A Venice Premiere and a Director's Defense
At the Venice Film Festival on Thursday evening, Werner Herzog's new movie 'Bucking Fastard' had its premiere in the competition lineup, and the director along with the cast received a lengthy standing ovation that lasted six and a half minutes. The film features Kate and Rooney Mara portraying Jean and Joan Holbrooke, sisters from Ireland who act, think, and move as one, sharing identical dreams and affection for the same man. When their neighbor and ex-lover Gareth Mulroney, played by Orlando Bloom, weds another, the siblings embark on a spree of arson, ambushes, and other petty crimes to reclaim him, becoming media sensations and acquiring a social worker, portrayed by Domhnall Gleeson, to assist them in adjusting to contemporary life.[S1]
Herzog, known for his wild reputation, took the opportunity to set the record straight. He described himself as the most organized, focused, and friendly person one could see on a set, dismissing other portrayals as media fabrications. This is the director who hauled a 320-ton steamship over a hill for 'Fitzcarraldo' and threatened to kill Klaus Kinski during 'Aguirre,' but the Maras said they had no trepidation about working with him. Kate Mara noted that the scariest part was figuring out how to perform an entire film in sync, but she had zero worries about Herzog himself.[S1]
Crafting a Synchronized Performance
The sisters' synchronized performance was central to the film. Kate Mara described it as feeling like a song or rhythm, which they figured out faster than expected. Rooney Mara mentioned working with a voice coach before rehearsals, and once they performed in front of Herzog, he liked it so much that it flowed naturally. Herzog, who wrote the screenplay in five days and had two weeks of rehearsal—a first in his career—stopped rehearsals after a week, telling them they were so good they should just meet him in front of the camera.[S1]
Herzog highlighted his efficient approach to filming, utilizing minimal takes and no extra coverage, often wrapping up by early afternoon. The production stayed ahead of schedule and within its financial limits. The narrative draws loose inspiration from Freda and Greta Chaplin, identical twins from York who communicated in unison and gained notoriety following a court case in 1981. Later, the sisters relocate to Ireland's western coast to reside with their widowed aunt, played by Marion O'Dwyer, and commence excavating a tunnel through a mountain, convinced it will lead to the Orkney Islands, a legendary place where genuine love can be found.[S1]
Thematic Connections and Life Lessons
Herzog drew comparisons between this film and his earlier works like 'Fitzcarraldo' and 'Grizzly Man,' noting the shared theme of pursuing an impossible dream. In 'Bucking Fastard,' the sisters dream of an ideal country, the Orkneys, and would rather dig a tunnel through a mountain range to find it. Herzog remarked that everyone should dig a tunnel, suggesting a universal metaphor for aspiration.[S1]
The Maras also shared insights into Herzog's approach. Kate Mara praised his passion and deep care for filmmaking, while Rooney Mara expressed that working with him was one of the greatest experiences one could have. Herzog, for his part, offered life lessons in 'really not giving a shit,' a philosophy that seems to permeate his filmmaking style and the film's quirky narrative.[S1]
