Gates of Heaven was disappointing. I'm sniffin' A Thin Blue Line, and should end up seeing it.

Ebert: I'm sorry you didn't enjoy that great film.

Gates of Heaven was disappointing. I'm sniffin' A Thin Blue Line, and should end up seeing it.

I, too am sorry SM Rana didn't love Gates of Heaven. And here I was thinking it was some form of unique masterpiece... foolish me.

Now, as to Herzog and Morris: Aguirre, the Wrath of God is showing near my house this week (ending on Thursday night). Though I've seen it on the TV in my house, I feel it can only be done justice on the big screen, which is why I am going to see it there tomorrow night. For people who are in Seattle, it's playing at the Grand Illusion Cinema in the U-District at 7 and 9 pm everyday.

As for Morris, which film would you suggest I watch first, or does it matter? I hope to see both Gates of Heaven and The Fog of War someday, but are there any other Morris documentaries you (or your readers) would recommend?

Thanks for this post Roger. The audio is not working in clips 1, 2, and 3, Perhaps if you re-upload, it will work. Looking forward to watching these!

Ebert: Blast! I'm re-uploading.

Two months after watching "Gates of Heaven"(I love it, by the way) for the first time in 2009, I watched "Werner Herzog Eats the Shoes" on TV as the part of the international documentary festival. At least, there are several things more unpleasant and unsavory to eat than your own shoes.

@litdreamer
"Fast, Cheap & Out of Control" is wonderful. Somehow this documentary is associated with "Synecdoche, New York" in my head. "Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter Jr." is funny - in grim way.

@ litdreamer: Which to watch first? Gates of Heaven or Fog of War? In short, I think Gates of Heaven is a great movie, but Fog of War is the better documentary. FoG is about something historical, and more concrete, while GoH is more about something ethereal and insubstantial (in that eternal way).

In FoG you will learn something about the past (WWII, Vietnam Era, etc.); in GoH you will learn something about yourself (not least of which is whether you want to see other Errol Morris films).

As a prologue, I highly recommend Mr. Morris' set of articles he has written over the last few years for the New York Times. They are mercilessly researched and savagely focused on such small topics its a wonderful thing that Morris makes them so un-put-downably interesting.

Miles Blanton

"More shoes, more boots, more garlic": Long live Old Whiskey Shoes and Capt. Interrotron!

What a treat! Thanks for uploading this. If you ever get Werner in front of a camera again, can you get him to talk about his relationship with language - German and English in particular. Was he actively involved in the translation of his books?

Hey Roger,

I ended up seeing both Tabloid and Cave of Forgotten Dreams last night as well. Both were completely fascinating films, immensely enjoyable. As it turns out, I only became aware of both directors and their work because of your writing. I actually rode the elevator with you as you left the Lightbox last night but could not think of anything to say (and I probably would not have had the guts to say anything anyway). Anyway, you've been a big influence on me and now through the comfortable distance of the internet I would like to say: Congrats on the new TV show and glad to see you enjoying TIFF movies (and the city!).

Hi Roger...

I realize that you're immersed in all things TIFF right now, but I've been so terribly excited about Cave of Forgotten Dreams for so long now, and ran to my laptop this morning to see if you'd posted even a few words about it. I was thrilled to spend breakfast watching this interview, but can't seem to keep my impatience from climbing out from the depths of me and screaming like a child: have you seen it? Was it wonderful?

Thanks! I didn't get to see the Cave of Forgotten Dreams last night. I saw "Of Gods and Men" instead. I want to watch it immediately again and again. It was so beautiful. It reminded me of Ikiru--in that I wanted to watch it again and again, in the courage to be, because of its beauty.

