Review of Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) by Katchoo _ — 05 Dec 2011

Werner Herzog's exploration of the Chauvet Cave findings in France in Cave of Forgotten Dreams, is one of the most magical movies I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. These caves are extraordinarily special because they contain the oldest drawings known to exist as seen on the rock face, and boy let me tell you, they are absolutely beautiful. Drawings of horses and buffalo, lions and bears; and the detail is just exquisite.

Like Scorsese who soon followed suit with his film Hugo, this was Herzog's first foray into the world of three-dimensional film making. Now I did not see this film in a 3-D theater, nor do I have a 3-D TV (only a Samsung 37" LCD) but the images in this picture jump off the screen and you feel completely immersed regardless of your setup. The photography of the various shapes found within the cave and the scenery surrounding the cave site is simply breathtaking. But the most amazing thing about the picture are the pictures. They suck you in and make you as if you are right there staring at these wonders of the ancient world. The depth of emotion in these depictions are astonishing. The way in which light and shadow is represented is unbelievable.

I have seen most (if not all) of Herzog's documentaries -- which I do prefer over his dramatic works -- and this one stands above them all. Yes, Grizzly Man was incredible, and Little Dieter Needs to Fly cuts you to the quick, but as far as pure awe inspiring images are concerned, nothing beats Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Yes, you get your usual band of quirky Herzog interviewees, but the art is the star of this show.

Please, if you have the slightest interest in human beings, do yourself a big favor and watch this film. It is absolutely amazing.