Werner Herzog is one of Germany’s great filmmakers. French director Francois Truffaut called Herzog “the most important film director alive” and legendary film critic Roger Ebert was a huge fan of Herzog’s work.
Werner Herzog is also a huge Baby Yoda fan.
Having recently played the villain in the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” Herzog has repeatedly celebrated the series. He has particularly applauded the decision by the filmmakers to move away from excessive CGI and towards physical sets and practical effects. This love for practical filmmaking leads to Werner’s love for Baby Yoda, an adorable character from “The Mandalorian” that was quickly turned into a popular meme.
In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, he describes Baby Yoda as a “phenomenal achievement” and praises it in great length. Herzog explains, “It’s wonderfully created and sculpted, and a mechanical device that is a massive achievement for cinema. You can see it with your eyes, and you can touch it. That’s why I said, ‘Don’t try to have a fallback, a plan B, and shoot it now in a digital remake of what you already have in the can. It’s so wonderful. You cannot outdo it. Don’t be cowards. You are trailblazers.’”
Fans of Herzog’s work may empathize with his push towards more practical filmmaking, rallying against CGI-drenched blockbusters like “Avengers: Endgame” and the 2019 remake of “The Lion King.” However, it is hard to imagine any Herzog fan sharing his love for Baby Yoda.
Honestly though, we need more famous directors getting behind memes. I would love to see Martin Scorsese personally endorsing Left Shark or Quentin Tarantino expressing love for Woman Yelling At Cat. (Actually, that last one seems pretty believable.)
Either way, I can’t think of a more 2020 thing than Werner Herzog going all-in on his love for Baby Yoda. He added, “This is a wonderful achievement. It’s cinema where it always has been and where it should be back.”
Find yourself someone who loves you as much as Herzog loves “The Mandalorian” and its pint-sized green alien.