Please, please do not make the mistake of some recent reviewers Of Gods and Men who suggest that the film fails because it never suggests why the Monks chose martyrdom. A Monk's calling is explictly to be rooted in place, in community with their fellows, and to be hospitable to those who come to them. The music, the practice of the eucharist, the celebration of Christmas, their communal discernment, and the theology that they are shown reading together is one long explication on why they would choose to stay. Moreover, monasticism originally arose at precisely the point where Chrsitians no longer faced literal martyrdom for their faith and was understood in part as a figurative martyrdom. The decisions were, in a sense, already made.

Roger, were you at the first screening of "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" on Monday night? I'd be interested in hearing your opinion of Herzog's use of 3D, which I found very effective in appreciating the texture of the cave surfaces the paintings are on.

"The Thin Blue Line" is essential viewing -- after all, Morris's documentary got a man off death row.

Ebert: Yeah, who sued him the next day for a share of the profits.

Roger- During your discussions with Mr.Herzog, has he changed his mind on 3D technology after his experience with filming in the Chauvet Cave. As far as I knew, he still despises the technology as much as you do. In my view, 3D in the hands of visionaries like James Cameron, Werner Herzog, Chris Nolan can provide the total experience one craves for in masterpiece cinema. I hope more visionaries such as Herzog embrace 3D and show the amateurs how it needs to be done. After all, not everyone on this planet would have the privilege of visiting the Chauvet cave and see the 3 dimensional paintings from 30,000 years ago. TIFF 2010 appears to be a goldmine of outstanding cinematic experience.

I'm going to watch "Gates of Heaven" again. I haven't cared over much for dogs and happen to be in an environment where dogs are made much of (in fact we have two around, a permanent resident and another who has infiltrated recently). I see how much they mean to my family members. I thought the film sentimental and the inscriptions on the tombstones corny.

"There's your dog; your dog's dead. But where's the thing that made it move? It had to be something, didn't it?"

These words, by a woman who has just buried her dog, are spoken in ``Gates of Heaven.'' They express the central mystery of life."..RE

This is precisely what I did not discover in it. The recent "Departures" and "Au Hasard Balthasar" (the concluding sequences in either movie) caught it well. After all, a stiff is a stiff, whether a dog, a donkey, or Cordelia.

I should surely see twice the movie you have seen thirty times.

Hi Roger,

Thank you so much for sharing the video chat between Werner Herzog and Errol Morris, two great friends and documentarians. I've always learned something from listening to the two chatting. I saw them chatted on an university stage once (forgot which university now).

And thanks for linking to the full documentary "Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe". I have seen excerpts of that doc before and loved the idea of a friend being so supportive and encouraging that he would eat his shoes to give a (new?) friend the needed push to do his first feature film. So I am happy to finally have watched the full doc.

You have a great time at TIFF 2010.

Good health,
Kempton
Calgary, Canada

I'm also interested in your opinion of Herzog's use of 3D, especially on a subject like this. What caverns does he show, by the way?

I'm so glad Werner said that Gates of Heaven is a very pure film.It is what makes it so striking and unforgettable. I saw Gates of Heaven & Vernon,Fl back in the 80's.These films urged me to tell stories that I need to tell without worrying if there is a "market" for them.
These guys are film heroes indeed.

I'd love to know what you thought of Herzog's venture into 3-D territory, Roger. As for Morris, he had me at, "Surely at the gates of heaven an all-compassionate God is not going to say, "Well, you're walking in on two legs, you can go in. You're walking in four legs, we can't take you."

If you look at the comments in the Les Blank film on YouTube, it looks as if the maker is requesting the film be removed. I don't know if it is truly Les Blank who is requesting this, but it seems to be. I just wanted to bring it to your attention if you haven't already seen the comment.

@Seongyong: At least, there are several things more unpleasant and unsavory to eat than your own shoes.

Like other people's..

Re: Werner Herzog eats his shoe

What did he do with the shoe he didn't it. Send it to the shoe orphanage? Donate it to the Charlie Chaplin foundation. Can't do much with an odd shoe.

I find early Errol Morris mind-numbing. I think his first strong film is Mr. Death, which is something like fifth or sixth in his catalog. The Fog of War is his masterpiece, if you ask me.

