Soon after I startÂed driÂving, back in high school, I got a mobile phone capaÂble of SMS mesÂsagÂing. As with any techÂnolÂoÂgy not yet wideÂspread, it then seemed more novÂelÂty than conÂveÂnience; I hardÂly knew anyÂbody else with a cellÂphone, much less with one capaÂble of receivÂing my mesÂsages. But in the interÂvenÂing dozen years, everyÂone startÂed texÂting, and the pracÂtice turned from oddÂiÂty into near-necesÂsiÂty, no matÂter the time, no matÂter the place.
Now, havÂing takÂen for grantÂed the abilÂiÂty to instantÂly send short mesÂsages across the city, counÂtry, or world to one anothÂer, sociÂety has, inevitably, begun to focus on the assoÂciÂatÂed danÂgers of texÂting. But few of us have thought quite as hard about them as has WernÂer HerÂzog, direcÂtor of Aguirre, the Wrath of God, FitzÂcarÂralÂdo, Cave of ForÂgotÂten Dreams, and now a docÂuÂmenÂtary against texÂting while driÂving. But don’t peoÂple already know the danÂgers? Haven’t pubÂlic serÂvice announceÂments cauÂtioned them not to do it, and stiff, fee-threatÂenÂing laws gone on the books across AmerÂiÂca?
JudgÂing by the sudÂden popÂuÂlarÂiÂty of HerÂzog’s new 35-minute film From One SecÂond to the Next, sponÂsored by cell serÂvice provider AT&T, a GerÂman New Wave lumiÂnary’s words carÂry more weight. “I’m not a parÂticÂiÂpant of texÂting and driÂving — or texÂting at all,” many have already quotÂed him as sayÂing, “but I see there’s someÂthing going on in civÂiÂlizaÂtion which is comÂing with great veheÂmence at us.” Despite not havÂing driÂven regÂuÂlarÂly since high school, I do on my rare occaÂsions at the wheel feel that strangeÂly strong tempÂtaÂtion to text in motion. HavÂing watched HerÂzog’s unblinkÂing take on the real-life conÂseÂquences of doing so — unpayably high medÂical bills at best, paralÂyÂsis and death at worst — I don’t see myself givÂing in next time. Whether or not it simÂiÂlarÂly effects the stuÂdents of the 40,000 schools in which it will screen, it marks a vast improveÂment upon all the murky, heavy-handÂed cauÂtionÂary videos I rememÂber from my own driÂver’s ed days. PerÂhaps what HerÂzog did for Bad LieuÂtenant, he should now do for that classÂroom clasÂsic Red Asphalt.
You can find From One SecÂond to the Next in our colÂlecÂtion of 550 Free Movies Online.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
PorÂtrait WernÂer HerÂzog: The Director’s AutoÂbiÂoÂgraphÂiÂcal Short Film from 1986
An Evening with WernÂer HerÂzog
Errol MorÂris and WernÂer HerÂzog in ConÂverÂsaÂtion
WernÂer HerÂzog Has a Beef With ChickÂens
ColÂin MarÂshall hosts and proÂduces NoteÂbook on Cities and CulÂture and writes essays on litÂerÂaÂture, film, cities, Asia, and aesÂthetÂics. He’s at work on a book about Los AngeÂles, A Los AngeÂles Primer. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall.