Non-Fiction November Quick Picks and Pans

Dig! (2004) Ondi Timoner’s warts and all documentary chronicles the chaotic friendship which became a rivalry between Courtney Taylor-Taylor from The Dandy Warhols and Anton Newcombe from The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Both bands emerged in the late ‘90s alternative music scene with promising word-of-mouth, but self-destructive behavior (often mixed with drug and alcohol abuse) hastened Newcombe’s downfall. It’s an unflinching look at the fickle world of the music industry and the elusive allure of fame, along with the physical and emotional toll it takes on the performers. 

Rating: ****. Available on DVD, Kanopy

The Celluloid Closet (1995) This fascinating film, based on the book by Vito Russo and narrated by Lily Tomlin, examines the portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters in Hollywood from the silent era to the present, featuring interviews with actors, writers and other filmmakers. Using various film clips, The Celluloid Closet illustrates how the presence of queer people was often coded in early Hollywood. It also tracks the progression of queer stereotypes in cinema, which were often coded, and more-often-than-not employed for comic effect, or in later years, as convenient villains. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve progressed and how far we haven’t. 

Rating: ****. Available on DVD and Tubi

The Witch of King’s Cross (2020) Documentarian Sonia Bible profiles the intriguing life and work of Rosaleen Norton – an artist who lived life on her terms. Norton raised eyebrows in conservative ‘1950s Sydney, Australia, with her provocative, sexually charged artwork (often featuring herself) and practice of pagan rituals (including sex magic), based on Aleister Crowley’s teachings. Her unorthodox creative practices (which frequently involved altered consciousness) resulted in jail time, censorship and harassment from local authorities. While being a counterculture pioneer would have been difficult for a man, the consequences were especially harsh for a free-spirited independent woman.   

Rating: ****. Available on Amazon Prime

 

Botero (2018) Don Millar and Hard Snider take an intimate look at one of the world’s most widely recognized modern artists, Fernando Botero, known for his distinctive style of exaggerated, puffy figures. Love him or hate him, there’s no mistaking a Botero painting or sculpture. Originating from a poor family in Colombia, we hear from the artist himself, as well as family, friends and critics. The film examines Botero’s unique style in detail, delving into his creative process, and demonstrating how something viewed as playful or comic could also be subversive. It's a profile of an artist who consistently marched to the beat of his own drum. Anyone who creates, especially if they ever questioned the merit of their own work, should find something inspiring in this film.   

Rating: ****. Available on DVD and Kanopy

An Honest Liar (2014) Directors Tyler Measom and Justin Weinstein take an intimate look at the life of James Randi (aka: “The Amazing Randi”), a former stage magician who embarked on a decades-long crusade to debunk self-professed faith healers, spiritualists, and others (including archrival Yuri Geller) who preyed on the desperate and gullible. By applying a scientific method to his investigations, he demonstrates how anyone, no matter how smart or educated, can be fooled. The documentary takes an unexpected turn when we learn about his confederate in investigations and long-time partner, José Alvarez, who himself perpetrated a profound deception. It’s a very human profile of a larger-than-life personality. 

Rating: ****. Available on DVD (Out of Print) and Amazon Prime 

 

The Silent World (1956) This Oscar-winning documentary provides a glimpse at the mysterious, elusive world beneath the sea. Join French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his team (who supplied the inspiration for the eponymous fictional explorer in Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou), as they reveal a world of startling color and contrasts. Audiences at the time were treated to an unprecedented peek at an environment few had seen before. The Silent World unfortunately shows its age with its dated attitudes (such as the crew killing sharks feasting on a dead baby whale, using giant Galapagos tortoises as footstools, or dynamiting a reef to collect sea life), which wouldn’t pass muster in a David Attenborough wildlife film. Despite these missteps, it still entrances after all these years.    