What's the name of the author whose nonfiction collections Morris mentions?

Hey Roger, I went to the Myspace page where you got the video "Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe", and I noticed that there is a comment from Les Blank asking that the video please be removed. Not sure if it's a legit comment or not, or if Les Blank minds that you've posted the film, but perhaps you could look into it.

Mr. Ebert,
If an unfortunate Mr. Herzog is ever again required to eat shoe, might you offer him the loan of your Pot. Surely it would make the leather somewhat more palatable. And that would be a good thing for the digestive tract of a gentleman getting along in years.

Errol Morris is a titan.

I never get tired of "The Fog Of War." I saw "The Thin Blue Line" for the first time this past year, and was stunned how relevant and arresting the film is, even today.

Thank you so much for posting this! I was listening to the Fresh Air rebroadcast of you and Gene Siskel discussing what had changed about interviewing directors and "celebrities" with the rise in the number of publicists. It seems that one of the only ways interesting, in depth conversations like this can occur is when two interesting artists respect each other and allow their friendship to be witnessed by people as they discuss their work. Also, I live in Van Nuys and Morris is absolutely correct.

Incidentally -- and this is a very minor point -- the shoe-eating took place at the no-longer-extant UC Theater in Berkeley, not the Pacific Film Archive (which is still there).

Reading more about Morris, I took a glimpse at The Guiardian's 40 Best Directors. No speilberg! Shame on them.

These two are great filmmakers. I admire them as much as any. They share a great curiosity about the world, are not set on endorsing any concrete truths (they are intellectuals who ask questions and accept that things are complicated), and they have great integrity.

Also love the 'read read read' advice. Absolutely true.

Actually I believe Herzog ate his shoe at the UC Theater, one of the theaters in the Landmark chain, in downtown Berkeley.

It may have been a benefit for the Pacific Film Archives as the UC did many fund raising events for them.

Word on the street was that a garlic sauce was used.

Having just finished re-viewing Gates of Heaven, I have to revise my first reaction of lukewarm puzzlement to find it so highly rated. If Herzog can eat his shoes, I can swallow my words. I need to thank you for helping me at least partially to clear your "litmus test"--you might add a grace mark or two since Americana is an essential ingredient of this bowl of hot noodles. And also for introducing me at second try to this great and rounded documentarian.

Ofcourse it is not about cemetries or pets or even America. As you said, genius transforms even the most mundane specificity into the universal. Perhaps he needed this seemingly off stream and insipid subject matter to put his own plumage as an artist and philosopher on full display.

The movie's topic seems to be Errol Morris and life as it appears to him. In the process he does touch on what you rightly call the essential and unknowable mystery, namely the phenomenon of dying, which we come face to face at times of bereavement.

Blake saw heaven in a wild flower, and Morris has made a passionate and restrained movie about the grand theme of humanity by almost a random choice of an odd topic. From the butcheries of "Food Inc" to rendering plants and the Bubbling Well Memorial Park to the horrors of the Shoah--there is a common thread to all things and Gates of Heaven is certainly about more than pet cemeteries.

Ebert: A lot of people won't even watch it because of the subject matter.

Thanks for the suggestions, Seongyong and Miles!

Find it interesting no one's(yet) mentioned Roger's selection of GATES OF HEAVEN as "one of the 10 best movies of all time."

LitDreamer, for my money, you can't really go wrong with any Morris documentary. Seen em all at least once, and, like all things, some do age better than others. A few are timeless master works. I have a personal affinity for VERNON, FLORIDA. Seeing the film again after many years, still find it most watchable--funny as hell, topical, always entertaining, unconventional, aesthetically non judgmental, and stylistically nouveau TeaBagger.

Those of us lucky enough to be living in Madison, Wisconsin, are being treated to a retrospective of Morris' work. Along with such classics as "Fog Of War" and "Gates Of Heaven", they'll also be screening "Vernon, Florida" (which I've never seen), and several episodes from the "First Person" series. Errol Morris will also be speaking at the university, so that should be interesting.

