Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Crit
Early on, Werner Herzog says something to the effect that the Paleolithic cave artists who are the focus of this film speak to us in a voice at the same time familiar and alien--and I thought, yes, and he has just described what makes his films, particularly his documentaries, so compelling to me. Who else would bring into the context of 30,000-plus-year-old art such pop culture references as Fred Astaire, Baywatch, and "The Star-Spangled Banner," each in perfect service of illustrating that alien familiarity?Then there's the art, which is spectacularly moving--even in the 2D version that's the best I can do without a trip to the IFC Center. I had the good fortune to edit a book on Paleolithic cave art a couple of years ago, which I recommend as a companion to the film--or a substitute if it's not showing near you. From that experience, I suspect I know the central answer to "Why 3D?" Often the artists would exploiting the textures of the cave walls the better to shape the animals they depicted. Seeing that in 3 dimensions would be a lot cooler than Thor or the new Pirates of the Caribbean, I suspect.
Trailer
- Buck--Documentary about a real live horse whisperer; looks wonderful.
1 comment:
Just saw it in 3D, and, without 2D to compare it to, it seemed to me much more like I was standing there, as a tourist, which I'll never be able to do. So I think it was worthwhile. Still, I know that if I were truly standing in that cave, it would be unnerving and perhaps terrifying.
But yes, the art is fantastic! Dick Van Dyke should take lessons from these people--they know how to draw a horse.
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