User Reviews

Werner Herzog's brilliant documentary about his friend Klaus Kinski gives us an insight into the troubled life of this great actor who gave his all to whatever films he elected to appear in. Mr. Herzog offers a different account on Mr. Kinski, who could be infuriating in his egomania, which seems to be at the center of the story. However, one only sees glimpses of the man who could be charming and who could be generous to his fellow actors.

Having met Mr. Kinski on two occasions, we only saw a charismatic man in a relaxed atmosphere. It appears the pressures of making a film propelled the actor into a frenzy that comes out clearly in what Mr. Herzog is showing us in the documentary. Mr. Kinski was probably his own worst enemy because his sense of pride in the role he was portraying took the best out of him. Therefore the hysterics and the fights with his director and the crew, notably the aggression on Justo Gonzalez's head, while playing a violent scene that could have killed him.

On the other hand we catch some of the soft side of the actor as we hear a loving account by Eva Mattes, who played with Mr. Kinski in "Woyzek". Also Claudia Cardinale shares some vivid memories with the director as she recounts her experience with Mr. Kinski while filming "Fitzcarraldo".

The film is an important document, as it illustrates the spirit of a man that was unique in his own madness. Mr. Herzog's shows clearly this actor was a man possessed whenever he played a role in front of a camera. Because of the document we feel enlightened somewhat in having known the man that gave movie fans his best and more.

Werner Herzog: Every grey hair on my head, I call Kinski.

The documentary made by Werner Herzog tells about the legendary love-hate relationship between the director who was ready to climb to Hell for his every movie and border-line insane genius actor Klaus Kinski who might have been one of the creatures from Hell that Herzog had to face. It is hard to imagine two people more different than Herzog and Kinski: "...stone and waves, the coldest ice and hottest flames have more in common, differ less" but they both were driven and obsessed artists. Famous for his wild and ferocious talent and temperament to match, Kinski was incredibly difficult to work with. He wrote about himself, "I am a wild animal born in captivity, in a zoo but where beast would have claws, I have talent".

Kinski's talent was fully realized in five films that he made with Werner Herzog over a fifteen-year working period, starting with astounding "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" (1973), and then following with "Fitzcarraldo," "Nosferatu" (1979), inspired by Murnau's silent vampire classic; "Woyzeck" (1979), about a 19th century army private who seems mad to others because he looks and acts so differently from them, and "Cobra Verde" (1988). It is impossible to imagine any other actor starring in these films and they are without doubt the best Kinski ever made (and he made hundreds of films). Thanks to the Herzog's documentary we are able to learn what exactly went on behind the stunning images and unforgettable performances. According to Herzog, "people like Marlon Brando are just kindergarden comparing to Kinski. He is mad and unpredictable." They liked each other, they hated each other, and they respected each other at the same time making plans to murder each other.

Kinski, who respected Herzog, and valued his friendship, confessed to the director that in his autobiography he would describe their relationship in not very flattering terms - otherwise, the crowd would not read it. Herzog recalls how they both would sit together at the bench after the shooting and discuss what Kinski would write in his book. I am curious if they discussed and agreed upon the following passage and if Herzog helped Kinski with some of the colorful metaphors: "I absolutely despise this murderous Herzog! Huge red ants should p**s into his lying eyes, gobble up his balls, penetrate his a**hole and eat his guts."

Even after watching the fascinating documentary, it is difficult to fully understand the relationship between two giants but as Herzog admits, the only thing that counts is what we see on the screen and what we see is amazing.

This fascinating documentary is not really about a madman. It's about two madmen. While it's quite obvious from the outset that Klaus Kinski is a nutcase, it becomes more and more apparent that Werner Herzog himself is a pretty crazed character as well. For anyone who has seen Aguirre, the Wrath of God or Fitzcarraldo this will come as no surprise, seeing as those two movies were pretty crazy undertakings to begin with. Travelling down the Amazon on primitive rafts and dragging steamboats over hills are not the sort of activities carried out by normal film makers. Repeatedly making films with Kinski was perhaps an even less sane idea but Herzog made five features with this most demented actor. The films themselves are completely engrossing and unique. This documentary is likewise.

