Werner Herzog's sophomore effort is probably his most bizarre to date. The whole cast is compromised of dwarfs who take over an institution and wreak havoc. This treat for Herzog fans is very entertaining.
The film does have its problems though. The first half hour is hard to sit through but this is the type of film that gets better as it goes on. Also, I was expecting more of an ending. The ending, although funny, seems that it just does not fit and ended too abruptly.
As I said in my title, I think this has Herozg's most powerful images. With the dwarfs wreaking havoc and celebrating with smiles on their while African tribe music is playing, the scenes are very bizarrely beautiful. The movie is very entertaining and very funny. Hombre has probably the best laugh I have ever heard in my life. He definitely brings real evil to the film. The cinematography is great (yeah, what else is new in a Herzog film?). The message of the film is also very profound.
Although this is definitely not Herzog's best, it is one hell of a trip!
Even Dwarfs Started Small
1970 [GERMAN]
Comedy / Drama
Plot summary
The inhabitants of an institution in a remote country rebel against their keepers. Their acts of rebellion are by turns humorous, boring and alarming. An allegory on the problematic nature of fully liberating the human spirit, as both commendable and disturbing elements of our nature come forward. The film shows how justifiable revolt may be empowering, but may also turn to chaos and depravity. The allegory is developed in part by the fact that the film is cast entirely with dwarfs
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
October 12, 2023 at 09:59 PM
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Herzog's most powerful imagery yet
Obvious and self-indulgent.
horrid opening song' dead chickens and mice
"Even Dwarfs Started Small" is a heavy-handed allegory about freedom. Starting during the opening credits, Werner Herzog shows where the movie will go when he shows a chicken pecking at a dead chicken...and throughout the movie you see chickens playing with dead mice and other such nonsense/symbolism to give the audience an idea where the rest of the film is going. As for the main story, it's confusing and tough going. A bunch of tiny people have taken over some sort of sanitarium. And, through the course of the film it goes from fun and games to, ultimately, chaos and mayhem. All this is accompanied by the most god-awful music I've heard in ages (that ultra-high pitched singing might just induce violence) and the incessant creepy giggling of the actors. While many see this as a brilliant allegory, I just saw it as self-indulgent and annoying. And, watching these small people prancing about for what seemed like an eternity is not my idea of a good film.
By the way, I am NOT anti-Herzog. He's done some amazing films (particularly his documentaries)...but this one is, to me, a huge disappointment.
Fantastic!
This is Herzog's most telling film.
The world he has created sees dwarfs confined in an un-named, oppressive system. When they finally revolt against the machine, they don't know what to do with themselves and ultimately resort to destroying the things around them (cars, trees, animals).
Bizarre, beautiful, and horrifically engaging, this is a unique experience that demands your full attention.
Give it a go (the ANCHOR BAY DVD even has audio commentary from Herzog!!) - you won't be disappointed.