Monday, March 30, 2009

La Soufriere (1977) at dan's silver leaf



Werner Herzog says near the end credits that this "report on an inevitable catastrophe that did not take place" was embarrassing for him.  I don't think he has anything to be embarrassed about here.  (It's not like he's in a role as a cough syrup sippin' dad to a schizo.)

This film looked great projected onto a large screen.  Herzog's trademark fatuous narration is accompanied by elegant orchestral arrangements.  The rural and empty city landscapes are stunning, as are the pictures from the previous volcanic eruption in 1902 on a nearby island.  The additional story of the "baddest guy" in that town surviving (only because he was locked up in an underground solitary confinement jail) was amusing. 

The 2 men that stay behind on the island to face the current seismically super active volcano are very fascinating themselves:  they aren't afraid, they sleep outside in fields next to cats, they sing in french, etc.  

This movie did not provide sufficient closure on one complication.  Did Werner and his 2 man crew go back for his camerman's spectacles (that they left near the top of the crater) the next day?  




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