17/11
Werner Herzog presents a documentary about the French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft
Scenario
Maurice and Katia Krafft have dedicated their lives to exploring the world’s volcanoes. Their legacy is groundbreaking footage of eruptions and their aftermath, composed in this visually stunning collage. I had never heard of the couple, and suddenly they have two documentaries in quick succession.
Herzog uses almost exclusively footage shot by the couple
Herzog has the name and the pedigree, but the second film is nominated for an Oscar. It is fascinating to watch them back to back and compare the two. I notice the classic footage of the eruption of Mount St.
It is like introducing a dead body at the beginning of a crime movie
Helens. I am sure there is other footage not shot by Krafft that fills in the story. It is very convincing that Herzog tells us that they are going to die on this Japanese mountain at the beginning of the film.
He’s the one giving the speeches
Both documentaries use impressive footage of the couple, but this one does not have their voices. It’s all Herzog’s narration, like in most of his films. Throughout the film I wanted to hear the couple’s voices, or at least their words.
That’s the main difference
It’s more like a funeral tribute, and that may be intentional. I just understand the couple better in the previous film.