Having read Kinski's autobiography 'Kinski Uncut' I was under no illusions of what I was going to encounter here. The book is a quite extraordinary account. Surely there has never been a star autobiography quite like this one? Full of aggression, madness and pornographic detail of his sexual exploits, this was the work of a deranged individual. Kinski didn't really focus on his film career, he concentrated much more on his sexual liaisons and was not shy at hurling insults around at famous people. For instance, he declined a role offered to him from Federico Fellini because the money was not good enough, he dismissed Fellini with the words 'Go and have yourself f---ed in the ass!'. I couldn't imagine Tom Hanks saying this to Steven Spielberg to be perfectly honest. In the book too, Kinski continually makes clear his severe dislike for Herzog. In My Best Fiend, Herzog suggests that both men worked on the insults together in order to make the book more sensational. I do have to wonder to the legitimacy of this claim, as it does seem strange. From what I have seen Kinski needed no assistance in coming up with insults to hurl at anyone, least of all Werner Herzog.

So, similar to Kinski's book, the account given by Herzog in this documentary is a highly subjective one. You really can never be sure the true extent of the truth, and you never will be. But My Best Fiend is a terrific film whatever the case. Herzog is incapable of being boring and he does capture the essence of the relationship between these two striking individuals very well. There are a number of other people interviewed too, who worked with these men on these films and this adds a great deal to the story. While there is some fantastic footage of Kinski to appreciate, from the pure unhinged insanity of his Jesus Christ Savior performance, to his intense ranting over a minor food-based complaint on the set of Fitzcarraldo, to the extraordinary gentleness of his interaction with a butterfly.

This film is a rarity in that it is one that can just as easily be enjoyed even if you have no knowledge of the films made by the two principal characters. Both men are just too unorthodox and the relationship so fraught that the story of their relationship is enough in itself. For fans of the movies themselves, this is of course, an absolute must.

I can't help but like Klaus Kinski. Sure that's easy for me to say, having only encountered him on film, but despite (or probably because of) the madness, the anger and the raving, there's something magnetic about the man. He's like no other actor out there. No one else was so crazy, so passionate and so captivating. He was certainly one of a kind.

However, despite my regard for him as an actor, I can't say that I envy those who had to work with him. Raving fits, shootings and murder plots aren't par for the course when it comes to the majority of movie shoots. Hell, they're not normal by any standards. But then again, Klaus Kinski and Werner Herzog are far from ordinary people. Both had their madness – one explicit and one masked – and both went to extraordinary lengths to get what they wanted.

I think the piece in the film that best illustrated their shared madness was the story behind Kinski's 'autobiography'. Now to have biography that is largely fictional is nothing new, as people always rewrite their lives, but to have the person that you're insulting have you help insult them is rather extraordinary. It suggests a sadomasochism and a perversity in their relationship. But it also suggests a twisted affection. They hated each other and yet loved each other. No matter how hard they tried they couldn't stop gravitating towards one another.

And it seems that this strange attraction was there from the beginning. After the amazing 'Jesus' footage, the film opens with Herzog reliving his early childhood experiences with Kinski. Just listening to the stuff is amazing. Apparently, before he moved into the halfway house that Herzog used to live in, Kinski used to live naked in an apartment that was filled with leaves. But then once he did move, he proceeded to ruin bathrooms, knock doors down, assault theatre critics ("I was not excellent! I was not extraordinary! I was monumental! I was epochal!"), and my favourite thing of all, rave at the woman who gave him free board, free food, and who did his laundry, for not ironing his shirts neatly enough. The man was a maniac. Yet I can imagine the young Herzog watching these displays in awe. If only someone could harness this energy.

Well, as Herzog's films prove, he certainly harnessed it. But as you'd expect, it was never smooth sailing. Kinski continually caused havoc on set and the bizarre incidents piled up higher and higher. But although listening to Herzog recount these incidents is fascinating enough, the footage itself is amazing. We only get to see snippets of the 'Fitzcarraldo' documentary, but the 'mild' raving fit that is shown illustrates what Herzog was dealing with every day. Sheer madness! In the footage that is shown it's an argument over food, but it really could be anything. Indeed, Herzog often says that Kinski would erupt for the smallest of reasons. But to see Kinski in action is amazing. He's like an animal.

Yet despite the madness, the film also manages to convey Kinski's warmth. There's some wonderful footage at a film festival in America where Herzog and Kinski embrace and joke with one another. In light of what comes before it's really surprising, as it seems impossible to imagine such moments between the two. But when you see it you can't help but come to the conclusion that the two men really did have a deep affection for one another. As well as the hate, there was a lot of love between the two. I also loved the Pongo footage from the 'Fitzcarraldo' documentary. Again you get to see the kindness that Kinski possessed, as he bandages the camerman's hand.

