The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner | |
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Opening shot of the film, showing Steiner taking flight in Planica | |
Directed by | Werner Herzog |
Produced by | Werner Herzog |
Written by | Werner Herzog |
Starring |
Walter Steiner Werner Herzog |
Narrated by | Werner Herzog |
Music by | Popol Vuh |
Cinematography | Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein |
Edited by | Beate Mainka-Jellinghaus |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Werner Herzog Filmproduktion |
Release dates | 1974 |
Running time | 45 min |
Country | West Germany |
Language |
German English |
Budget | DEM 72.000 (estimated) |
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner (German: Die Große Ekstase des Bildschnitzers Steiner) is a 1974 documentary film by German filmmaker Werner Herzog. It is about Walter Steiner, a celebrated ski jumper of his era who worked as a carpenter for his full-time occupation. Showcased is Steiner's quest for a world record in ski flying, as well as the dangers involved in the sport. Herzog has called it "one of my most important films."[1]
Production
The film includes footage shot in the German towns of Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, as well as Planica in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia). The film was made as part of a series for a German television station, which restricted in some ways the content. Herzog's original cut was 60 minutes long, but it was edited down to 45 minutes to fit in a one-hour television spot. The station also required Herzog himself to appear on camera, which he had not typically done in his documentaries until this point.[1]
See also
References
- 1 2 Herzog, Werner (2001). Herzog on Herzog. Faber and Faber. ISBN 0-571-20708-1.
External links
- The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner at the Internet Movie Database
- Review at Fanzine