I was given this story across my desk today about the making of Rescue Dawn, the upcoming Werner Herzog film. In the following news story we gleen some insight into what it was like to work in the jungle. We get the story from the mouth of Christian Bale via the caves of Yahoo!
The man who steered a steamboat across the Peruvian Andes for “Fitzcarraldo” and braved the raging oil fires of Kuwait for “Lessons of Darkness” recently tackled the jungles of Thailand to bring his Vietnam War drama “Rescue Dawn” to the big screen.
Herzog chose the merciless topography of northern Thailand to fill in for Laos, where the true story of Dieter Dengler’s torture, imprisonment and escape from a POW camp unfolded. Like his character Dieter, Bale ate maggots, swam in snake-infested waters and dodged deadly creatures during the three-month shoot.
“I was like: ‘Look at that spider. It could kill you with one bite,”‘ said Bale, who also spotted random elephants traipsing through Herzog’s shoot in the remote northwestern hill country of Thailand, near the Burmese border. “It’s an adventure to make a movie with him, and I think that’s his point. . . . It’s about blood, sweat and tears. It’s about jumping in and getting your hands dirty and just collapsing at the end of the day.”
Herzog is a man that likes to direct landscapes. Some of the best special effects you could ever ask for, are locations within the real world. In the Jungle the cast and crew weathered with the elements to bring the story to life. Working beside the disgusting filth of the jungle the story becomes much more powerful visually, I would hazard a guess that if you watched this film without volume you would still understand the message of the movie from how the landscapes themselves are presented.
Christian Bale is my favorite actor, this guy is not only a mastersmith of his craft, he is willing to stretch and pull himself apart to fit a role, to tell a story. He is a man that wrestles himself to fit into character. I am very much looking forward to the 4th of July release date for this film. Herzog and Bale are a legendary tag-team.
I have attached to this post a video below where Herzog discusses his feelings about the jungle!
Christian Bale is one of my favorite actors and I also like Werner Herzog’s work. Both of them are very intense and I love that!
Rescue Dawn hasn’t opened in the pacific northwest yet.
yes thegoodfella,
you should look up the you tube video where he discusses the event with henry rollins!
Werner is not that depressing, he is just being German.
batman… ate maggots?!
Take it you’ve seen the legendary video where Herzog is shot with an air rifle, Doug?
“It was not a significant bullet.”
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ylXqc8TQ15w
Screw Transformers. This is the movie I want to see.
(and then I’ll check out transformers.)
Did anyone see The Machinist? Man, to see him in that movie was disturbing! I mean, he had a failed kidney for his art! Is that crazy or what!
My most anticipated flick this year.
The combination Herzog & Bale has been taken directly from my wet geek dreams. Herzog is one of the greatest directors in movie history and Bale is without a doubt one of the most interesting actors working in movies today and will certainly have a great career for decades to come.
For all of you who are unfamiliar with Herzog’s work, check out the films he made together with the greatest actor, who ever walked this earth, Klaus Kinski. Mainly “Aguirre – Wrath of God”, “Nosferatu” (the greatest vampire movie ever) and of course “Fitzcarraldo”.
Then watch the documentaries “Burden of Dreams”, “My best Fiend” and “Grizzly Man”.
Christian Bale is not joking when he says Herzog’s movies are blood, sweat and tears. You will find out what movie-making really is about.
I definitely agree that Bale “is willing to stretch and pull himself apart to fit a role”. You only need to watch The Machinist to know that. I never been so intrigued and so horrified to look at an actor as I was watching him in The Machinist.
Excuse me while I go slit my wrists. He needs to watch Planet Earth: Jungles to lighten up.
That said, Christian Bale is my favorite actor and I am looking forward to this film. You have to ask yourself, WWCND?
(What would Chuck Norris do?)
I actually went to school with three of Dengler’s nieces/nephews… and heard some cool stories. Looking forward to the movie.
Obviously, this is going to be amazing, and this has been my most anticipated movie (besides Indy 4, of course) since the fall of 2006 when I first saw the original trailer when it played up at the Toronto Film Fest. I can’t friggin’ wait.
July 4th? The fates are making Doug choose between a Werner Herzog film and Transformers.
If there is a God…..he is cruel.
Christian Bale is DEFINATELY one of my favorite actors.It dosn’t matter who he’s playing,he does a great job.Athough Im not especially siked about this filom.Im willing to be pleasantly surprised.
Jesus Christ, this man is depressing! “God… if he exists created this place out of anger.”
Freaky dude…