My Best Fiend (1999)
"Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski" (original title)

In the 1950s, a teenage Werner Herzog was transfixed by a film performance of the young Klaus Kinski. Years later, they would share an apartment where, in an unabated, 48 hour fit of rage, ... See full summary »

Director:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Werner Herzog, Claudia Cardinale, Justo González

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Werner Herzog	...	Himself - Narrator / Interviewer
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claudia Cardinale	...	Herself
Justo González	...	Himself
Mick Jagger	...	Himself - Wilbur (archive footage)
Klaus Kinski	...	Himself (archive footage)
Eva Mattes	...	Herself
Thomas Mauch	...	Himself
Benino Moreno Placido	...	Himself
Beat Presser	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jason Robards	...	Fitzcarraldo (archive footage)
Guillermo Ríos	...	Himself (archive footage)
Walter Saxer	...	Himself (archive footage)
Baron van der Recke	...	Himself
Baronin van der Recke	...	Herself
Andrés Vicente	...	Himself (archive footage)

Storyline

In the 1950s, a teenage Werner Herzog was transfixed by a film performance of the young Klaus Kinski. Years later, they would share an apartment where, in an unabated, 48 hour fit of rage, Kinski completely destroyed the bathroom. From this chaos, a violent, love-hate, profoundly creative partnership was born. In 1972, Herzog cast Kinski in Aguirre, Wrath of God. Four more films would follow. In this personal documentary, Herzog traces the often violent ups and downs of their relationship, revisiting the various locations of their films and talking to the people they worked with.

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Plot Keywords:

shouting | reminiscences | hysterics | excess | south america | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography

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Details

Country:

Germany UK Finland USA

Language:

German English Spanish

Release Date:

7 October 1999 (Germany)

Also Known As:

My Best Fiend

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,677 (USA) (5 November 1999)

Gross:

$95,612 (USA) (25 August 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Cafe Productions Ltd., Zephir Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Kinski: No, He didn't say shut up. He took a whip and smacked their ugly faces! That's what he did you stupid pig! And if only one of you wants to hear me he has to wait until this fucking scum has left.

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Connections

Features Fitzcarraldo (1982)

User Reviews

kinski a true villain

My best fiend is not a typical documentary maybe because Klaus Kinski was a rare actor,when you read his biography his life was a mess. Klaus maybe was most famous for his reputation than his career but in Werner Herzog films he became a legend,they did five movies some of them very impressive(Aguirre;Nosferatu...)Kinski with his eccentric personality seems to transcend his roles, we all think we know him:"he was a madman";"a genius";"a misanthropic" etc etc...but who really know him? Herzog?,maybe.For me Kinski was an enigma for that reason we are so intriguing and enchanted by him,in Germany he still the most adored actor;in U.S.A they dont know what to think of him but in the mind of cinephiles around the world he still remains as one of the greatest. Klaus Kinski turned down important movie roles,instead he did some bad films why?he just wanted to make all the films they offered him.He was a great villain not only in real life but in his films as "Jack the Ripper";Nosferatu;Aguirre,and he appears in "For a Few dollars more" as Juan "the hunchback" and even in Dr Zivago; Kinski also directed the film Paganini(Klaus thought of himself as the reincarnation of this famous violinist)He was an unique actor more indomitable than Brando and "My Best Fiend"(an amazing ducumentary)is just one piece of the puzzle on this complex artist.