Cave of Forgotten Dreams

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chriscastle46

Member
I don't know if anyone apart from Graham and myself have any interest in Palaeolithic art but this film about Chauvet Cave in the Ardeche is well worth seeing. The background music is a bit intrusive and the film works best, I think, when the camera just shows the remarkable art without commentary. There's a bit of unintended humour with a master parfumier who sniffs for caves and has a good line in gurning.

What did you think Graham? I believe you once blagged a visit there.
 
graham

graham

New member
Aye, Linda and I were invited to visit in 2006.

I thought Herzog's voice overs were a touch pretentious and also somewhat inaccurate. However the information given by the talking heads was good, especially Jean Clottes and Dominique Baffier. (Incidently, Jean told me last week that he hasn't seen it yet!) I reckon that Geneste's demo of a spear thrower would have been better with a target for the spear to slam into. They really are very effective

The 3d, such as it is, is very good, but surprisingly limited, they seem to have only properly filmed about three panels which they re-use time and again in the filming.

Not bad, but could have been better.

I think Linda is going to write a review (film and cave) for the next UBSS N/L.
 
Duncan Price

Duncan Price

Active member
I saw it last Monday at the Watershed in Bristol with Rob Franklin (Director of Photography(TM) ) and family.  He instructed us to sit at the back in the middle where the 3D effect would be best.

The 3D is good - everything in sharp focus.  Herzog's commentary and the music is painful in parts.  Despite this the documentary is very good especially for those who can't get access to the cave itself.

ATLAS/MNRC went later in the week.
 
C

chriscastle46

Member
I found the 3D weird as the cave walls and the panals sometimes had stripes of colour - presumably I was sitting in the wrong place. Was it a particularly technical feat to shoot in 3D with the small cameras they were permitted?
 
cap n chris

cap n chris

Well-known member
Definitely not coincidentally (part of a marketing drive, most likely) a young lady phoned three days ago from a promotions company asking me whether I would be prepared (in exchange for some free postcards, apparently) to offer this DVD to "members (of my organisation)". I said I'd heard of it but hadn't seen it and was happy to talk to people about "cave-related anythings" but I wasn't aiming to become a DVD retail outlet, mentioning that apparently the soundtrack was a bit of a mare and the film was probably better in its original 3D - she denied most emphatically that it was a 3D film, was unaware of the name of the director, or the shrieky singing, and clearly hadn't watched it.

Is it worth watching and what would you pay for the privilege of owning it?
 
Les W

Les W

Active member
cap 'n chris said:
Is it worth watching and what would you pay for the privilege of owning it?
Click to expand...

Yes and yes...

If only to see the fabulous prehistoric cave art within Chauvet Cave.  (y)
 
Bob Mehew

Bob Mehew

Well-known member
Yes it is worth watching but I am unsure about owing it.  My wife felt sick with some of the 3D however.
 
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