Our Lady of Perpetual Hell

…however, in a film filled with Werner Herzog’s typically absurd observations, perhaps the funniest (both funny-haha and funny-weird) were those that had to do with penguins. ‘Deranged’ penguins, no less. In one of the many loosely-connected sequences in Encounters at the End of the World, Herzog trains his camera on a lone penguin who resolutely refuses to follow the herd (flock?) and stalks (or, rather, waddles) away from the coastline towards the centre of the continent towards certain death. Was it deranged? Suicidal? Is there such a thing as insanity in penguins, he wonders.

And that penguin may not be the only one (possibly) ‘deranged’ in Antarctica.

The people who find themselves drawn to life in Antarctica do, indeed, seem to have something in common with that penguin… And they have something in common with the sorts of people that Herzog is frequently fascinated with: loners who are obsessed, who may seem a bit ‘off’ because of that obsession, and who often seem to be oblivious about their ‘offness’. They are poets, linguists, philosophers, and probably a few of them are even fugitives from the law. They are thoroughly fascinating, often delightful, sometimes a little bizarre. Kind of like Herzog, himself.

Herzog again stretches the boundaries of the definition of “documentary” with this new film. He is not above creating sequences for effect–to bring out what he calls the ‘ecstatic truth’ that underlies it. So, for instance, after a conversation with scientists who tell Herzog about the sound of the ice and the creatures below it, he films the three of them lying prone under the ever-sunny sky, ears pressed to the ice, listening. A total setup, he has admitted in interviews. He says they’d've never done that on their own. And he admits, chagrinned, that he made them lie there so long one of the scientist’s ears became frozen to the ice. Oops.

His voiceover narration is unlike anyone else’s. Herzog speaks in his German-accented monotone, often making the type of absurd observation that makes the viewer’s brow furrow (and this viewer frequently burst into laughter), and he says it all matter-of-factly. I mean, he asks the biologist whose life’s work is studying penguins if there is such a thing as a gay penguin. Can they possibly be ‘deranged’? And then we get the sequence that features that lone possibly suicidal, possibly deranged penguin setting off into the sunset towards a lonely death by starvation. As he waddles past the biologist (the penguin, I mean–not Herzog), the scientist looks into the camera and shrugs. He cannot impede this animal’s progress–that is a rule he set for himself. He is only there to observe. All the while, Herzog’s words echo in my head… ‘deranged’, ’suicidal’. As the penguin waddles away from the camera.

After my disappointment with last year’s Rescue Dawn (and I seem to have little company in that) and my frustration with this film’s predecessor, The Wild Blue Yonder, I am relieved to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Encounters at the End of the World.

Plus, there’s that whole monkeys-riding-goats thang.

Look for it on Discovery Channel.

Coming out of this film, I again wondered why so many Americans look down their noses at their 39th president. Jimmy Carter was well-regarded by the rest of the world, after all. He has always had the persona of a humble, gracious, honest humanitarian and I don’t think it’s just a facade. The seemingly indefatigable Nobel Peace Prize winner is in almost every frame of Jonathan Demme’s film. And he seems quite comfortable there; he has nothing to hide.

Demme trains his cameras on Carter as he travels coast to coast on a book tour, promoting his book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. The book has stirred up some controversy because of its use of the word “apartheid” and because (it seems) most people have formed opinions about it before they’ve actually read it. (What else is new?) Interspersed with sequences from various promotional stops on his tour are personal reflections (e.g. Rosalynn Carter talking about what tipped the Peace Accord scales at Camp David) and vintage footage–some of which showed how eerily prescient Carter was as President (e.g. urging research into alternate fuels and less reliance upon foreign oil during the energy crisis of the 70s). He was a president ahead of his time, perhaps…

And there’s the rub. Or, rather, the subtext. On the surface, it is an affectionate portrait of the peace-crusading former president but, just below the surface, surely the viewer is expected to reflect upon the current sad state of affairs…

Towards the end of a rambling introduction to the North American premiere of his film late Tuesday night, director Julian Schnabel said he wanted to introduce his friend Lou. “Lou, stand up.”

Lou Fucking Reed. In the audience. Now, there was something I’d not counted on! In fact, just a few minutes earlier, I had been pondering the idea… and had decided that hell would likely freeze over before Lou Reed would sit in a movie theatre audience and watch himself perform onstage onscreen. Shows you what I know, eh?

Let me admit right up front that Berlin has never been one of my favourite Lou Reed albums. I know, I know… that makes me a heathen. I agree. But, damn, it’s just so full of anger and sadness and loss… and drugs… and violence… and death. And, (again) honestly, I have just never really been into “concept” albums. They strike me as hopelessly cornball.

Nevertheless, I must say I loved the experience of watching this album being performed onstage in this film. It really turned me upside down in my opinion of the record. The arrangements were lush, the musicians looked like they were really enjoying themselves (even Lou cracked a smile or two!), the set (designed by Schnabel, himself) was dreamy and mysterious, and he used snippets of what were meant to feel like home movies of “Caroline”–shot by his daughter, Lola. And I’d never heard of this guy before, but backing vocalist Antony has an incredible voice and does a fabulous job on one of the encores in duet with Lou. I just wish the performance were longer–I’d've happily sat there for another coupla hours.

I’m told by a friend who saw it that Schabel’s other film at TIFF07, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (for which he was awarded the Best Director award at Cannes earlier this year), is quite brilliant.

Here’s a review of the film I wanted to see but couldn’t. Sounds great!

**update** Yay!

Ooh, I just discovered that the Midnight Madness blog at the TIFF07 site has video up of the post-Stuck Q&A!

And remember, kids, look both ways before you cross the street. And don’t drink and drive.

A veteran documentary filmmaker, Englishman Nick Broomfield has brought a dramatic treatment of a true story to TIFF this year. And his experience in documentary filmmaking serves the film well: it feels so authentic that you forget it’s drama. Battle For Haditha tells the story of what happened in Haditha, when Iraqi insurgents planted a roadside bomb that killed one marine and injured two others. The marines reacted by killing 24 Iraqis–none of whom had anything to do with planting the bomb.

Lending authenticity is the shooting location in Jordan and the cast–most of whom are non-professionals–which features two major characters who are played by ex-marines who served in Iraq. It really couldn’t feel more real.

The beauty of this film (if I can use that word to describe a film about such a horrendous event) is that it is perfectly balanced. It shows the perspectives of all three sides (the American marines, the innocent Iraqi citizens, and the Iraqi insurgents), and I didn’t find the story pitched in any particular direction. It’s as honest and admirable a look at war as I’ve seen. Very nice work by Broomfield.