Woyzeck
A persecuted rifleman spirals through voices, humiliation, and jealousy toward an inevitable domestic catastrophe.
Overview
A soldier's sanity unravels as he grapples with betrayal and madness in a seemingly serene town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- bleak
- foreboding
- oppressive
- focused arthouse viewing
- classic cinema exploration
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Herzog’s stark Büchner adaptation as a powerful, psychologically intense showcase for Klaus Kinski’s performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Woyzeck hears cosmic voices and experiences an inner world increasingly overtaken by psychological turmoil.
The captain mocks Woyzeck while the doctor treats him as a curiosity in a cruel study.
Herzog’s spare 1979 staging turns the town and military world into a placid but ominous psychological landscape.
Marie’s affairs and the captain’s insinuations amplify Woyzeck’s instability and drive the central conflict.
Films like Woyzeck, and why
The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
shared psychological disintegration, social marginalization, stark atmosphere, and tragic dramatic intensity
The White Ribbon
shared austere historical setting, class oppression, alienated protagonists, and bleak existential drama
The Passion of Anna
shared jealousy-driven tragedy, oppressive social structures, and psychologically intense realism
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
shared expressionistic mood, mental instability, and formalized tragic drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Werner Herzog
- Release Date
- 1979-05-25
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (208)
Cast
- Klaus Kinski
- Eva Mattes
- Wolfgang Reichmann
- Willy Semmelrogge
- Josef Bierbichler
- Paul Burian
- Volker Prechtel
- Dieter Augustin
- Irm Hermann
- Wolfgang Bächler
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Woyzeck about?
- A persecuted rifleman spirals through voices, humiliation, and jealousy toward an inevitable domestic catastrophe.
- What is Woyzeck like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Woyzeck as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Woyzeck violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Woyzeck as graphic.
- What did critics think of Woyzeck?
- Critics broadly regard Herzog’s stark Büchner adaptation as a powerful, psychologically intense showcase for Klaus Kinski’s performance.
- Which films are like Woyzeck?
- Films with a similar feel include The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, The White Ribbon, The Passion of Anna, and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
- How long is Woyzeck?
- Woyzeck runs 82 minutes.
- Where can I watch Woyzeck?
- In United States, Woyzeck streams on Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
