The Enigma Of Kaspar Hauser review

A Werner Herzog film based on the true story of a young man who had spent his life in captivity

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Stories of humans raised in the wild range from Tarzan to Mama , but none compare to the resonance of Werner Herzog’s 1974 film.

Following his tendency to use actors who live their roles, Herzog cast the schizophrenic Bruno S as Kaspar Hauser, a foundling who emerges in Nuremberg in 1828 having been imprisoned his whole life.

Beard-tugging locals treat him as a mystery, a freak, a puzzle, a pet.

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But Herzog acts otherwise, adopting Hauser’s perspective to sustain an aching sadness over the fate of a wide-eyed innocent.

Kevin Harley
Freelance writer

Kevin Harley is a freelance journalist with bylines at Total Film, Radio Times, The List, and others, specializing in film and music coverage. He can most commonly be found writing movie reviews and previews at GamesRadar+. 

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