Cave of Forgotten Dreams

 

(2010) Directed by Werner Herzog; Written by Werner Herzog and Judith Thurman; Starring: Werner Herzog, Jean Clottes, Julien Monney, Jean-Michel Geneste and Michel Philippe; Available on Blu-ray and DVD 

Rating: ***½

 

“There was intense competition to film it, particularly from French directors, all good, serious candidates, and I didn’t think I was in with much of a chance because the French think very territorially when it comes to their patrimoine. All the experts who had explored the cave were French, and my first hurdle was to gain their approval, then that of the regional government of the Ardèche.” – Werner Herzog (from his memoir, Every Man for Himself and God Against All) 

The closest thing we have to a time machine in which we can visit our ancient ancestors is examining the traces they left behind. The Chauvet Cave paintings in southeastern France, dating back approximately 32,000 years, were discovered as recently as 1994, and are among the oldest known examples of cave art.* The Paleolithic Period paintings remain perfectly preserved, due to a rockslide 20,000 years ago, which sealed Chauvet from the outside world. Now managed by the French government, the original entrance has been widened but sealed tight like a bank vault, with a locked metal door. In order to maintain the cave’s pristine appearance, access is restricted to a fortunate few with legitimate scientific interest.**. Facing competition from French filmmakers, Werner Herzog had to convince then French Minister of Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, that he was the right person for the job. The results (originally presented in 3D) are the closest look most people are likely to get inside Chauvet Cave. Due to strict regulations, director/co-writer Herzog worked with a crew of four (including himself). They were only permitted to film for a maximum of four hours per day for less than a week. Within the confines of the filming window, they were forbidden to touch anything, or venture away from the confines of a two-foot-wide walkway, which ran the length of the 1,300-foot cave. 

* Fun Fact #1: While the paintings at Chauvet Cave are among the oldest known, two locations have them beat by a substantial margin: Maltravieso Cave in Spain (64,000 years) and the caves of Maros-Pangkep, South Sulawesi in Indonesia (51,000 years). 

** Not-So-Fun Fact: In 1963, French authorities closed another archaeological wonder to tourists, Lascaux Cave (featuring 17,000-year-old-artwork), as the accumulated breath of multiple visitors ultimately caused mold to grow on the cave walls. 

*** Fun Fact #2: Herzog’s shoot almost turned to disaster when the battery pack used to power the camera’s memory bank failed. Instead of missing out on four hours of filming, his crew fashioned a new battery from available parts, using only a tiny screwdriver and Swiss Army knife as tools.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams provides insight into the nature of art as a means of human expression, confirming that such concepts as perspective and illusion of motion were employed by ancient artists. We can see what appears to be the birth of animation in the painting of a bison with eight legs, showing the range of motion. The cave paintings are also a document of a world that has come and gone, depicting animals that have long since vanished from the Earth, such as mammoths, wooly rhinos, and cave bears. The mind reels with speculation about who the individuals were who adorned its walls with artwork, and what sort of rituals the cave was used for. We’ll never know the names of the artists, their customs or culture, but for one curious artifact. Several paintings include the handprint of a single individual. Akin to their signature, the handprint uniquely identifies the artist because of a crooked pinkie finger on their right hand. We can also infer that the artist stood about six feet tall, based on the placement of the handprints throughout the cavern.

We hear from several archeologists and other professionals who share a special affinity for Chauvet cave, and the paintings within. One of the most intriguing individuals interviewed by Herzog is archaeologist Julien Monney, who started out working for a circus as a unicyclist and juggler. Reminiscent of Herzog’s superior documentary, Encounters at the End of the World (2007), the interview underscores the sort of eclectic professionals working toward a common goal. Monney addressed the psychological and spiritual impact of his initial viewing of the paintings, stating that he needed to take several days away from the cave to process the images.

Compared to some of his other documentaries, Herzog seems to take more of a backseat approach to the film, letting the cave paintings speak for themselves. Herzog, himself, is not featured as prominently, and his commentaries seem relatively sparse. One of the director’s trademarks, dwelling on shots for a protracted length of time, is present, although an overabundance of these shots (which repeat themselves several times) will likely test the attention spans of many viewers. While it’s a fascinating subject, the material is stretched a bit thin for a 90-minute documentary, which might have been better served by a shorter running time. Herzog goes off track during the last half-hour, discussing another cave in nearby southwestern Germany, as well as a greenhouse project several miles down river from the cave entrance. Regardless of the pacing issues, it’s virtually impossible not to be entranced by the subject matter. At its best, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is an almost metaphysical journey that transcends time, space, and human thought, providing a fascinating glimpse of something few of us will ever experience first-hand. 

 

Sources for this Article: Every Man for Himself and God Against All, by Werner Herzog, “Narrative Cave Art in Indonesia by 51,200 Years Ago,” Nature (July 3, 2024)