Krazy Kooky Klaus Kinski

What is your top pick for the most psychopathic role Klaus ever played?

Strictly speaking Spaghetti’s, his most bat shit crazy character.

Hard to look past The Great Silence I suppose, but I really like him in both If You Meet Sartana, Pray For Your Death and I am Sartana, Your Angel of Death.

Still, apart from maybe For a Few Dollars More in a small part, how batshit crazy is he in the spags? He always seems more crazy-like-a-fox to me, often with an almost laconic approach, with we, the audience, imbuing him with that underlying vein of psychosis because… well, it’s Klaus, isn’t it? He could lose it at any time! Crazy-by-casting, like you get with Dennis Hopper or Jack Nicholson.

Herzog got the real crazy out of Klaus anyway, in my humble opinion.

OK this is what I was looking for. Kind of forgot him in the Santana’s for some reason. Will re-hit for sure.

Yeah I guess I do mean more psychotic than raging lunatic, good delineation there.

Full disclosure I am developing a character that is kind of like an opium riddled pale skinned sweaty shaky, let’s say maniacal to the point of sadism, type. Klaus immediately came to mind. Is there another example outside of him in the Spaghetti’s I should consider as a case study perhaps?

I never saw Wraith of God. (IMDB’d to get your reference). Ya know the thing that struck me most about Werner when I worked with him was his sense of humor. Like he was legitimately very funny… and willing to be a total ham on camera. For whatever reason I found that shocking. Always thought he was so intense and dark, all business. Not the case… at least in his acting, no idea when he’s helming a project, could be a totally different story.

I remember he was a bit of a sex nut in “The Beast” but I can’t recommend you watch it…bad film…

From what I’ve read that role may not have been that much of a stretch for him then - wink

I’ll heed your warning. Thanks.

Theres a great doc about him called “Kinski In Italy”, with English subtitles. I saw it on Youtube years ago, and George Hilton has a good chunk of it, talking about Kinski going out in Italy with him and his exploits in the 60s. Hopefully its still on Youtube.

The first two parts are on YouTube: Kinski in Italia, part 1, part 2; part 3 is missing.

Nicely done.