The Bad Lieutenant - Ferrara and Herzog

I have just watched The Bad Lieutenant by Herzog. I am very disappointed. Abel Ferrara’s film is a “master piece”. Harvey Keitel is “superb”. Cage is not credible. What do you think about these two films?

I also much prefer the original, though Herzog’s humorous flourishes were endearing. Loved the little iguana scene… Cage was too manic

I haven’t watched the Original but I liked Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant,it was OK

THey are interesting companion pieces if you know the history of both. For example, Ferrara’s movie was originally intended to be a black comedy, and after you get over the initial shock of it, it’s easy to see exactly what he means. Herzog’s film, on the other hand, is a lot funnier, more ‘existential’, rather than ‘spiritual’, and takes itself far less seriously. Matt Parks once said the film is a ‘goof’, and i agree with that. It cannot compete with the Ferrara original because Ferrara’s version is an intensely personal film with something relevant to say. it treats the spiritual crisis of the lieutenant with the respect it deserves, even if it’s a little excessive at crucial moments.

I prefer Herzog as a director to Ferrara—although Ferrara is very underrated in film circles i think—but Port Of New Orleans wasn’t good enough to supplant Ferrara’s version in my mind.