The Enigma of Kasper Hauser (1974)
“Do you not then hear this horrible scream all around you, that people usually call silence?”
In 1828 a man called Kasper Hauser appears in a small town holding a letter and book with a bizarre story. He has been hidden away against his will for most of his life. The town adopts this strange man whilst he struggles to get to grips with this new way of life, to learn what it is to be a person, and the town try to adapt to him.
Kasper’s background, told as it is in writing at the start of the film, leaves us feeling we’re about to watch a fairy tale. The story that then follows is slight, it charts over a few years Kaspers attempts to integrate into society, the town at first trying to help, then they take advantage. Only a few are on hand to care for him.
Bruno S. is very simplistic in his performance. This may be reflective of the actors real life, which is tragic enough to not go into detail with but you feel Herzog shapes the film around Bruno as Kasper, rather than the actor taking on the role.
When awoken in the barn in the beginning he’s treated like a curiosity, the book he carries, the letter, his vaccination marks, immediately someone to be studied, dissected. All the time he sits placidly, we’re not sure he understands what is happening. Later he opens up to a child, he himself childish in his curiosity and understanding, the child teaches him what things are and mean. Throughout Bruno S. uses his right hand to drive home his thoughts and feelings, his fingers clenched, swinging down on each point, usually with his eyes closed as though thinking through what should be said. The performance is naturalistic, you feel as though Bruno is Kasper and vice versa. This then brings into question director Werner Herzog using the actor, a man with a history of mental health problems. Is it exploitation? I tend to think it’s on a par with his approach to the documentary work, his fascination with the other, the outsider, those he wants us to witness and understand. For him, who else but Bruno could occupy this apparent true figure.
Like all of Herzog’s work, where would we be without the odd, the different and the absurd. Scenes such as the soldier practicing his sword thrusts around Kaspers head, him sitting there nonchalantly, his apparent lack of understanding of danger, or the scene at the circus with the little king and Mozart. It never distracts from the story of Kasper, it compliments it. Herzog and indeed Bruno give the story feeling. This is evident even in the dialogue: “The music feels strong in my heart”. It’s almost poetic the way Kasper tries to get his point across. Here trying to explain the love he feels when he hears the piano.
A unique and curious study into what it means to be human. One of the great early features from Herzog.
“Do you not then hear this horrible scream all around you, that people usually call silence?”
In 1828 a man called Kasper Hauser appears in a small town holding a letter and book with a bizarre story. He has been hidden away against his will for most of his life. The town adopts this strange man whilst he struggles to get to grips with this new way of life, to learn what it is to be a person, and the town try to adapt to him.
Kasper’s background, told as it is in writing at the start of the film, leaves us feeling we’re about to watch a fairy tale. The story that then follows is slight, it charts over a few years Kaspers attempts to integrate into society, the town at first trying to help, then they take advantage. Only a few are on hand to care for him.
Bruno S. is very simplistic in his performance. This may be reflective of the actors real life, which is tragic enough to not go into detail with but you feel Herzog shapes the film around Bruno as Kasper, rather than the actor taking on the role.
When awoken in the barn in the beginning he’s treated like a curiosity, the book he carries, the letter, his vaccination marks, immediately someone to be studied, dissected. All the time he sits placidly, we’re not sure he understands what is happening. Later he opens up to a child, he himself childish in his curiosity and understanding, the child teaches him what things are and mean. Throughout Bruno S. uses his right hand to drive home his thoughts and feelings, his fingers clenched, swinging down on each point, usually with his eyes closed as though thinking through what should be said. The performance is naturalistic, you feel as though Bruno is Kasper and vice versa. This then brings into question director Werner Herzog using the actor, a man with a history of mental health problems. Is it exploitation? I tend to think it’s on a par with his approach to the documentary work, his fascination with the other, the outsider, those he wants us to witness and understand. For him, who else but Bruno could occupy this apparent true figure.
Like all of Herzog’s work, where would we be without the odd, the different and the absurd. Scenes such as the soldier practicing his sword thrusts around Kaspers head, him sitting there nonchalantly, his apparent lack of understanding of danger, or the scene at the circus with the little king and Mozart. It never distracts from the story of Kasper, it compliments it. Herzog and indeed Bruno give the story feeling. This is evident even in the dialogue: “The music feels strong in my heart”. It’s almost poetic the way Kasper tries to get his point across. Here trying to explain the love he feels when he hears the piano.
A unique and curious study into what it means to be human. One of the great early features from Herzog.