CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS – Review by James R Martin

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS in 3D, directed by Werner Herzog is a glimpse and a brief exploration of The Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc Cave in France overlooking the former bed of Ardeche River in Southern France. The Chauvet cave houses prehistoric cave paintings that are 32,000 years old according to carbon dating. Herzog, who narrates the documentary, explains that experts have determined that there was a landslide at least 10,000 years ago which sealed the entrance to the cave on the limestone cliff thereby preserving the paintings inside.

The French government has constructed metal walkways through the cavern and visitors must stay on the walkway. Herzog and his three-person crew (camera, audio and a production assistant) could not leave the walk for any reason. They were only allowed to be in the cave for up to four hours per day because of Radon and CO2 emissions. Only certain types of lighting were permitted.

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS gives you a good look at the cave paintings along with descriptions and background from archeologists who are studying them. But the documentary also shows the environment and speculates on how these prehistoric Homo sapiens shared an environment with lions, bears, bison, rhino’s, mastodons, other animals, some now extinct and their Neanderthal neighbors also now extinct.

Seeing this amazing artwork in 2D or 3D is a privilege since the French government has kept access exclusive and limited to scientists to protect the site and the art work. Herzog’s use of 3D for this documentary seems appropriate because it gives you the feeling of being in this underground space. It allows you to not only view this incredible work created 32,000 years ago, but also to feel the environment the artist worked in. There were no human remains in the cave only animal bones.

The film also explores why these people painted the work and what it meant to them at the time. The documentary looks at other cultures in the area and the fact that humans of that time had musical instruments and felt connected to some form of spirituality. Some research indicates that prehistoric people did not believe it was they who did the painting but spirits working through them. Perhaps the paintings were a way of passing on information to the next generation. Interestingly, it’s pointed out in the film, the paintings were apparently added to the cave walls over a 5000 year period!

Werner Herzog in some of his “documentary” work has wandered into the world of speculation, fiction and “mock-u-mentary” formats. In CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, he stays pretty much in the nonfiction world. Except for shooting in 3D, the documentary is very basic, interviews, effects and music. In one scene Herzog mentions hearing your own heart beat in the cave and sure enough we start to hear a heartbeat.  It would have been helpful in certain instances to see some graphics that explained what some of the experts were talking about.  Also at times subtitles to make clear what people with heavy French accents were saying in English. The music may be a bit over-the-top at times.

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS is a fascinating look at art created by prehistoric humans. The art is a link, in fact a documentary on its own, “actuality” these sentient humans saw and experienced 32,000 years ago.

REVIEW BY J R MARTIN director of Emmy nominated, Wrapped In Steel, a documentary about the Industrial community  on the Southeast side of Chicago and Emmy award-winning Fired-up- Public Housing Is My Home, both documentaries aired nationally on PBS and can currently be seen on YouTube.   AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA —Previously Director Documentary Course Full Sail University.   See other documentary reviews by J R Martin at https://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews

In theaters June 2011

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS 2010 90 MINUTES WRITTEN, DIRECTED BY WERNER HERZOG, CINEMATOGRAPHY PETER ZEITLINGER CREATIVE DIFFERENCES, HISTORY FILMS RELEASE

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May be available on Netflix

Purchase on Amazon

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Books by James R Martin

[amazon_image id=”0982702361″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Actuality Interviewing and Listening: How to conduct successful interviews for nonfiction storytelling, actuality documentaries and other disciplines … (Documentary and Nonfiction Storytelling)[/amazon_image]

[amazon_image id=”0982702388″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Listen Learn Share: How & Why Listening, Learning and Sharing can Transform Your Life Experience In Practical Ways[/amazon_image]

[amazon_image id=”0982702329″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Create Documentary Films, Videos and Multimedia: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Documentary Storytelling Techniques for Film, Video, the Internet and Digital Media Projects.[/amazon_image]