But although the film reveals a lot about Kinski, Herzog still remains something of an enigma. It's clear that he loved and hated Kinski – there's one scene where Herzog is talking to a photographer and he suddenly looks overwhelmingly sad, almost like a widower – but we're never really allowed to get into his head. In fact, there's one bit where he says that Kinski thought that he was mad but he assures us that he's 'clinically sane'. But as he stands there, holding onto a tree, he does look quite mad. And for all we know he may well be, or may well have had his madness, as what sane person could tolerate Kinski's pestilence?

But mad or not, it doesn't matter. The films that Herzog and Kinski made together are amongst the best in the world, and Herzog's documentary is a captivating, amusing, disturbing, and ultimately, moving tribute to his colleague and friend. The final minutes, in particular, I loved.

I first caught this film midway through, when it was on IFC. Not only did it stop me in my tracks, but I looked up to see when it would next be on so I could set the VCR. Though Herzog attempts to portray himself as the cool and reasonable half of this dastardly duo, his own megalomania and ego shine through. This documentary catches on film the fine edge between brilliance and insanity, and the result is simply stunning. This is not a biography of Kinski but rather a kind of valentine to him that celebrates his (and Herzog's) mad genius.

As a kid I saw "Aguirre La Colere de Dieu" on TV and was terrified by Kinski. But after all, what counts is only the film, and on movies you never see the director. Now if you watch "Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski" at last you can see the other side - Werner Herzog. Or have glimpse of it.

Because of course, everything is from Herzog's point of view, so in a way this documentary does not differ from the real movies themselves : you see Kinski acting like a madman in front of the camera or not. Shouting at people. One terrifying scene is an excerpt from Fitzcaraldo where Indians seem to complain about the character played by Kinski, while Herzog is commenting that those very Indians had offered to kill the actor...

Then you've got comments by other people, particularily actresses who witness about Kinski's other side, shy, caring. And the final scene with the butterfly - something Kinski the actor could do, but Aguirre could not. It seems as if Herzog, having showed only one side of Kinski all these years, tries to explain it was all for the movies. Even if he still portrays him as a mad genius (and coward at that), his selective memory tries only to remember the good times, a few rare footage of Kinski and himself having a good laugh.

What the documentary also stresses out is that the director and the actor could have been switched during the filming of Fitzcaraldo : Herzog explains how he was alone against everybody, believing the impossible, like the character in the movie. At this point only, Herzog seems to aknowledge the fact that he also was completely mad.

I recommend watching the documentary, and then watching Cobra Verde, Fitzcaraldo and Aguirre again.

My Best Fiend, a take on the working relationship and history between filmmaker Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinski (by Herzog himself), puts on the facade of a documentary as Herzog interviews some of the participants- actors and at least one crew member- in the productions of the films (Aguirre, Woyzek, Nosferatu, Fitzcarraldo, and Cobra Verde, only the first and third seen by me). But it's less that than a kind of confessional from Herzog, a collection of anecdotes, horror stories, and in general psychologically breaking through the general perceptions regarding their collaborations as actor and director. Part of that perception, of course, is totally correct. Herzog, always a filmmaker wanting the utmost control of his stories about madmen obsessed with goals that seemed impossible or in subject matter that was marked as dark and disturbing as possible (without being too graphic), had to contend with his own kind of 'character' in the form of Kinski, who could be a little frightened being scared of a wasp one moment, and the next acting like someone killed his child when in reality the coffee was lukewarm.

Kinski, in most of the footage that is put forth in this film- even the footage that is basically taken right out of the Herzog works themselves- add to the profile of what this man might be. It's alternately funny and unnerving to see the one big outburst of his anger at a production manager on the set of one of the films, when as Herzog says 'compared to his other outbursts this was mild'. Equally jarring is seeing him doing some kind of Jesus-play or a weird sermon at the start of My Best Fiend, where he comes off like he's half a rock-star and half certifiable. But at the same time a little of the footage, along with some of the anecdotes, also give him the light of something of a schizophrenic, who on the one hand could be extremely demanding and ultimately ego-maniacal if not at the center of attention, and on the other could be the most professional actor this side of a Howard Hawkes picture. Interesting too is seeing the two interviewees who have the best things to say about Kinski- his female co-stars from Woczek and Fitzcarraldo. Maybe there's something of Kinski being the prototypical male as opposed to just being an escaped anger management patient. He's described as being sweet and kind and very polite to his co-stars of the opposite sex. But with the male ones, who knows.

