"...But sometimes Nicolas Cage was so impressive after, let’s say, sniffing cocaine that I had a suspicion it was really cocaine. But it was not. I mean, we had a props man who would dish out some saccharine, or whatever, which is totally harmless. But Nicolas Cage would almost instantly transform into… someone else. Totally, totally scary and impressive......We haven’t seen anything like this in a long time! And not only among the films he did – in general! You have to wait many years before you see a performance of that calibre."
These are superb finds Lady Trueheart, thank you for sharing.
My mind is on overdrive especially as I watched Bad Lieutenant again last night! Perhaps the bliss of evil being expressed in this movie is some kind of cathartic way for the audience to offload as well? I think it works because there is humour in the movie too (albeit laced with darkness) and it mixes in some vague elements of sympathy, for me anyway.
Interesting to read Herzog's comment about it not being too much about drugs but the character's dysfunction. For me the whole movie was about drugs! The main story and the subplots as well were a depiction or commentary on drug use. But..i guess we did see a glimmer of a dysfunctional bad lieutenant before he jumped in the water and messed up his back....although he still DID jump in the water....would he have done later on in his drug addled character arc??
Herzog is undoubtedly a one of a kind genius, who gives very interesting interviews. But I would personally not want to interview him, it would feel like having a conversation with my pedantic brother ! Although i'm sure his answers are just his truth and not pedantic whatsoever.
I think that last shot of the aquarium looks like it could come straight out of a Wes Anderson film... actually I would love to see Cage in a Wes Anderson film. He would have been great in the Royal Tenembaums, which the strange, clipped line deliveries and offbeat characters.