LESSONS OF DARKNESS
A film review by Max Hoffmann
Copyright 1993 Max Hoffmann
Seen: Fri 5/7/93, Camera 3 San Jose, SF Film Festival Rating: 9 (scale of 1->10) Director: Werner Herzog Prod: Paul Berriff, Herzog Camera: Paul Berriff Editor: Rainer Standke Running Time: 53 minutes
Herzog describes this film as a "poetic vision of the new landscapes which have emerged in Kuwait --- a national park of the future." The film is difficult to classify, not quite a documentary, more akin to a silent film with titles, a few voice overs, and a compelling score (Wagner, Prokofiev, Mahler and others). The compelling, surrealistic images, shot from the ground and helicopter, let you draw your own conclusions about the conflict. The film holds your attention with same rubber necking fascination that makes us slow down and scan a bad highway accident.
There are a few segments where local Kuwaitis try to express their horror (e.g., a mother talking about her child who lost ability to speak). Though many of the images are horrific or apocalyptic, there is often a weird sort of beauty to the images. The darkened skies over dark blue water are reminiscent of oil paintings by old Flemish masters.
Herzog was at the screening, live and in person. He revealed that for this film, in some sequences he had the soundtrack picked out, and he sought images that matched what he heard. The film was made during the last week that the oil fires were burning. The crew trying to put out the fires have a weird anonymous look with their asbestos gear and masks. Herzog says that the fires were so hot, that in a few cases the microphones melted, and often the soles of their boots would fuse to the sand. The print is remarkably unspoiled, and it makes you wonder what kind of cameras were used. It's obvious in most of the shots that it's not a zoom lens, or blown-up shot. Herzog also says he met Klaus Kinski when he was 13 and Kinski was a 25-year-old boarder in the same run-down flat. Kinski used to lock himself up in the bathroom for hours at a time. Herzog also says he shot NOSFERTU by necessity, and kept it as close to the original silent in imagery as possible. "I felt like I was passing over water with no bottom. Nosferatu let me get my feet on solid ground again."
LESSONS OF DARKNESS is as enigmatic as its maker and that final quote. Not to be missed.
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