Before I address the film, allow me a quick paean to its writer/producer/director. Thank Christ for Werner Herzog. It's tough being a cineaste these days, with such creative geniuses as Michael Bay, McG, and whoever directed Deuce Bigalow 2 ruling the Hollywood roost. Even Spielberg and Lucas have lost their mojo...OK, Lucas moreso--much, much moreso--than Spielberg. But what about Coppola? What's Scorsese done recently? Did P.T. Anderson fall off the face of the Earth? It's a bit frightening to think that no one is at the helm of the ship, and nothing good and/or original is being made. Enter Herzog. The guy IS a genius, and besides that, he is not only prolific, but he still has "it." Grizzly Man is just as good as anything Herzog made thirty years ago. Coincidentally, Stroszek was made thirty years ago. It is brilliant. Herzog knows how to use music in films, and here is a prime example. Herzog always has one or two bits of indelible imagery in his films; in Stroszek, we have the premature babies and the dancing chicken. (Another Herzog staple is unforgettable characterization. Who else wanted to punch the banker in the face? The guy's performance as a glad-handing vulture with a big sh*t-eating grin was spot-on.) Now I can see some viewers giving up after fifteen minutes and saying, "This is pretentious, Euro-arty bullsh*t." Fair enough...not all movies appeal to everyone. But I hate pretentious, Euro-arty bullsh*t too (e.g. The Perfect Human), and this ain't that. Stick with it, or wait a few years and try it again (just like reading Ulysses). This film will make demands on you...don't expect Hollywood pap. Last thing: the accusation of "anti-American" has been leveled at this film. I'm a white, male Republican (i.e., evil incarnate) and I do not--NOT--find this to be the case. This film is not about bashing America: it is about the other side of life's coin, and how no man truly decides his own fate.
