Last Words (film)
Encyclopedia
Last Words is a 1968 short film by Werner Herzog
shot in Crete
and on the island of Spinalonga
. The film was shot in two days during the filming of Herzog's feature Signs of Life
, and edited in one day.
The film tells a story of the last man to leave the abandoned island of Spinalonga, which had been used as a leper colony
. The man refused to leave, and so was forcibly removed. He now lives in Crete, where he plays the lyre
at nights in a bar, and refuses to speak. The film's narrative style is very unconventional, with most characters speaking their lines several times repeatedly in long takes. The man from the island has the most spoken lines of any character, as he repeatedly explains that he refuses to speak, even a single word.
Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog Stipetić , known as Werner Herzog, is a German film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and opera director.He is often considered as one of the greatest figures of the New German Cinema, along with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Margarethe von Trotta, Volker Schlöndorff, Werner...
shot in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and on the island of Spinalonga
Spinalonga
The island of Spinalonga , officially known as Kalydon , is located in the Gulf of Elounda in north-eastern Crete, in Lasithi prefecture, next to the town of Elounda....
. The film was shot in two days during the filming of Herzog's feature Signs of Life
Signs of Life (1968 film)
Signs of Life is a 1968 feature film written, directed, and produced by Werner Herzog. It was his first feature film, and his first major commercial and critical success...
, and edited in one day.
The film tells a story of the last man to leave the abandoned island of Spinalonga, which had been used as a leper colony
Leper colony
A leper colony, leprosarium, or lazar house is a place to quarantine leprous people.-History:Leper colonies or houses became widespread in the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and India, and often run by monastic orders...
. The man refused to leave, and so was forcibly removed. He now lives in Crete, where he plays the lyre
Lyre
The lyre is a stringed musical instrument known for its use in Greek classical antiquity and later. The word comes from the Greek "λύρα" and the earliest reference to the word is the Mycenaean Greek ru-ra-ta-e, meaning "lyrists", written in Linear B syllabic script...
at nights in a bar, and refuses to speak. The film's narrative style is very unconventional, with most characters speaking their lines several times repeatedly in long takes. The man from the island has the most spoken lines of any character, as he repeatedly explains that he refuses to speak, even a single word.
Cast (uncredited)
- Antonis PapadakisAntonis PapadakisAntonis Papadakis, or Kareklas was a Cretan musician and famous for his superb lyra performance. He was born in Pervolia, Rethymno and started playing the lyra since he was a kid. He is considered as one of the most important lyra performers of the early 20th century...
: the last leper - Lefteris Daskalakis : the bouzouki player