Does anyone have any lengthy information about this? Did Claus actually believe he was Jesus for a bit or was it an act? Can you buy recordings or videos of this? I loved this footage. It was so intense. Claus has the best face for Cinema. He's up there (probably higher) with Dafoe and Walken. Love him. Thanks
share(this answer is maybe a little late, hope you read it still)
Kinski didn't believe he was Jesus. He wanted to portray Jesus in the way he saw him, not in the way the catholic church say him. This meant he portrayed Jesus as a rebel and an outlaw, fighting against the conventions and the hypocrisy of the ruling class and the priests.
He begins by saying: "Wanted: Jesus Christ. Accused of seduction, anarchistic tendencies, conspiracy against the government. He is often surrounded by heretics, gypsies, prostitutes, orphans, criminals, revolutionaries, anti-socials, unemployeds, outcasts,..."
Of course Kinski also considered himself to be a revolutionary and a rebel. So he projected the life of Jesus onto his own life. But he didn't really believe he was the reincaration of Jesus or something like that. So to answer your question: it was an act.
This famous scene was often misused and taken out of context to show Kinski one again as a raging lunatic. But this time it is very understandble: this particular incident happened after he had spoken for not even 5 minutes. During his whole act, he was constantly interrupted and attacked by hecklers. With that kind of aufdience, any performer would have snapped (just maybe not in the famous Kinski-style ;-)
I don't think you can buy video footage of it. But the complete audio footage, which I definetly recommend,(including this famous incident and many many many many other interruptions) is availble, for example here:
http://www.amazon.de/Jesus-Christus-Erl%C3%B6ser-2-CDs/dp/3866043414/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1