Herzog.

Prior to the interview, the Museum launched and demonstrated their website - movingimagesource.us It seems like it was a huge under taking of organizing info, I hope people use it!

Now to the interview...

Roger Ebert calls Herzog a "Good Soldier of Cinema", adding that there are very few left. He did not write a review for Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World" but rather a dedication. Oh, and a letter to Herzog in which he proceeded to print online and in the Chicago Sun Times. ;)

Demme brought up one of Herzog's first films - "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" and asked him why he held a closeup for so long on the raging water that was so violent and boiling. Herzog said that the water was so full of rage and it was a way to prepare the audience for something out of proportion.

A Herzog motto - "Do it as it is and it's fine."

Herzog told Demme that when he saw "Silence of the Lambs" he had never been so scared and that he doesn't scare easily. ;)

He continued speaking about Demme and said he's - "Just a professional man who knew how to handle cinema. Who has gone thru professional disputes and moved on."

Herzog talked about his actors in "Rescue Dawn" - Jeremy Davies fed himself w/ water. He is a very unique and significant talent. Steve Zahn was vulnerable, full of hugs and protests. Herzog thinks this film is a great achievement for Zahn. He said it was a privelege to work w/ the best when referring to Christian Bale.

Herzog grew up in the Bavarian Mountains and only knew about the world thru fairy tales.

He is never surrounded by "Yes Men".

He says that "Somehow I know the hearts of men". Adding that he can put them at ease. He says, if you don't have this skill - you are not a filmmaker.

"It's fine to work in the unknown".

He can't read music scores. But he loves opera.

He said that Cinema & Opera bite each other like cat & dog. Whoever tries to film opera will fail.

It was a very interesting evening of insight and now I have a list of movies to add to my Netflix Q!