Customer Reviews

The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser [VHS]

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In this film, Werner Herzog uses the real life enigmatic character of Kasper Hauser to ask such questions as, "Who are we?", "How do we learn?" and "What is it to be human?" Questions of such singular importance that neither science, logic or religious dogma can offer adequate answers. Great truths are felt rather than analyzed and by fleshing out the very humanness of Kasper through the incredible performance of Bruno S., we gain such a sense of right and wrong that societal convention seems out of balance and perverse. In the end we get the feeling that we can only learn anything from Kasper because he looks at the world without prejudice or preconceived notions of right and wrong. The film begins with the following written introduction: "One Sunday in 1828 a ragged boy was found in the town of N. He could hardly walk and spoke but one sentence. Later he told of being locked in a dark cellar from birth. He had never seen a human being, a tree, a house before. To this day on one knows where he came from - or who set him free." Kasper becomes for "civilized" society an experiment in humanity. The only problem is that he does not respond in expected ways, therefore, there must be something wrong with him - some scientifically explainable flaw! But through beautiful effective images we experience Kaspers humanity; the childlike joy he experiences while feeding a baby bird; tears of confusion pouring down his face after getting stung by a candle flame at the hands of those who know better; the tenderness he exhibits with an infant child. As Kasper is introduced to "high" society, essentially as a freakish novelty that can be molded into conformity through "education", it is not he who is the real freak show, but those who seem to be ashamed of their own attachment to nature. Suddenly Kasper is the only non-freak in the film! Herzog seems to have learned much from the story of Kasper Hauser and has created a beautiful testament to that spirit with this film.

Not only is The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser Werner Herzog's best film but it is without question one of the 5 greatest films of all time. This movie has some of the most astonishing and powerful images ever committed to film. One of the opening shot's is that of a wheat field blowing in the wind while Pachelbel's Cannon plays and the following words appear on the screen; "Don't you hear that horrible screaming all around you? That screaming men call silence." This sequence perfectly captures the essence of this film. The beauty of suffering seen through the eyes of a man that is completing untainted and untouched by society. This movie will change your life. This movie has amazing cinematography, a genius use of music, astonishing performances and Werner Herzog's direction is unbelievable.

This is maybe Herzog's warmest, most likeable film, if not necessarily his best - it is very touching and poignant without being remotely sentimental or mawkish.

Rewatching it recently I couldn't help wondering how familiar David Lynch was with this film before he made "Elephant Man". The dreamlike opening scenes where a woman's face (Kaspar's mother?) appears in soft focus and the scene with the fairground barker are irresistably reminiscent of "Elephant Man" as is much of the overall feel of the film - time to 'fess up David.

As mentioned above and as with so many of Herzog's films, the opening scenes are stunning (think of "Aguirre" and "Heart of Glass"). There also are many many memorable scenes throughout, particularly Kaspar's touching relationship with the jailer's children and those scenes where he expounds on his own peculiar logic. It must be said however that Herzog's customary slow pace renders the film less accessible to a mainstream audience than it possibly could have been.

Central to the film's success is the unforgettable performance of the mysterious Bruno S. in the title role. Bruno, an eccentric, possibly mentally ill, "street person" is far too old to play the part (Kaspar is supposed to be 16) but brings an extraordinary childlike dignity and pathos to the role - it's simply impossible to imagine a trained actor giving this performance. As with "Even Dwarves Started Small" there's no suggestion that Herzog is exploiting one of society's outcasts, at the same time there is not the merest hint of condescension either. By the way, Bruno S. would have made an excellent Beethoven if anyone had chosen to cast him as such - in my opinion!

As it is, much of the humour of the film is lost in the subtitles (Herzog's films are often funnier than they're given credit for) and, the pace is rather too slow at times and the dialogue occasionally ponderous - but this is still an excellent film and one of Herzog's best.

Coincidentally, this is one of the few Herzog films not to (directly) feature the music of Popol Vuh. However the band's leader, Florian Fricke, does appear in the film as a blind orphaned pianist called Florian (what else!). Not only that but he plays a small piece of Popol Vuh music on the piano - Kaspar's guardian is moved to say that Florian's music "sounds strange to most people" (which it does), Kaspar replies that the music "feels strong in my heart" (which it also does!).

In all his ouvre, Herzog has rarely excelled more in sheer humanity of his vision as in The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser. There is little preoccupation with the gross and strange elements that form many of his later films. One can see a similar approach in Signs Of Life and The Land Of Silence And Darkness, and even later in Strozek (also with Bruno S.) but this is his masterpiece. The story of a foundling misunderstood by most and doomed to a tragic end rings true for all of us who care about others marginalized by society. The filmic style is straightforward with little pretense to flashy or overt techniques, but don't fool yourself - the visual style is quite calculated to reveal the inner truths flowing from the soul of Bruno S. This film is absolutely his finest hour (along with Aguirre) and has set the tone for his career to this day.

Caspar Hauser, the enigma of a century is the true account of one early 19th century foundling, Kaspar Hauser, who was locked and shackled in a dungeon from birth, only to be freed and exposed to society after 17 years in isolation (save for the lone keeper who fed and abused him). To add to his tragic circumstance, he was murdered almost as mysteriously as he was confined.

What makes The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser so compelling is not so much this man's biography. Rather it is Werner Herzog's exploration of the individual's role in society, especially when he has a personal history like Kaspar Hauser. Herzog looks at what would happen to such a person were he to interact with ordinary villagers, children, bureaucrats, clergymen, scientists and educators.

