Perseverance has kept me going over the years. Things rarely happen overnight. Filmmakers should be prepared for many years of hard work. The sheer toil can be healthy and exhilarating.
Werner HerzogRead
Life in the oceans must be sheer hell. A vast, merciless hell of permanent and immediate danger. So much of a hell that during evolution some species—including man—crawled, fled onto some small continents of solid land, where the Lessons of Darkness continue.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life in the oceans is fraught with danger, leading some species to seek refuge on land, highlighting the harshness of existence.
In this quote, Werner Herzog reflects on the perilous nature of life in the oceans, describing it as a 'vast, merciless hell' that compels some species, including humans, to abandon the dangers of aquatic life for the relative safety of land. This metaphor captures the essence of struggle and survival, suggesting that the pursuit of safety and understanding often stems from confronting hostile environments and enduring hardships.
Themes
OceanDangerEvolutionSurvivalDarkness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a lecture about the harsh realities of life and evolution.
More from Werner Herzog
All quotes →Hold firm to your vision but don't be a tyrant on set.
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For a moment the feeling crept over me that my work, my vision, is going to destroy me, and for a fleeting moment I let myself take a long, hard look at myself, something I would not otherwise do--out of instinct, on principle, out of self-preservation--look at myself with objective curiosity to see whether my vision has not destroyed me already. I found it comforting to note that I was still breathing.
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Very often, footage that you have shot develops its own dynamic, it's own life, that is totally unexpected, and moves away from you're original intentions. And you have to acknowledge, yes, there is a child growing and developing and moving in a direction that isn't expected-accept it as it is and let it develop its own life.
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Without dreams we would be cows in a field, and I don't want to live like that. I live my life or I end my life with this project.
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Coincidences always happen if you keep your mind open, while storyboards remain the instruments of cowards who do not trust in their own imagination and who are slaves of a matrix If you get used to planning your shots based solely on aesthetics, you are never that far from kitsch.
Werner HerzogRead
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