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Assembled by the BFI, The Werner Herzog Collection presents eighteen films by the celebrated German director Werner Herzog, spanning two crucial decades of his career from the late 1960s to the late 1980s. Bringing together short films, feature documentaries and major fiction works, the set offers a broad overview of Herzog’s recurring themes: obsession and madness, journeys into extreme landscapes, the fragility of civilisation, and the stubborn persistence of human dreams. All films are newly remastered in high definition and supplemented by extensive contextual material, making this box set a cornerstone for anyone interested in Herzog’s cinema.

 

The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz (1967)

Four young men enter an abandoned castle and perform an imaginary military defence using discarded uniforms and equipment. With no dialogue and only sparse commentary, the film becomes an absurdist reflection on militarism and the rituals of war.

 

Last Words (1968)

A poetic portrait of the last inhabitant of Spinalonga, a former leper colony in Greece. Though ordered to leave, he stubbornly resists. His repetitive statements and stylised behaviour transform a simple documentary premise into a playful character study.

 

Precautions Against Fanatics (1969)

Set around a Munich racing track, this pseudo-documentary presents eccentric characters who claim to protect horses from “fanatics”. Their increasingly surreal explanations undermine authority and blur fact and fiction with deadpan humour.

 

Handicapped Future (1970)

Commissioned as an informational film, this compassionate documentary portrays children and young adults with physical disabilities in Germany. Herzog emphasises everyday obstacles as well as moments of independence and dignity.

 

Fata Morgana (1971)

Shot almost entirely in the Sahara, the film assembles mirage-like desert images into a loose creation myth. Music and narration turn documentary footage into an otherworldly vision about civilisation, decay and transcendence.

 

Land of Silence and Darkness (1971)

Following deaf-blind activist Fini Straubinger, Herzog explores isolation, communication and the human need for connection. Encounters with others living in sensory deprivation create moments of deep empathy and poignancy.

 

Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)

A Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado descends into madness on the Amazon. Klaus Kinski’s fierce performance drives a hypnotic portrait of megalomania, framed by haunting jungle landscapes.

 

The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974)

Based on a real case, the film follows Kaspar Hauser, who emerges in Nuremberg after lifelong isolation. His struggle to adapt becomes a moving reflection on innocence, education and society’s treatment of the outsider.

 

The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner (1974)

A documentary about Swiss ski jumper and woodcarver Walter Steiner. Through slow-motion images and poetic commentary, Herzog explores the tension between artistry, fear and perfectionism.

 

Heart of Glass (1976)

In an 18th-century Bavarian village known for ruby glass, disaster unfolds after the secret formula is lost. Hypnotised actors create a trance-like atmosphere as prophecy and collective delusion take hold.

 

How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck (1976)

A lively documentary on competitive livestock auctioneers in Pennsylvania. Their rapid-fire chant becomes a form of folk poetry and a commentary on the culture of commerce.

Stroszek (1977)

A Berlin outsider emigrates to America seeking a new life, only to face economic hardship and surreal disillusionment. The film mixes bleak realism with dark humour.

 

Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)

Herzog’s reinterpretation of Murnau’s classic blends gothic atmosphere with romantic melancholy. Klaus Kinski’s spectral Dracula and Isabelle Adjani’s luminous Lucy anchor this haunting tale of plague and longing.

 

Woyzeck (1979)

Adapted from Büchner’s play, the film portrays a soldier’s psychological collapse under oppression, humiliation and jealousy. Kinski’s performance evokes fragility and despair.

 

Huie’s Sermon (1980)

A single intense sermon delivered by Reverend Huie L. Rogers in Brooklyn. Herzog focuses entirely on the power of voice, gesture and collective devotion.

 

God’s Angry Man (1981)

A portrait of televangelist Gene Scott, revealing the intersection of faith, media performance and financial pressure. Behind-the-scenes footage underscores his volatility and charisma.

 

Fitzcarraldo (1982)

A dreamer attempts to build an opera house in the Peruvian jungle, realising an impossible plan to haul a full steamship over a hill. The legendary production mirrors the film’s theme of obsession.

 

Cobra Verde (1987)

Based on Bruce Chatwin’s novel, this film follows a Brazilian outlaw drawn into the politics of West Africa and the slave trade. It marks Herzog’s final collaboration with Klaus Kinski.