Rating: ***½. Available on Blu-ray and DVD

The Dark Glow of the Mountains (1985) Filmmaker Werner Herzog turns his camera on mountain climbers Reinhold Messner, Hans Kammerlander, and a team of hand-picked explorers, as they attempt to conquer the treacherous and elusive summits of Gasherbrum I and II in Pakistan. Herzog attempts to ascertain why these climbers would risk frostbite and death without giving clear reasons (other than it’s there). While a little too brief at just 45 minutes, The Dark Glow of the Mountains is a meditation on the spirit of adventure, along with the accompanying dangers and loss (exemplified by a painful moment when Messner recounts having to tell his mother that his brother perished in a 1972 climbing accident). 

Rating: ***½. Available on DVD and Tubi

Journey Into the Beyond (1975) One of many pseudo-documentaries released in the 1970s, Journey Into the Beyond, narrated by John Carradine, takes us around the world to witness allegedly supernatural events, visiting psychic healers, weeping statues, a séance, and other unexplained phenomena. More entertainment than pure documentary, the film suffers credibility from its lack of counterpoint to the purportedly “real” occurrences depicted throughout.  the screen. While the whole thing should probably be regarded with a grain of salt, it features a fun little gimmick: auditory cues for those who are squeamish when something explicit appears and disappears onscreen. If nothing else, it’s a good companion to the Amazing Randi documentary, An Honest Liar (see above).   

Rating: ***. Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Tubi

Encounters at the End of the World

 

(2007) Written and Directed by Werner Herzog; Starring: Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov, Doug MacAyeal, Ryan Andrew Evans, Kevin Emery, Olav T. Oftedal and Regina Eisert; Available on Blu-ray and DVD. 

Rating: **** 

“…Every single mechanic – highly professional. Every scientist – cutting edge of science, every cook who comes there, a dishwasher, are highly motivated people, sometimes you would find a retired judge who is doing the dishes… in the galley, and you know people who are working out there who have completely different and wonderful biographies.” – Werner Herzog (from Blu-ray Commentary)

How many of us have hoped, at one time or another, that we could relocate to some remote part of the planet, and disengage from the rest of society? On account of its distance from everything else and its brutal, unforgiving climate, the continent of Antarctica is the next best thing to living on an alien planet. Filmmaker Werner Herzog, who’s no stranger to traveling where others fear to tread, set his sights on the mysterious continent. Encounters at the End of the World visits one of the most unspoiled places on Earth, and the extraordinary individuals who call Antarctica home (at least, temporarily).

Herzog’s primary destination is the U.S. research base, McMurdo Station, the largest establishment on the continent. Looking more like a wild west mining town rather than a base for scientific research, McMurdo is comprised of multiple squat buildings, surrounded by a horde of bulldozers and other heavy equipment. An essential prerequisite for everyone who visits the base is “Snow School,”* a crash course in survival amidst the unforgiving Antarctic climate. In one exercise, several individuals are tied together by rope, shambling about with buckets on their heads. There’s a method to their madness, however, as it reasonably simulates an environment where snowstorms can be so fierce that you’re unable to see your hand in front of your face. It’s a comical sight to see them lose their way and become tangled in their own lifeline, but the lesson is deadly serious. They are acquiring skills that will keep them alive, learning to navigate through touch and coordinating together for a common goal. 

* Not-So-Fun-Fact #1: Herzog was almost seriously injured when, during survival training, he was thrown from his snowmobile, and the 800-pound vehicle rolled over him. He ended up with an injured hand, but surprisingly, no broken bones.

Who would want to live there? Herzog introduces us to an assortment of individuals who might appear as misfits to some yet find a singular purpose at the south pole. Meet Scott Rowland, a former Colorado-based banker who now drives a heavy wheeled transport dubbed “Ivan the Terra Bus.” He left his cushy, high-paying job because, in his words, “there was more to life than money.” We also hear from Philosopher/forklift-driver Stefan Pashov, a Bulgarian immigrant with a PhD in Philosophy who “fell in love with the world” through his experience. Another fascinating person is David Pacheco,* a journeyman plumber whom Herzog referred to as the “quintessential Antarctic man.” He’s amiable and soft-spoken, with strong ties to his mixed Apache and Mayan heritage, and an indispensable team member. But it’s not all work and no play at the bottom of the world, as demonstrated by computer expert/world traveler Karen Joyce, who performs in a talent show with her “human luggage” act. Reminding us that no creature comfort is trivial, Herzog speaks with cook/filmmaker Ryan Evans who maintains the soft serve ice cream machine called “Frosty Boy.”** It’s the little things in life (or the absence thereof) that make a difference.   