The testimonials from Herzog build to something quite fascinating, not just as a subjective profile of an actor and a quasi-friend (err, fiend); it's also a movie about Herzog too, about how he sort of found out more about himself from having to tame the beast, so to speak. The near legendary story of Herzog threatening murder and suicide if Kinski walked off Aguirre, for example, perhaps showed to his star not exactly that his own director was as nuts as him, but that he took what he was doing just as seriously, if not more so, than he on a professional level. There's even an easy-going scene (the only one with both of the men speaking in English) where they seem most down to earth about why they work together so often. If there is anything that might be lacking from all of this it's that we get to see so much of certain sides of a few of their productions, while Nosferatu and Cobra Verde are either left out altogether or just mentioned in brief towards the end. There's also an unnecessary scene where Herzog is reminiscing over a gallery of photos of Kinski and himself. And the balance between telling one side or the other of the actor's persona seems to not always be shifted totally in proportion; by the end we almost want to see more and find out more than has been presented.

But what is in My Best Fiend is pretty close to priceless for die-hard fans of the director and actor, and as one who's getting more into the filmmaker's career (and finding Kinski to be Germany's much more crazy answer to Al Pacino- an actor with the intensity and passion and skill of twenty actors all in the eyes and mannerisms), it's a very good work to also be seen by people who have not even seen one of the five films by the director and star. It's a very bizarre, very on-edge, but ultimately fruitful collaboration that now has made for a kind of mix of expose, memorial, and elongated denouement. And it also is very funny as well.

Like many others, am an admirer of Werner Herzog's work and his partnership with Klaus Kinski is quite iconic for good reason. Kinski was a great actor who deserved more recognition than he actually got, and his work with Herzog was when he was at his best.

All five of their films together are worth watching or more. Was let down somewhat by 'Cobra Verde', but 'Aguirre Wrath of God' is a masterful crowning achievement in German (and foreign) cinema and 'Fitzcarraldo' (for me their best) is even more of a masterpiece. 'Nosferatu' and 'Woyzeck' are also great, near-classics. Just for the record, admired Herzog's work in all five films (it was the script and story that let down 'Cobra Verde') and Kinski's performances were great or more in all too.

'My Best Fiend' is fascinating, as well as sometimes funny and affecting, and a must for anybody wanting to know more about Herzog and Kinski, more so on Kinski. Herzog comes across as a very knowledgeable and quite funny man, also very perceptive, if also somewhat mad (not quite as much as Kinski though). What is said about Kinski is incredibly illuminating, not only showing what a great actor he was but also that he was a complex individual, much more complex than he is often made out to be.

Much is said about how notoriously difficult he was to work with, that he was pretty nuts and wasn't the nicest of guys, but actually there is also things said about him having a softer side (the most memorable being his 'Woyzeck' co-star Eva Mattes) that we don't hear much of. The other contributions are also interesting, such as from Mattes and Claudia Cardinale.

It is also made with a lot of affection, and one really does see how great an actor Kinski was.

Overall, fascinating and a must see, both for fans of this partnership and as a documentary in general. 10/10 Bethany Cox

A chilling and sad portrayal of Klaus Kinski and his profoundly creative partnership with his friend/enemy Werner Herzog , the latter regards him as a man plunging into insanity but also to lucidity and genius , as Kinski is assaulted from all sides by forces he cannot control between brilliance and craziness . Werner Herzog's film is based upon a prestigious actor , a very strange , mysterious and bizarre person , gradually devolving into maniac instinct and attacks of rage .

