Please Kill Mr. Kinski (video)
In 1985, Director David Schmoeller found himself in the unenviable position of directing the crazed actor Klaus Kinski in the horror film Crawlspace. Kinski was already famous for hating directors, but Schmoeller soon discovered that even basic duties as yelling "Action!" prompted tantrums in Kinski. Schmoeller's crew and backers were soon begging and plotting to kill Kinski for the insurance money. In the late Nineties, Schmoeller made a short film about the experience, Please Kill Mr. Kinski (download video, 19 meg, wmv file). If you like maniacal Kinski (and you speak German) here's a track of him from his infamous "I Am God" tour (download MP3). Thanks for finding the video, Scott!
Anyone with a perverse wish to watch more bipolar shenanigans might check out Werner Herzog's "My Favorite Fiend." Definitely hoot-worthy. And Klaus's autobiography is a riot, like Knut Hamsen meets Charlie Manson. His criticism of Hollywood and all the sacred cows of the movie industry however are I think right on and incisive. At one point he says of one director something to the effect that "he probably goes home at night and jacks off to his own movies."
Posted by: norelpref | February 11, 2006 at 05:16 PM
My Best Fiend is a riveting documentary. IIRC, some of the Amazon tribesman offered, to Werner Herzog, to kill the ranting lunatic Kinski in their midst. Kinski declined, saying he needed Kinski alive to finish the film.
Is Hearts of Darkness (the Apocalypse Now documentary) on disc yet? That and Fiend would make a good film exacta one night.
"Every grey hair on my head, I call Kinski." —Werner Herzog
Posted by: Listener James from Westwood | February 11, 2006 at 07:22 PM
To me Kinski's autobiography seemed more like a Z-grade porn novel, very entertaining though. According to his own account, all women he met in his life immediately wanted to have rough sex with him.
Posted by: Lukas | February 11, 2006 at 07:32 PM
That directer is a total ass, I'm with Kinski on this one...
Posted by: BRZ | February 13, 2006 at 12:49 PM
crawlspace was just on IFC
pretty bad movie, they really had nothing without klaus
Posted by: asdfasdf as | February 18, 2006 at 04:03 AM