* Not-So-Fun-Fact #2: According to Herzog, Pacheco suffered a serious industrial accident not long after filming, when he was electrocuted.   

** Fun Fact #1: In his commentary, Herzog admitted being hooked on the frozen dessert, despite its questionable nutritional value.

Without being a “nature” documentary per se, Encounters at the End of the World provides a glimpse of the incredible diversity of life that thrive under such inhospitable conditions (at least to us frail humans). Herzog follows a biologist embarking on his final Antarctic dive before he passes the torch to younger scientists. Preparing to plunge into the 28-degree (Fahrenheit) water is akin to suiting up for space, requiring multiple layers of protection. Underneath the polar ice* we’re treated to a beautiful array of life that manages to thrive in one of the harshest environments, including brittle stars, graceful jellyfish and curious seals. In another segment the soundtrack comes alive with the remarkable sounds produced by seals swimming beneath the ice. Their unearthly calls seem more like alien transmissions from another planet rather than the utterances of sea mammals. Herzog didn’t want his film to be another March of the Penguins with cuddly depictions of the waddling birds. Despite his vows to steer away from the ubiquitous critters, he talks with biologist David Ainley, who seems to relate more with the penguins in the colony he’s studied for the past 15 years, compared to his human colleagues. In one oddly poetic scene, Herzog focuses on a lone penguin that chooses not to follow its companions. Instead, it wanders off into the vast empty landscape, presumably to its imminent demise. 

* Fun Fact #2: Producer Henry Kaiser, an experienced research diver, provided the stunning underwater footage.

In a land that is inherently unpredictable, the only constant is that Antarctica can kill you in countless ways. This point is illustrated by volcanologist William McIntosh, perched atop the 12,500-foot summit of Mt. Erebus, an active volcano. McIntosh provides a terrifying description of how to avoid “lava bombs,” which intermittently spew from the volcano’s depths (never turn your back on them, and step out of the way). We witness one of the accidental monuments to human exploration and hubris, with the remnants of Ernest Shackleton’s doomed 1908 expedition. Shackleton’s hut remains intact with articles of clothing and tinned food perfectly preserved, as if awaiting his team of explorers to return.  

Encounters at the End of the World is as much about the people who choose to live and work in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments as it is about the sights and sounds of Antarctica’s icy landscape. In many ways, these individuals mirror Herzog’s own career, as a fiercely independent filmmaker who consistently follows the beat of his own drum, approaching each subject with insatiable curiosity. In one reflective moment following his visit to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Herzog muses about what future civilizations might think of the artifacts we left behind, implying that our time on this planet is limited. It’s an oddly comforting epitaph, knowing there’s still one place on Earth that remains (mostly) unspoiled by human intervention and will likely outlast us.   

 

Source for this article: Blu-ray commentary by Werner Herzog, Henry Kaiser (Producer), and Peter Zeitlinger (Cinematographer)

Wisconsin Death Trip

(1999) Written and directed by James Marsh; Based on the book, Wisconsin Death Trip, by Michael Lesy; Starring: Ian Holm, Jeffrey Golden and Jo Vukelich; Available on DVD 

Rating: **** 

“…I was looking for stories that cut across 100 years and resonated with contemporary anxieties about guns, or religion, or drug-taking. I thought that was an important way of making the film more contemporary in its concerns.” – James Marsh (from DVD commentary)

When folks pine away for the “good old days,” what they really mean is they long for a mythical, presumably simpler time when things were safer and everyone knew their neighbors. The reality is a different proposition altogether. Beneath the Norman Rockwell-esque exterior of American small-town life, we see a microcosm of the same problems that have plagued our society since its inception. Basing his film on the 1973 book Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy, documentarian James Marsh set his sights on the town of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, and some of the more sordid events that occurred there between 1890 and 1900. Told through newspaper articles of the time, Wisconsin Death Trip shatters the myth that late 19^th century America was anything but peaceful and idyllic, painting a portrait of madness, violence and murder.

