Sunday, June 22, 2008

Werner Herzog-Bottom of the Planet

Like him or not the always interesting filmmaker Werner Herzog has just completed another wildlife film at the bottom of the planet. You'll remember his last work covering the mishaps and missteps of Tim Treadwell in Grizzly Man.

From the guys over at Deep Sea News:

New York Times reviews Werner Herzog's Antarctic documentary "Encounters at the end of the World" calling it 'hauntingly beautiful'. The film is set at McMurdo Station, and features 'melancholy' scientists, extended landscape shots, Weddell seals, and jellyfish.

NYT reviewer Manohla Dargis credits the director for avoiding the trappings of "casual talk about global warming and other calamities might cast shadows across this bright expanse" through artistic beauty and an "unshakable faith in human beings".

It would be thrilling to see Werner Herzog sit down with Wallace Broecker in the SEED Salon, to discuss his recent remarks favoring carbon sequestration in the deep-sea. That's an art and science conversation I would certainly not want to miss.

Werner Herzog directed many documentaries, including "Grizzly Man" and "Klaus Kinski". He was a teacher of Errol Morris. He is known as an auteur, with a unique personal style.

From Internet Movie Database:

His films contain long, extended landscape shots.
His films contain animals doing unusual things.

Hm. Sounds like a good date movie. "Encounters at the end of the World" opened yesterday in New York City. What are the chances it will make it to Texas? Not good. More likely I will have to find a way to New York.

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