In ¨Mein liebster Feind¨or ¨My best friend¨ (1999) Werner Herzog offers a sturdy studio from Klaus Kinski , an extremely furious and strong actor , usually providing magnificent performances . Werner Herzog's relationship with Klaus Kinski reached thunderous walks . Being five the Werner Herzog/Klaus Kinski collaborations, the first was : ¨Aguirre, Warth of God¨ (1972) , from now on , a violent, intense , love-hate relationship was born ; the four remaining and essentially combative relationships were the following ones : ¨Nosferatu, the vampyre¨ (1979) ¨Woyzeck¨ (1979) and ¨Fitzcarraldo¨(1982) , while this interesting documentary ¨My Best Fiend¨ (1999) depicts the tumultuous relations between them . ¨Aguirre¨ was the start of an extremely stormy, and sometimes violent, professional relationship with Herzog that lasted 15 years .There are frames from films as ¨Aguirre , Wrath of God ¨ (1972) , according to director Werner Herzog, Klaus Kinski threatened to abandon the film entirely at one point during the shooting. Herzog says he threatened to kill Kinski and then turn the gun on himself if Kinski left and later declared he was quite prepared to do so. Kinski stated in interviews that Herzog wielded a pistol to emphasize the threat, but Herzog denies this . While in Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) , Klaus plays an outlandish Count Dracula who moves from Transylvania to Wismar, spreading the Black Plague across the land and only a woman pure of heart : Isabelle Adjani , can bring an end to his kingdom of terror.¨Fitzcarraldo¨based on an actual story of a charismatic Irishman's impossible quest at the turn of the Century . Here Kinski gives an awesome acting as the dreamer who moves mountains , carrying out a monumental mission : hauling the ship manually over a hill towards a parallel river . ¨Woyzeck¨ the same dizzy folly as Aguirre , but Herzog´s similarly long perspective conjures as a brooding and thought-provoking film , giving a harsh vision of suffering beyond despair , eventually cracking when Woyzeck discovers his wife's infedility played by Eva Mattes who tells a splendid description about her colleague Kinski . Kinski/Herzog relation was also tumultuous in their last collaboration : ¨Cobra Verde¨ in which he delivers a peculiar and intense acting in his usual style as the freed outlaw Cobra Verde hired by a plantation owner to supervise his slaves , being fifth and final reunion. Even by Werner Herzog/Klaus Kinski standards , their last collaboration was a wild trip, as well . Klaus Kinski gave portentous interpretations in these films providing various eccentric , queer , insane characters similar to him .

This documentary ¨My Best Friend¨ (1999) was competently directed by Werner Herzog, though some may find hard to take . This great German director Herzog has made several thoughtful , provoking and interesting films , such as : "Fata Morgana" , "Aguirre Wrath of God" , "The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser", "Heart of Glass" , "Stroszek", "Woyzeck" , "Nosferatu the Vampire", "Where the Green Ants Dream" , "Cobra Verde" ,"Lessons in Darkness", "My Dearest Enemy", "Invincible" , "The White Diamond", "Grizzly Man", "Rescue Dawn" , among others. Rating : 7/10 above average and irresistible movie thanks to the great Werner Herzog . The flick will appeal to Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski followers.

Werner Herzog has proved yet again that he is as capable of making docos as he is of making narrative films. "My Best Fiend" exhibits a fluid process of exposition: between Herzog's reflections on his relationship with Kinski, his interviews with people who worked with Kinski, excerpts from Kinski's films, and amazing archival footage of Kinski's infamous histrionics.

The film does justice to one of the most powerful screen actors of the modern era: the final scene in "Aguirre" is one that will linger in your mind. Kinski was able to (when he wanted too!) evoke some of the most emotional performances ever witnessed in world cinema. Some of the anecdotes of his life - divulged through Herzog's cooly ironic style - are absolutely hilarious and make you wonder about a man who seemed to consider himself above mere mortals.

A perfect paean to a great man.

During Werner Herzog's "My Best Fiend", I couldn't help but find myself utterly shocked, despite already having some knowledge of Klaus Kinski's infamous behavior and madness. Who wouldn't be shocked after hearing some of Herzog's stories about the man?

"My Best Fiend" is a documentary about Herzog's complicated, love-hate relationship with actor Klaus Kinski, who acted in five of Herzog's films. No other filmmaker was able to work with Kinski more than once, but Herzog is not like many other filmmakers, and this documentary is not like many other documentaries. It's a very personal film, and most of it is Werner Herzog telling mind boggling stories about his relationship with Kinski. It explores both Kinski's frightening insanity, and his sweeter, lovable side. What was perhaps most shocking about Kinski was not his temper and madness, but his kindness.

This film works as a brilliant character study of an infamous actor, and it also provides the viewer with a glimpse into one of the strangest actor-director friendships of all time. It's also enormously entertaining, bizarre, and, at times, somewhat comic.

