Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe is a 20-minute documentary film directed by Les Blank and released in 1980. The film follows the story of a bet made between directors Werner Herzog and Errol Morris during the 1970s.
According to the bet, if Morris ever managed to make his first feature documentary film, Herzog would have to eat his shoe. Morris did indeed make his first feature-length documentary titled Gates of Heaven in 1978, and Herzog kept his promise.
The film shows Herzog giving a speech at UC Berkeley where he proceeds to cook a pair of boots in garlic, herbs, and duck fat for several hours before eating them. The shoe-eating is witnessed by a small crowd of spectators and notable filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Silverblatt.
The film also features interviews with Herzog, Morris, and Blank, who explains the origins of the bet and how he came to document the shoe-eating event. Blank provides amusing and insightful anecdotes, detailing the reactions of the onlookers and the process of filming the scene.
Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe is a lighthearted and quirky film, yet it also offers an interesting insight into the creative and competitive nature of filmmakers.