HKIFF Notes-Meeting at the End of the World

Jerrell 2022-01-15 08:01:27

If there is a legend among those who make movies now, then it is Herzog. Who Werner Herzog is, I am afraid it is difficult to say in a few words, the only thing that can be determined is that he is a unique figure in the history of film. The crazy temperament of the characters in his movie, the dreams and myths that challenge the limits of nature, and the failures are all intoxicating.

After "Wheel of Time" in 2003, Herzog moved into the field of documentary. Of course, the stories and style he told are still the same as me, so many extremes, so many mysteries, focusing on the real world one by one. "White Diamond" in 2004 tells a great hot air balloon adventure, and "Grizzly Man" in 2005 explores the infinite mysteries of mankind and nature. Finally, in 2007, he came to Antarctica.

The name of the movie is Encounter at the end of world. In my understanding, this End refers to space and time. The space is easier to say, the end of the world is the vast expanse of white wasteland with a sense of disillusionment that "stops here". The lost penguin headed for the ocean three thousand kilometers away unrepentantly. The end of time is in the apocalyptic atmosphere in the Herzog movie, in the extreme day and night of Antarctica, in the pessimistic attitude towards inconvienient truth. It's fascinating to death.

At the beginning, Herzog had already said not another penguin movie. What is very different from documentaries like Emperor Penguin Diaries is that Herzog never dehumanizes those cute animals. And he is always more concerned about people, or people. Just as the former philosopher who drove the crane at the beginning said, "people here are professional dreamers
, they do nothing but dream all the time". All kinds of extraordinary people gather, including those who have practiced bone reduction skills to cross the African continent in the trunk of a truck. Researchers, rock-to-blast biologists, they all have their most unique temperaments, and they are probably the most extraordinary people on earth.

Herzog also rarely added her own German-style cold humor to the documentary, making the film colder. The scenes of snow blindness simulation and the scenes of leaning over to listen to the seals are all laughter.

Watching this movie on the big screen is definitely an unforgettable experience. The profound thinking in Guangwu of Antarctica is really hard to describe in detail. Until the end of the world, we meet here.

PS In fact, the process of watching is still a bit depressing. Because it is the Asian premiere, the movie does not have subtitles. And my English is actually. . . It's not as good as I expected, and Herzog's accent, as you know, is heavier. So about 20% of the content is guessed. What's worse is that the Hong Kong audience's super love to laugh at the scene made me very depressed. Is it really funny, or they imploded themselves, they can only watch it again after rip comes out.

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Extended Reading
  • Shawna 2022-03-27 09:01:15

    Unlike many film masters who only focus on the creation of feature films or documentaries, Werner Herzog has been wandering between the two for more than ten years, and has made remarkable achievements in documentaries, such as "Grizzly Man", "Gaze into the Abyss", etc. All are masterpieces. The film records the natural scene and human scene in Antarctica. The beauty is not so beautiful, but more reflection. At the end of the film, Herzog dedicated the film to film critic Roger Ebert.

  • Amber 2022-04-24 07:01:20

    This movie is priceless

Encounters at the End of the World quotes

  • [last lines]

    Stefan Pashov: There is a beautiful saying by an American philosopher, Alan Watts. He used to say that through our eyes the universe is perceiving itself, and through our ears the universe is listening to its cosmic harmonies. And we are the witness to which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.

  • Werner Herzog: Is there such a thing as insanity in a penguin?