Klaus Kinski was an extraordinary method actor. More than that, the camera loved his face. Unfortunately, he was also quite mad, given to manic outbursts, to fits of rage, to outrageous behavior, both on and off the set. This documentary by Werner Herzog, who directed Kinski five times, is, I believe, neither exaggerated nor ironic, as has been suggested elsewhere. It is dead-on honest in its depiction of Kinski's willfulness, like a character conceived by Dostoyevski. But it is too much. Herzog and the wonderful Eva Mattes do recall sometimes sensitive and playful sides to Kinski, and footage from "Aguirre" and "Woyzeck" demonstrate Kinski's ability to fully inhabit his more than edgy characters, but otherwise what we see for 1:39 is the acting out of one unmitigated monster. There are at least two reels too much here. I loved "Fitzcarraldo" and "The Making of Fitzcarraldo," but I found this documentary -- Fitzcarraldo twice removed -- a bit tiresome and repetitive.

I like this documentary and recommend owning it. There are so many scenes that one can jump to to find Kinski's leering face and saying something fantastic. I believe that he somehow opened up his third eye and could no longer see most of the world that we live in. ----Or am I being fooled--- either way, Kinski has left his mark or should I say scar across the face of theatre and film. My only wish is that someone somewhere compiles a volume set of his greatest scenes ranging from a star performance in a well considered artful Herzog film to all of his 'B' movie bombs.

I still enjoy hearing Herzog imitating Kinski and saying, "I was Monumental I was Epical!!!!" ---and his description in the beginning of the doc. when he throws a tantrum that lasts for several days, destroying everything in the bathroom to the point where you could pass every bit through a tennis racket.

That is power. Watch it and believe.

Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski were like a couple. A very weird, loud, crazy and completely insane one, but while they fought quite a lot, it looks like they actually loved to be together. This documentary does make a wonderful double bill with "Jesus Christ Saviour" (or "JC Erlöser" as it is called in Germany). Of course you should watch the other documentary first and then this one. Hopefully being aware of the body of work Kinski and Herzog have produced together, too.

It is even more obvious that those two were meant to find each other. One as crazy as the other. The documentary at hand, might only show Kinskis crazy side (and with Kinski gone, when this was made, he had no chance to comment), but to work with such a mad man, one had to be mad himself. A fascinating look behind the scenes of a couple of movies and possibly the most intimate and fascinating Kinski portrait, you'll ever see

For some reason, I thought this would in some manner be a hiatus in Herzog's directing career and that the film would be a down-to-earth, matter-of-factish documentary. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a typical Herzog film, as always with the protagonist (in this case Kinski) balancing on the edge of insanity and the overall atmosphere of the movie ending up to be very strange. It has fewer of the flaws(?) found in the earlier Herzog movies. However, the entire movie was dubbed into English even on my subtitled version. It turned out fine, but seemed a little unnecessary. In sum, Herzog fans shouldn't miss this one.

A documentary of the tumultuous relationship between Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski may sound like a boring, foreign look into the past, for those unaware of such names, but nothing could be further from the truth.

No the film is not exciting, nor is it eye-opening. The film doesn't bring to light what many of us all already know about Herzog or Kinski, but regardless of its shortcomings, My Best Fiend is still a great movie about a friendship that saw ups and plenty of downs.

Director Herzog is a genius; actor Kinski is one as well. Their relationship is one of hate and love, respect and tolerance. The movies they made were acts of attrition, physically, emotionally, and occasionally financially.

Through Herzog's delicate tracings of their career together, it was clear that behind the death threats, the yelling, the arguing, and the disdain, both men had an amazing affinity for one another.

Kinski was the catalyst for such a partnership, as his mad style of acting and living seemed to make life dangerous and interesting all at the same time.

I am amazed Kinski was never honored with a nomination for an Oscar. He must be one of the best character actors in history. Though I'm sure he believed himself to be the best, and would naturally scoff at any awards thrown his way.

Great study on a pair of friends whose love/hate created some of cinema's finest works.

At the onset, I found this to be a terrifically annoying film since all the interviews for this film were dubbed into English BUT the film clips were never dubbed or subtitled! So, in some interesting looking scenes, I was simply left guessing what was happening. And, in the beginning, when Klaus Kinski is having a HUGE tantrum, you have no idea what he's saying or the context--you just see a man screaming and yelling for no apparent reason.