The first time I saw "Gates Of Heaven" (like many, because you had listed it as one of the ten best films ever made), I thought it was fascinating, but it seemed rather subdued compared to documentaries made in the last ten years or so. I recently watched "A Thin Blue Line" and was riveted, and I thought "Fog Of War" was one of the best things I'd ever seen, so I'm looking forward to seeing "Gates Of Heaven" again, this time on a big screen with a crowd.

um a docu about cave drawings in 3D? How on earth does being in 3D make 2D drawings more interesting for the audience? Personally I'm waiting for Precious to be re-issued in 3D so the whole concept can go away. I even told my students that I would be charging them more for my lectures because I was in 3D.

I had just begun to heed Daniel Dennett's suggestion that I study the artifacts, I was reading the literary dictionary, by penguin and I was just at letter D when school time hit and Wham I'm staring down the spine of a physics textbook. I just want to be in a comedy book club, wish me good luck motivating some friends.
Speaking of caves, I hit the back gallery at the Lightbox right on time to see the slow motion fade into mother Bates' skull, that was very creepy.

two of the most important filmmakers..sorry i missed being there!

I wonder if there is a current actor that Herzog might see as some sort of spiritual heir to Kinski?

As great as his docs are I'd love to see more epic non-doc films from Herzog...rescue dawn whetted my appetite!

jeff: See report #4. Cave paintings are not actually done on flat surfaces. 3D shows off how the artists used the space available.

Roger, thanks so much for posting this conversation between two filmmakers who have, more than any others, opened my eyes to what can be done in film when you ignore all the rules. A lot gets said about the garbage you find on the internet. However, if it weren't for the internet, I'd probably never have known about either of these directors or seen any of their films. I live in a rural area, so before Netflix, it would have been difficult to find these films. Now, not only can I watch them, I can find all sorts of additional information. I have read countless interviews of both men online. Thanks to Errol Morris' suggestions, I've discovered other great films like Detour and The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On. I've also become a devoted fan of documentaries thanks to them. If you click my name, you'll find a short YouTube video I made containing all the documentaries I've seen since joining Netflix. My brother has had the privilege of working with Errol on several occasions and has nothing but good things to say about him.
Thanks again,
A fellow Illini

This was inspiring. I am plodding away on my dissertation on Sin and Sanity in 19th Century America. It pays to remember the good that can come from treating all your subjects like royality. There is so much truth that can be told if we resist the desire to be flip and ironic about other people. Could a movie like the Fog of War have been made with out this relentless resistance to flippancy!

I recently watched Aguirre, the Wrath of God and was quite impressed by the imagery. Especially the opening scene. Werner lost me a couple of times when I found myself forgetting all about the movie and becoming concerned for the actors. Especially when they were on that raft. One false step could have been disastrous. Near the end, there was also a scene with a horse that was obviously spooked/frightened. I didn't like that, or the way Kinski handles monkeys. /watch?v=eQYKDrOs_j8

But I'm eager to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams. This is something that deserves his artistic eye. I love the idea of viewing original cave art. Sadly for us, most of the best places are off limits and we'll never get the chance. We do have some nice example of ancient aboriginal cave art all over Canada. I've even stumbled on some on my own, during canoe trips. But to see those glorous examples like the ones Werner filmed would be a rare treat. I'll be looking out for my chance to see that film. In the mean time, I'll have to be content with Ray Mears clumsy (but interesting) explorations...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkms0X2bg3s#t=2m25s

I just saw "State and Main" last night and I laughed my head off.

I don't laugh very often. I'm a pretty serious guy.

Did Errol Morris learn something specific or special by doing the films like Vernon and Gates of Heaven?

The thought persists that he did them to consciously learn something about people from close observation.

I wonder what...

Regardless, his films (videos too?) are superb and it's a joy to watch them. I learn a lot from watching them.

Holy shaky footage, Batman!