Herzog uses the story of a mysterious young man appearing in early 19th century Nuremburg to metaphysically riff on themes of society, religion and the nature of experience and existence. The entire film is a vehicle for his then recently discovered lead Bruno Schleinstein, a self taught baroque street busker who had a deprived upbringing and absolutely no acting experience. The real Kasper Hauser is widely believed to have been a charlatan who claimed to have lived to 17 years old in a cellar before being found wandering the streets with a letter proposing that a cavalry captain take him in and train him. Finding the truth of the real Kapser's origins became a prolonged investigation and saw him taken in by the civic authorities and housed and educated by a succession of families. An existence that probably would not have been afforded him if the mystery did not exist. But Herzog dispenses with the factual history and investigation and presents Kasper Hauser's story as true. This allows Bruno S to inhabit the role and use his own life and existence as a well spring for re-imagining Kasper Hauser as a reality. It's an incredible film which centers around the performance by Bruno but also has Herzog's trademark eccentricities built into it. There is an air of mysticism about it from the very start. The opening sequence of shots before the scrolling text linger long in the mind afterwards for example. Characters such as the town clerk who records every event of significance are a delight and enhance the element of surrealism of the story at hand. Coming after Aguirre, The Wrath of God it acts as a bridge between the examination of the dark heart of man of that film and the outright mysticism of Heart of Glass which was his next feature.
(4/5)
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