Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. Yay! New Werner Herzog! Not much else a film fan can say when confronted with a report on some new film that has been birthed from the mind of the eclectic German filmmaker. It’s always good news that he’s working, even if I don’t end up loving every film he makes. At least he’s out there with that singular voice of his, continuing to bend the medium to his oh-so-strange will:
Dear Aint it cool Big fan, glad to be able to contribute. Typing at my old stomping grounds at the University of Toronto, post a chilly morning screening of Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World. For the sake of transparency I must add that I am a pretty big Herzog fan, and that I will try to keep my biases apparent; I must also add that Herzog is not for everyone, and can be a 'love or hate it' or just hard to swallow and digest. Yet, there are also times where his idiosyncratic methods and narrative style do not need a membership to the 'Herzog fan club' and can make for a truly enjoyable and moving experience, this film is one of those times. This film is a documentary about Antarctica. It follows a linear structure of what I imagine was his experience and shooting on the continent, geographically and chronologically speaking. This begins with the plane ride over to and introduction to the McMurdo, the main town. With an appearance closer to that of a dingy mining town, as opposed to the main settlement of the continent, it seems like it could be simply an uneventful stopover before venturing out. Yet, it is here where he begins an exploration into the mindset and character of someone who would come to such a remote, bizarre, and unique place as Antarctica- let alone the town itself. Character should also be used to describe the people themselves, including a philosopher fork lift operator, communist regime survivor - ready to embark on an adventure at a moments notice, and a possible descendant of the Aztec royal family/plumber. Their personal stories add depth and insight to what it means to be there, as per the title (and theme of the movie), many imply a disconnect with the real world; one provides an analogy as the south pole being a magnet for all the people who aren't tied down on the planet, who all end up there at one point or another. After waiting out a blizzard, he then sets out, into the land and adventure. This includes visiting the science bases of cell biologists, that venture under the glaciers; volcanologists, who keep tabs on one of the planets largest, you guessed it, volcanoes; and an introverted researcher who has been stationed at a penguin colony for 20 years. All of these stops add to a 'discovery channel' feel, not a bad thing, as the images are stunning, and will likely work to make the movie more mainstream and marketable. This journey also adds to the grand feel, because it is of course a massive continent filled with infinite landscapes and monstrous sstructures. However, it is balanced by a very intimate feel that comes with the portraits of the inhabitants, who are most definitely characters in the story. Furthermore, they are also very informative, as each explains their work and its relevance to the planet outside of that isolated region. Such as the seals whose breast milk contains no lactose, and can be useful in weight loss and the glaciers who rival large islands that are constantly breaking of the continent and reentering the rest of the world, impacting the climate and environment on a daily basis. This last point is also a part of another major theme, brought up by the human characters, mostly the scientists, regarding the environment, and climate change. This is not a simple save the rain forest spiel, this is scientists that saying that our time has run its course, that human kind is at its own end. Towards the end we get something far more reminiscent of Herzog, in particular 'Lessons of Darkness' , where the world is no longer our own, as the imagery has become too alien and unknown. One where humans are long gone, and where Alien archaeologists are trying to understand us and what we were doing on the antarctic (his words). Herzog makes us feel like the alien archaeologists, outsiders, passive observers looking upon a this world, trying to understand who were these people and what went wrong. Maybe the answer lies in the question, and it was wrong all along. With the introduction of man and his connection to the world, and the damage instilled through the process, built up through the movie, there is a definite message coming through. This is a well crafted sweeping yet intimate journey into a part of the world most of us will never go to. It was definitely a pleasure to have had one of the earliest showings of a new Herzog movie in my hometown, and while watching it I was well aware of the timing, and pace which flowed perfectly, not coming up too short and light on content and not too long and repetitive. It does what it sets out to do superbly, balancing man, nature, characterization, history, narrative and imagery; it is patient yet fresh, and meaningful without being overbearing. Counting his last decades work, especially on his 'documentary' side of it, I really think he has come to a masterful stride in this genre, which frankly he has redefined through his personal cinematic search for truth. Fotis
