Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Narrated, written, and directed by auteur Werner Herzog, CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS has a specific tonality to it that is awe-stricken but fascinated. Accentuated by the excited, poetic voice of Herzog, a tale of impenetrable art is undertaken. Back in 1994, a cave in France was discovered by three explorers. It contained art that was around 30 to 40 thousand years old, the oldest art by humans that is known. It has been meticulously documented for scientific and art historians' use, but is closed to the public. Herzog was given permission to film the site, but was forced to walk in a two foot wide metal walkway, had limited lighting, and a limited crew. What has come out of that obstruction is in fact, a brilliantly filmed movie. It looks fantastic, and is spectral and ghostly as Herzog allows us to sit in awe of such incomprehensible footage. We hear from various scientists and speculators on what the art in the cave means. Why are the paintings like this, why are they like that. We hear of how they might have been ceremonial, and also hear quite a lot of interesting facts about the cave. Herzog's interests are expressed here in the form of a constricted view of something larger than himself. The most beautiful shot in the film is the outside of the cave where a large rock arch resides over a river. Later in the film, we see this shot again and hear the roaring of a miniature plane which Herzog has fashioned a camera to. As Herzog makes his own speculations, it is clear that he is attempting to penetrate and understand that which is impenetrable. At the end of the film, a strange scene is revealed that I would not spoil as it is so strange. However, the enigmatic nature of the film is accentuated by this final footnote, which is sublimely strange, but lies within the realm of what exists. Perhaps Herzog is suggesting that the strangeness of the world is an impenetrable existence, but we can just watch it and perhaps learn something interesting from it.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams: ★★★1/2