Werner Herzog Takes Us Inside His New Film 'Lo and Behold'

[Werner Voiceover] This is the birthplace of the Internet.

Let's enter this very special place.

That machine over there

is the first piece of Internet equipment.

This is a

(bangs on machine)

military hardened machine.

It has a unique odor

(sniffs)

and it was from here that the first message was sent.

A revolution began.

I do not really recall what my first experience

with the Internet was.

You have to know you're dealing with a man

who has made his first phone call

at the age of 17.

This here is robot eight.

It's very identifiable because its pattern includes

four green dots on top

and it's one of my favorites, actually.

[Werner] Beautiful.

Do you love it?

Yes, we do.

We do love robot eight.

My name is Werner Herzog.

I am a filmmaker and I am showing

Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World.

It's a film about the Internet, exploring whether

humanistic side of what's going on with us

with the revolution that we are undergoing right now.

(fast-paced violin)

The Internet is a manifestation of evil itself.

I think we have to find some sort of a balance

how we are using the Internet

but we should not demonize it,

of course it shows all the dark sides,

cyber-bullying and addiction to the Internet

but at the same time, it has given us

glorious, glorious moments in science.

[Werner Voiceover] Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX,

is pursuing how we would talk to colonies on Mars

via the Internet.

I mean, right now, we can't even get one person to Mars

so clearly--

[Werner] I would come along.

I wouldn't have a problem.

The Internet is a gigantic step in our civilization

at least as large as for example,

introduction of electricity.

We're going to have a revolution in our definition

of what it means to be human.

Will our children's children's children

need the companionship of humans?

Or will they have evolved in a world

where that's not important?

I'm not a prophet, but I know that it's all-pervasive

and it's a huge, huge, huge momentous event

and we have to learn how to cope with it prudently.

(seagulls)

[Werner Voiceover] Have the monks stopped meditating?

They all seem to be tweeting.

(deep bass)