Author Topic: Cave of Forgotten Dreams  (Read 9934 times)

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Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« on: May 04, 2011, 10:48:43 AM »
No, the subject heading refers not to Massa's Tavern but to the new Herzog documentary, the first 3-D movie I'm actually looking forward to.  But is it too "arty" a theme to really let Herzog's freak flag fly?  FWIW, two of my favorite movie reviewers liked it very much, but disagree about Herzog's voiceover: J. Hoberman wishes he'd just let the images work and STFU, while Anthony Lane really enjoys his sublimely nutty lucubrations.

Here's a pretty good short interview w/ the director where he talks about it and also his next project, about prisoners on Death Row: http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/04/werner_herzog.html
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Paul DeLouisiana

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2011, 12:16:16 PM »
Looking forward to seeing it this weekend. I like the Herzog voiceovers.

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2011, 01:58:29 PM »
"Are we today, possibly, the crocodiles who look back into an abyss of time?" I think this might make a good signature phrase for Mike, once "Don't you know I'm loco?" wears out its welcome.
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andrew in philadelphia

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2011, 03:48:47 PM »
Not sure I'd want to see it without the Herzog voiceovers.

Paul DeLouisiana

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2011, 08:06:08 PM »
Just saw it and didn't love it. I didn't think it was bad by any stretch. But the print showing in Philly isn't 3D so that aspect was absent from my viewing. I didn't know that until I went to enter the theater and asked where the glasses were. It is very yinteresting and worth seeing in the theater.

Rick in Salt Lake

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2011, 08:10:50 PM »
It's opening here in Salt Lake on Friday. I plan on seeing it then, but I'm unsure if the version shown is in 3-D. Is the 3-D really that big an addition? If I find another theater that's showing the 3-D version should I opt for that one instead?
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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2011, 09:09:57 PM »
I am strongly against 3D in principle, but yes, in this case it is pretty crucial. The remarks Herzog has made about how it had to be in 3D do not, in this case, happen to be bullshit. It's really a meditation on a very otherworldly space, and the bulges and concavities and formations are what give it its character.  I would imagine it would be almost flat-out boring in 2D.

The film is sedate by Herzog's standards, not very nutty until the last two minutes (great final shot), but I found it entrancing.

One thing that really impressed me about the crazy motherfuckers who did those paintings--apparently they only went into the cave for the specific purposes of lighting a fire, partying, and painting animals on the wall---and there were bears and shit in there! That's dedication to your art!
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Rick in Salt Lake

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2011, 09:29:18 PM »
One thing that really impressed me about the crazy motherfuckers who did those paintings--apparently they only went into the cave for the specific purposes of lighting a fire, partying, and painting animals on the wall---and there were bears and shit in there! That's dedication to your art!

There are few things that make me say "man, that's bad-ass", but man, that's bad ass...

I'll see if it opens here in some place with the 3-D version. I was just curious because with the setting and all I was wondering if the 3-D would mute the colors too much to make a movie filmed in a cave (for only two hours a day as I understand, right?) too dark to be that watchable. Granted, Herzog knows what he's doing, but I just couldn't help but wonder...

I can only imagine the musings Werner busts out. Some of the staements he makes are remarks only he could say without sounding like a pretentious jackoff...
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Paul DeLouisiana

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2011, 09:58:10 PM »
There was this group of girls in the theater that laughed (like they 'understand' Herzog's sense of humor and no one else does) loudly at a few things that weren't very funny. It sucks that Herzog is now 'that crazy guy' the everyone takes pride in themselves for knowing about.

Rick in Salt Lake

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2011, 05:50:52 PM »
There was this group of girls in the theater that laughed (like they 'understand' Herzog's sense of humor and no one else does) loudly at a few things that weren't very funny. It sucks that Herzog is now 'that crazy guy' the everyone takes pride in themselves for knowing about.

Wow! They must be cool... Then they must know who David Lynch is as well, huh?

It's too bad they're about fifteen years or so too late to get on the Peter Greenaway bandwagon...
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B_Buster

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2011, 07:07:24 PM »
Saw it this afternoon. Good stuff, but don't waste your time if it's not in 3D. It may be the only movie I've seen that's actually enhanced by the 3D and it isn't just a disappointing up sale gimmick.
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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2011, 08:41:56 PM »
So Mike, where do you stand on the are-we-crocodiles-today question?
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B_Buster

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2011, 04:27:20 AM »
Obviously, we're worse than crocodiles. Has a crocodile ever invented a nuclear bomb?
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dave from knoxville

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2011, 09:08:51 PM »
Obviously, we're worse than crocodiles. Has a crocodile ever invented a nuclear bomb?

Not as far as we KNOW.

Rick in Salt Lake

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Re: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
« Reply #14 on: May 17, 2011, 08:53:31 PM »
Saw it this afternoon. Good stuff, but don't waste your time if it's not in 3D. It may be the only movie I've seen that's actually enhanced by the 3D and it isn't just a disappointing up sale gimmick.

I saw it last Friday afternoon in 3-D on the advice of this forum. All I can say is you are absolutely correct. The way 3-D shows off the textures of the cave walls is quite stunning... But, man oh man, some of that art is so gorgeous...


There was this group of girls in the theater that laughed (like they 'understand' Herzog's sense of humor and no one else does) loudly at a few things that weren't very funny. It sucks that Herzog is now 'that crazy guy' the everyone takes pride in themselves for knowing about.

Lemme guess: They laughed at Herzog's crocodile speculation at the very end, right?


"Paradise is exactly like where you are right now. Only much, much better."

"This heaven gives me migraine."