Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog steeped himself in the great mysteries of the mind with his latest film Theatre of Thought. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, the documentary was the latest in a long line of features for the director to explore an enigmatic topic that had fascinated him for some time, and he had access to some brilliant minds to really sate his curiosity. Collider's own Steve Weintraub got to sit down with Herzog at the Collider Supper Suite and Media Studio in Marbl to discuss not just his latest film, but the creative process that his entire filmography stems from.
Theatre of Thought sees Herzog explore the landscape of the human brain and how it performs such complex functions. Joined by researcher Rafael Yuste, he takes in the latest in the latest developments in brain research and how our greater understanding of the mind is leading to revolutionary treatments for once-incurable diseases. Herzog acknowledges the risks, however, diving into the philosophical and ethical questions surrounding freedom of thought and neural technology including how much is acceptable before we lose our own thoughts in favor of what has been implanted in us.
Herzog emphasized in the interview how Theatre of Thought, like many of his films, was born out of a lingering fascination and conviction for exploring everything there is to know about its subject. With the help of Yuste, he got to hear from the men and women on the front lines of neural research, many of whom were among the top minds in their fields. Despite his wide-ranging filmography, Herzog also dove into the similarities that unite his projects both in the creative process and when they eventually ended up on-screen. He gets into the weeds of how he decides on his next film topic and how he goes about making it, from the actual structure to the technology involved in filming. He even gives a tease at a few projects coming in the near future.
Check out the full interview above to hear Herzog get deep about Theatre of Thought and the rest of his filmography, including:
- What about Theatre of Thought made him think he needed to make this film?
- Who was someone with scientific knowledge of the mind that he was surprised he got access to for the film?
- How does he decide what to cover in his films and go about his creative process?
- Are there specific things people want to talk with him about or are the topics more diverse because of his resume?
- Which of his films changed the most in the editing room in ways he didn't expect going in?
- If he could get the financing, what is the dream film he would make?
- What is the next feature film script he's working on?
- Which of his friends or family were most surprised to see him in The Mandalorian?
- Would he want to use any of the newest volume technology and cameras on his films?
- Is there a TV show he'd like to guest star or guest direct on?
- What movie does he think he's seen the most?
Special thanks to our TIFF 2022 partners A-list Communications, Belvedere Vodka, Marbl Toronto, COVERGIRL Canada, Tres Amici Wines, Toronto Star, and Blue Moon Belgian White beer.