Now as for the film, it is a posthumous biographical film by famed director Werner Hertzog about his frequent leading man, Klaus Kinski who had died in 1991. Now it's obvious from the start by watching clips of Kinski behind the scenes that he was a violent, angry and seriously disturbed individual--highly reminiscent of such insanely angry directors David O. Russell and Troy Duffy. However, while Hertzog calmly talks about how awful Kinski was, you get the idea that he's not exactly being objective and the film is more a chance for him to air his hatred of the man. It's interesting because both men hated and loved and needed each other. One wonders if perhaps the seething energy between them might have actually been the results of latent homosexual feelings! It really does make you wonder and is an interesting theory! Watch the film with this in mind, and much of it makes more sense.

Herzog seems to also strongly imply throughout the film that he was the "normal one" and talks calmly again and again at how horrible Kinski was and how everyone sided with him and hated Kinski. Yet, they worked together again and again, so you are left wondering if both men are crazy--having an odd shared psychotic disorder (an actual DSM-IV psychiatric diagnosis, by the way). This is especially likely since Herzog COULD have worked without Kinski and because the "normal" Herzog was renowned for some of the most bizarre and over-the-top on location shots in film history. AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD and FITZCARRALDO are both legendary because of stories of the excesses and tensions on the set.

As a result of this unintentional view of Herzog, I actually found the film to be far more interesting in my insights into him! Sure, Kinski was a volatile nut....but after a short time this becomes a bit boring because it's just too easy to cast stones at this idiot as he tantrums and bullies. But why Herzog went to all the trouble and expense to construct a documentary that talks about how awful Kinski was--THAT'S what's really interesting to me. A bizarre sado-masochistic relationship that Herzog seems the last to acknowledge. Interesting throughout--a great portrait of some sick people!

On first viewing one is entirely transfixed by Kinski in this articulate and emotive documentary by Werner Herzog.Without doubt,Klaus Kinski was one of the most powerful actors of all time,and his off-screen persona is compelling too.This magnificent film examines both Kinski's considerable talent and his impossibilities as a human being.

All this is done entirely with regard to Herzog's fascinating relationship with the man,so this is NOT a biography of Kinski.

The truly astonishing aspect of this film however is Herzog himself.What a noble tribute this film is;Herzog is clearly a Director that holds actors in the highest esteem.Yet it is Werner Herzog's brushes with Kinski-esque insanity that make this such compelling viewing.His admission that he has never dared read his own (unpublished) memoirs,is an astonishing insight into his life.

Surely now Werner Herzog must publish his memoirs,so that we all can learn more of his,and Kinski's,extraordinary lives.

Pretty entertaining and further confirms that Klaus Kinski is one of the most atrocious human beings to ever find success in acting. Listening to Werner Herzog speak never really gets old. There were some fine segments in here but 1/3 of the film is literally just the Fitzcaralldo documentary, Burden of Dreams, re-used. I do believe that Burden of Dreams is much more crucial viewing than this (why else would Herzog simply re-use so much of it?), just as it is much more crucial viewing than the film Fitzcaralldo itself. My Best Fiend will introduce you to the madness of Kinski, but why settle for that when Burden of Dreams will get you acquainted with Kinski's madness, AND Herzog's as well?

'My Best Friend' is one of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever seen about movies and acting. Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski only made five movies together, but what extraordinary movies they are! Kinski made many, many movies, many of them absolutely awful (though all worth watching even if only for him). In fact it's difficult to think of any other actor of his undoubted talent who slummed it quite as much as he did. Herzog is regarded as one of Germany's greatest ever directors and made many fine movies without Kinski, but the two together were really something special. Just watch the astonishing 'Aguirre: The Wrath Of God' if you want to be floored by total genius! Much of this documentary deals with the trials and tribulations of that movie's troubled shoot, but their other four collaborations are also discussed. Their relationship was a complex one and really hard to get your head around. At times they literally tried to kill each other, but then there's footage included that shows their obvious warmth and affection for each other. You could say that this documentary provokes more questions than answers, and if you are looking for a straightforward explanation of Kinski's behaviour and what Herzog REALLY thought about him then maybe you could regard this as a failure. Anyway, I was enthralled and I think any fan of Kinski must regard this as essential viewing. From the opening footage of a raving Kinski on stage proclaiming he was Christ to the final moments of a butterfly flitting around his face this is mesmerizing stuff, and not to be missed by anyone with every a remote interest in this unique actor. Highly recommended!