Werner Herzog's film Stroszek is indeed an incredible documentary/film that adds to all the other famous and daring films he has to his credit. After watching the ending to Stroszek, I couldn't differ but to agree with Dan Schneider's review, A voice in the wilderness describing Herzog's extraordinary approach to film-making.
Not only did Herzog leave his viewers/ audiences in suspense, he gave them the chance to read into the ending scene as they deems right. The irony of the whole ending scenes where Bruno S ends up in a native American neighborhood carrying with him a frozen turkey. Or leaving his truck running in circles with a fully dressed Native American right at the scene without but still isolated like nothing odd is going on around him.
One big connection I made with the "professional" dancing chicken, pianist chicken, and the fire rabbit were their environment and how that might have been in relation to Stroszek's personal experiences leaving in institutions. Even though Stroszek felt a sense freedom after his release from jail and new life in the United States which was the best either, his past experiences were constantly at play in his now life which lead to emotional flashbacks which I believe lead to suicide. But then again why would he come all the way to and animal recreational center to end his life? Did he feel like he has been treated like an animal all this while? Perhaps, he felt that way or maybe it was time for him to move on with his life hereafter with hope of finding a safer haven elsewhere. Hopes that were from "TheAmerican Dream".
2 comments:
Interesting post. I thought about the ending a lot too, and came up with multiple comparisons that could of contributed to the story-line. Crosshatchedplan had an interesting interpretation that he posted on my response this week about how Bruno might have seeked comfort within the animals playing the instruments he enjoyed and the cycle of riding up and down the chair lift. I also thought about how the native american carnival could have been an analogy for Bruno whole life, so it wasn't really an ending in the narrative but an ending for his "inner landscape"...
Thinking of Bruno entering a metaphysical state after circling around on the ski lift (what did it say on the back of his chair?) adds another layer of possibility.
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