Even Dwarfs Started Small
Werner Herzog’s early films always feel like he’s testing how much madness an audience can take before walking out. This one’s no different. He gathers an all-dwarf cast in a remote institution where chaos slowly takes over — cars spin in circles, chickens run riot, and laughter turns to screams. It’s anarchic, strange, and hard to look away from.
There’s something compelling about watching order collapse, even if it’s never clear what Herzog’s after — human nature, power, or just striking images.
Even Dwarfs Started Small is more curiosity than crowd-pleaser. It’s ugly, absurd, and oddly poetic in that singular Herzog way. I wouldn’t hurry to rewatch it, but it’s impossible to forget.
There’s something compelling about watching order collapse, even if it’s never clear what Herzog’s after — human nature, power, or just striking images.
Even Dwarfs Started Small is more curiosity than crowd-pleaser. It’s ugly, absurd, and oddly poetic in that singular Herzog way. I wouldn’t hurry to rewatch it, but it’s impossible to forget.
Mini Review: Herzog’s early experiment in madness and mayhem, set in a remote institution where an all-dwarf cast revolt against everything — authority, order, and good taste. Chickens run wild, cars spin endlessly, and laughter curdles into hysteria. It’s fascinating, frustrating, and unmistakably Herzog: ugly, absurd, and unforgettable in its own deranged way.
Watch the Trailer