We discover over the course of the film that his perceptions would be different from their own. As he learns to walk, develop language skills, process logic, interpret dreams, understand the concept of God and perform piano solos, we realise what constitutes normalcy and civility according to society. We see man's incessant need to analyse, to explain, to classify and to codify that which is seemingly different than himself. More importantly, we see how individuality is broken and conformity becomes the norm. Not that all men are such cruel and intolerable ogres, Herzog lets us also see the tenderness and kindness humanity possesses.

Herzog's symbolism is quite subtle too. The abrupt cut to a still photograph and silence at the beginning is reflective of Kaspar Hauser's life. It too began peaceably and was cut short. It's a scene that foreshadows and epitomises the events to come.

The symbolism can even be ironic. I was particularly amused at the end when the crippled bureaucrat walks away thinking about Kaspar Hauser's 'abnormal' brain after an autopsy has been performed. Once again, one has to wonder who and what is normal, or so Herzog would have us think.

As you watch the film, you cannot help but feel empathy for Kaspar Hauser. This is owed partly to the performance of Bruno S. He is brilliant. The rigidity, the blank stare, the child-like innocence could perhaps only be depicted by someone who had lived and endured a similar fate. When you see Bruno S., keep in mind he was a 41 year old, non-actor playing a teenager. He, himself, had been abused, not unlike Kaspar Hauser, by his mother who was a prostitute; he was sent to an asylum and incarcerated for a petty crime.

Overall, "The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser" is a wonderful film. The DVD package is not bad either. It comes with a commentary from Werner Herzog synced to the film, if one so wishes. A biography on Herzog is also included. Subtitle options are in English and German.

First, the original title of this film is *not* The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser. It's Every Man For Himself And God Against All. The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser - also The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser - are America-only titles. That really doesn't detract from anything, but if you're ever looking for information on the film, you might want to know.

This is a great dvd, with a mildly informative biography of Herzog and (yay!) commentary from him.

The commentary is very worth listening to - more informative, I think, than the Criterion version's film essay would have been in this case. Herzog is a very interesting man with a very storied past, and this commentary explores that. Norman Hill - who shares the English track - seems to have been put there for the sole purpose of prompting Herzog into speech and gets grating after a while.

The movie itself is also wonderful - even if it feels at times to be missing Klaus Kinski, Herzog's lifelong friend and actor. This is due mainly to the way that Kaspar Hauser shares the feel of Herzog's more famous work, Aguirre - The Wrath of God. Many of the shots are the same: foggy landscapes shot through multiple lenses to disassociate the viewer from them, images of isolation on the water, and, of course, the controlled manner of speech which Bruno S. adopts for the film. There's even a moment where Bruno steps out in front of the camera in the very same fashion that Kinski invented for Aguirre.

A very worthwhile DVD, my only problem comes with the subtitles. While they seem (mostly - Herzog comments on one or two moments) to be adequate translations, they are at times unreadable. I'm not sure how escapable that is given that this is a colour film, but it seems Criterion have done an ample job on similar works. Cries and Whispers comes to mind. That one flaw, however, is minor and should in no way detract you from purchasing.

This winner of the 1975 Grand Jury Prize Cannes tells the story of an mysterious man isolated and found in very poor and miserable conditions . He can not articulate any word , since he has grown as almost a wild beast .
Nevertheless , he shows surprising advances and an overwhelming intelligence during his adapatation process to the society and shows a weird sense of prophecy . His death still remains far from resolving .
This bizarre and compelling film is very close to previous films such as The miracle worker (Artur Pen 1962) and The wild Child Francois Truffaut 1969). You can notice the echoes of this plot in other minor films such as K Pax , Nell and the unforgettable Nicholas Roeg work of 1976 The man who fell to earth .
This artistic work is illuminated with dark poetry and atmospheric charm .
Bruno Ganz is perfect in this complex role . And since Klaus Kinki was always the protegee of Herzog , his hard features could mean a serious obstacle to the character , where the naifness and the sense of loneliness should be reflected in every movement .
The direction was extraordinary . The influence of the german expresionism is undeniable in this sense . The movie is a gothic nightmare which involves this misterious human being .
This picture seems to improve with the age .
Watch one the major achievements of this superb creator of atmospheres and edge of the knife situations ; Werner Herzog.

I first saw this film at a Werner Hertzog film festival held at the Academy Twin in Oxford Street, Paddington, in Sydney Australia sometime between 1975 to 1977 I guess, and its memory has been with me ever since.

Many years later it aired on SBS TV [Special Broadcasting Services - Ethnic TV] in Sydney with David Stratten as the presenter, but due to my poor TV reception at the time I didn't tape it! Along with 'Aguirre, the Wrath of God' and 'Fitzcarraldo' it is one of my all-time favourite films if not the number one.

I take my hat off to Hertzog for the great films he's put together over the years which, had the effect of keeping this boy 'sane'. I seem to recall David Stratten saying that Kaspar Hauser was originally released in Germany as 'Every Man for Himself, and God Against All'. This film should definitely be re-released on video and also transferred to DVD as soon as possible and made available to all who are interested in it. In fact this film is so good that it should be studied in schools around the world.

If it shows up on TV again, this time I'm ready... ariel correctly aligned!

...There are really good movies...there are great movies...and then there is "Kaspar Hauser", which seems to transcend aesthetic categories altogether and make movies themselves seem trivial. Those unfamiliar with it, or unfamiliar with the films of Werner Herzog in general, should remedy the situation at their earliest convenience.

This has been a favorite since I first saw it in a college film series soon after it came out. Among the 80 or so DVDs I have bought, I rank it at the very top for fidelity to the color and texture of the original film. The sound is also crystal clear. If you look hard enough you'll find the occasional artifact, but they are drowned out for me by the natural look.
I hope the DVD version brings this treasure to a whole new audience.
(An added bonus for students of German is the ability to turn off the subtitles.)
Now all I want to know is when the hell I'll be able to get La Dolce Vita on DVD!