| Director: | Werner Herzog |
| Narrator: | Werner Herzog |
| Producer: | Werner Herzog |
| Music: | Popol Vuh |
| Cinematography: | Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein |
| Editor: | Beate Mainka-Jellinghaus |
| Runtime: | 45 minutes |
| Country: | West Germany |
| Budget: | DEM 72.000 (estimated) |
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner (German: Die große Ekstase des Bildschnitzers Steiner) is a 1974 documentary film by German filmmaker Werner Herzog. It is about Walter Steiner, a celebrated ski jumper of his era who worked as a carpenter for his full-time occupation. Showcased is Steiner's quest for a world record in ski flying, as well as the dangers involved in the sport. Herzog has considered it one of his "most important films."[1]
The film includes footage shot in the German towns of Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, as well as Planica in Yugoslavia (now Slovenia). The film was made as part of a series for a German television station, which restricted in some ways the content. Herzog's original cut was 60 minutes long, but it was edited down to 45 minutes to fit in a one-hour television spot. The station also required Herzog himself to appear on camera, which he had not typically done in his previous documentaries.[1] [2]