Signs of Life is the first feature by Werner Herzog, and it is instructive as an outline of the kinds of films he would go on to make, and the style he would make them in. However, the beginning director was just that- beginning. This is not a particularly great movie, but there are some impressive and funny Herzog moments, countered with a few obvious technical problems and somewhat weak screenwriting.
The movie is set during World War II and follows some German soldiers who are stationed in Crete, Greece, as they are too ill for one reason or another to serve in actual combat. The protagonist is named Stroszek (Peter Brogle, not related to Herzog's later film of the same name) and he seems to be having a degree of fun on the island, especially when he's teamed up with his eccentric friend Meinhard (Wolfgang Reichmann) who is obsessed with animals. Stroszek is also married to a hot babe named Nora (Athina Zacharopoulou), and they seem to get along well.
The principal conflict in the film appears to be way to fight boredom as not much happens in Crete, and the weather is always nice. (Spoilers ahead!). You would think that being away from the front lines in a warm climate would be seen as a kind of vacation, but Stroszek goes a little nuts, grabs a gun, kills a donkey, and threatens to destroy and electrical outpost.
I will not reveal whether or not our hero successful in his attempt, but a major flaw of the film is that we are not really prepared for the madness. It seems out of character from the Stroszek we know to go nuts like this, as he seemed to be a slightly socially undeveloped but basically good natured guy. I think Herzog takes to long for us to get to this part of the story and he resolves too quickly. It seems like more of an afterthought than anything else.
There are some technical problems with the film, too. For one thing, this is one of only two Herzog features in black and white (Even Dwarfs Started Small is the other). I will venture a guess that the director didn't used the B&W for financial reasons, because if there was ever a film that needed color, it's this one. There a lots of technical issues that may have been a result either of the budget, or Herzog's inexperience, or both, but they still hurt the film. The editing is often choppy and often the same piece of what is apparently Greek folk music is played over and over again, becoming annoying.
I cannot say that Signs of Life is a successful enough film to recommend, but I did enjoy it to a minor degree for most of the way. It is probably better not to look at the movie as a failure, but as the beginning of a young artist aspiring to greatness.
Signs of Life (1968)