Sealed off for thousands of years, in 1994 the Chauvet Caves of Southern France were discovered to be the home of the earliest known Paleolithic cave paintings. Since their authentication through carbon dating, the caves have been locked off to the public, leaving only a handful of scientists and archaeologists access. Miraculously, legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog was granted admittance by the French Minister of Culture to be the first to film inside the cave. Under significant restrictions, Herzog managed to piece together an existential documentary that observantly unearths prehistoric artistic expression and pictorial storytelling with humility only his weathered voice could convey.
The director and his minimal team were only allowed a few hours at a time within the depths of the cave, and even then they weren’t initially allowed to use a normal professional camera or lighting to shoot. They had to use battery operated equipment and non-heat producing lamps as not to degrade the carefully regulated atmosphere inside the cave’s walls. Inside, the crew stayed fast to lean walkways installed as not to disturb the carbon crystals that line the floors. Obeying these strict rules, they were given several tours of the cave by leading experts on its history, with follow up interviews taking place back in their offices. One by one, they conceptually deconstruct each of the 32,000 year old paintings, giving context to their conception.
Both historically paramount and zoologically sophisticated, the paintings serve as a marker in time for human development and the encroaching wilderness that threatened its progression. Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger elegantly capture the fluctuating images as they dance with the moving shadows running from their hand held lights. Gorgeously complimenting the imagery is composer and cellist Ernst Reijseger’s hauntingly beautiful score. The thick choral arrangements with organ and string accompaniments accentuate the ethereal environment while giving emotional weight to the historical subject matter. In the films final drawn out sequence, we are left to gaze at the many images free of external commentary, interpreting history for ourselves. Within the docu format, strictly visual and musical combinations are rarely this effective.
For the first time, and most likely the last, Herzog utilized the frenetically pushed 3D technology that seems to be filling every room in every multiplex these days. MPI Media Group has graciously included both the 3D and regular HD version on one disc. For this review it was screened without 3D. As mentioned Herzog initially had to use a low grade camera, but later switched to a custom build HD 3D camera, making for a film that first looks a bit rough but gets better. Some of the out of cave shots that fly over the picturesque French countryside get some strange jutting image problems. Whether this is due to the 3D conversion or something else is unknown, but it only happens occasionally and shouldn’t disrupt your viewing experience. Reijseger’s soundtrack sounds exquisite on the DTS-HD 5.1 track, while voices and cave ambiance are mixed in appropriately.
‘Ode To The Dawn Of Man’ Short by Herzog
This short is about 40 minutes and documents the two day recording session of the soundtrack for the film. Shot in a beautiful sounding church in the Netherlands, it features a number of truly moving performances by Reijseger and his small group of musicians.
Trailer
Unlike most trailers that convey a random series of events that ends up the condensation of an entire film into two minutes, this trailer truly feels like a mini version of Herzog’s creation. His contemplative narration and careful choosing of clips give an excellent indication of what you might be in for with the full film.
Among the stalagmites and crystallized bones the ancient human artworks are reinvigorated thanks to the enthusiasm and respect of the many archaeologists and filmmakers involved. Herzog himself shows immense appreciation for the mysterious sprawling artifacts. Like documenting time travelers, these people bring us back to a period of perpetual fear, but despite it all it seems our ancestors left messages not knowing 32,000 years later we’d be decoding them. Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a sublime time machine crafted by one of the living legends.