 

Shot in Wisconsin over an 18-month period, the film starts and ends with winter and the harsh weather conditions that become the backdrop for the various stories. Ian Holm narrates, providing a voice for Black River Fall’s English immigrant editor, Frank Cooper, who observed and wrote about the grim events. Marsh bridged vintage photographs with 16 mm black and white footage, recreating the look and feel of the old photos. The film’s only color scenes provide brief glimpses of modern-day Black River Falls and its inhabitants. In contrast to the real photographs and filmed re-enactments,* the contemporary scenes purvey a stereotypical slice of Americana with a parade, high school prom, and trick or treaters ready for a night of begging for candy. Another scene undercuts this joyful mythos, with a barbershop quartet performing to a group of bored senior citizens – a captive audience in an assisted living facility. In the context of the morbid stories of the town’s past, we’re left to speculate about what secrets lie just beneath the surface. 

* Fun Fact #1: Marsh purposely wanted to seamlessly juxtapose the vintage photos with recreations of the events, so the viewer couldn’t easily distinguish what was real and what was fabricated.

 

Many of the stories in Wisconsin Death Trip are worthy of a horror movie. We see some of the stories behind the tombstones of individuals who died long before their time. With childhood mortality (often due to bouts of diptheria) rampant, grieving families kept their kids’ memories alive with post-mortem photography (also known as “memorial photography”). To modern eyes, the photos may seem ghoulish, but they were an important reminder of loved ones gone by – a memento mori for the living. While memorial photography may be a somber curio from the past many of the topics that were salient back then are sadly just as relevant today. The story of a 14-year-old boy and his younger brother who killed a farmer with a stolen rifle, or a jilted suitor who shoots his former girlfriend before turning the weapon on himself remind us that gun violence was and remains a ubiquitous part of the American landscape 

Black River Falls was predominately settled by German and Norwegian immigrants who brought their values and customs with them. A hallmark of the settlers was their unflappable stoicism amidst tough times. Depression and despair, commonly associated with widespread unemployment and poverty, sometimes resulted in desperate measures, such as the example of a despondent man who calmly laid down next to a stick of dynamite to blow his own head off. Murder, suicide and abuse were not uncommon occurrences in the town. One of the most curious traditions brought over from the old country was the practice of bringing along a rooster to help search for a drowning victim, with the rooster’s crows heralding the location of the missing body.

The sameness and boredom typified by small town life contributed to a number of eccentrics who shook things up. Consider the strange case of mother and schoolteacher Mary Sweeney (portrayed in several vignettes by Jo Vukelich) who experienced an abrupt shift in her personality after suffering a bump on the head. While in a cocaine induced semi-fugue state, she would smash windows around towns, although she claimed the drug “calmed her nerves.” A teenage girl, burned down the barns of two of her employers to express her dissatisfaction, and a middle-aged opera singer who once toured Europe constructed a stage in the middle of the woods for her performances. More often than not, this erratic behavior led to their internment at the local mental hospital.* 

* Fun Fact #2: The mental asylum featured in the film was a working institution.

Wisconsin Death Trip reminds us how normal life then and now can be monotonous, punctuated by events that force us to take notice. Dark and sometimes darkly funny, the film illustrates how outliers have always captured our attention. The kind of occurrences that made headlines then are the same kind of stuff that makes headlines now – everything trivial and significant (and anything in-between) becomes a form of public record. Thanks to phone cameras and easy access to the internet, anyone can get their fill of similarly morbid and bizarre stories to those presented in the film with a few clicks of a mouse. Wisconsin Death Trip not only lays bare our insatiable appetite for lurid news, but suggests even the most innocuous places can harbor the darkest secrets.

 

Sources for this article: DVD commentary by writer/director James Marsh and director of photography Eigil Bryld