How much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck

This subject was a wonderful little bit in Stroszek. It is quite interesting how Herzog is able to become completely transfixed by these peculiar cultural conventions as if willfully attempting to unravel a deeper primal layer in their social and performative aspects. I'm not sure how successful it is but the effort itself is strangely surreal and unique.

Equal parts hypnotic and monotonous. The performances of the cattle auctioneers akin to the Wodaabe in the full throws of the Yaake dance as depicted in Herzog's 'Wodaabe – Die Hirten der Sonne'. Or perhaps Huie Rogers preaching in 'Huies Predigt'. One marvels at the speed at which (barely) comprehensible sounds emerge from the mouths of the contestants. A strong man competition but with competitors orating instead of contorting bodies; 'Herakles' but in a different form.

interesting at the start, and the vocal rhythms were pleasant for a while. the actual competition shows us their little stylistic quirks, but more than anything how utterly alike they - and by extension their cultures - are; this can only make me appreciate guys like steiner more. if i had to live in a place like this i'd probably off myself. perhaps that isn't what herzog might want me to take away, but it's what i was thinking constantly as the repetition inevitably became irritating and dull.

I kind of get what Herzog was going for here. Kind of. But was it really necessary to show us 20 or 30 minutes of raw auctioneering footage? I don't think so.

The language of auctioneers creates such an unusual rhythm for Herzog. Had this been even slightly longer, I'd have grown tired, but I felt it was successful.

Howmuchlongeristhisgonnalast? DoIheartenminutes,tenminutes,tenminutesmore? Whowillgivemefifteen,fifteen,fifteen? Isthattoolong,wecangobacktotenminutes,tenminutes,tenminutesmore. Ten minutes more to the fellow in the front row.

Werner barely gets a word in edgewise, it's just speed-talkers in cowboy hats competing to see who can yammer up the price of a heifer the fastest. It is musical in a way, if country-drone is your thing

Only Herzog would find cattle auctioneers worthy documentary subjects. Whether or not their speedy borderline incomprehensible delivery of numbers/bids really symbolizes the 'poetics of capitalism' as Herzog believes is up for debate, but this is a strangely fascinating world, and much talent is required to execute this absurd skill. By filming auctioneers competing in rapid succession, Herzog draws attention to their language's odd musicality as well as its structural logic.

Dope rhythms. Very danceable auctioneering. Hope someone samples this and plays it at a party. Also, isn't capitalism just ~wacky~

A classic Herzog documentary in that it does something more than document; once or twice is a poetic rumination on capitalism that is cuter and more endearing than it is deep, but most of the film is unbelievably musical and psychological through implication alone.