I saw this movie first in 2D because it was not yet available in 3D in my city. When it did finally arrive in 3D, I went back to see it again. For me, the 3D format made all the difference between merely watching a documentary and actually feeling as if I was there in the cave with the team and the film crew. That said, I enthusiastically applaud Herzog's decision to make the film in 3D so that the shape of the cave walls and their incorporation into this beautiful art work can be fully appreciated.
It is true that little is said in the film about how the art was actually made, and little speculation is put forth here concerning the meaning and the purpose behind these magnificent drawings. However, it should be pointed out that while there are many well known theories available out there concerning the motivation and the lives of our Paleolithic ancestors, the resounding message of this film is that there is so much that we actually do NOT know.
What is more important to me is the way in which this movie demonstrates how much we WANT to know. From the circus juggler-turned-archaeologist to the master perfumer seeking to sniff out another priceless discovery in the French countryside to the audiences who come to see the film, the most significant aspect of the whole production for me is how passionately we seek to make that connection, to reach back in time and to understand.
For whatever reason, the individuals who so carefully observed the wild animals they portrayed on the cave walls, who then utilized their exceptional mark-making skills to freeze these moments in time, have communicated across 32,000 years something that they saw, something that they dreamed, something that they imagined. Whether they intended to or not, they communicated it to us. This desire to capture the moment and make it visually available to other beings validates all artistic expression.
The most daunting question for me is this: with such a heavy reliance on electronic communication rendered obsolete by the next generation of devices, what is our culture leaving behind that will stand the test of time, and that our descendants will be trying to decipher 32,000 years from now?
It is true that little is said in the film about how the art was actually made, and little speculation is put forth here concerning the meaning and the purpose behind these magnificent drawings. However, it should be pointed out that while there are many well known theories available out there concerning the motivation and the lives of our Paleolithic ancestors, the resounding message of this film is that there is so much that we actually do NOT know.
What is more important to me is the way in which this movie demonstrates how much we WANT to know. From the circus juggler-turned-archaeologist to the master perfumer seeking to sniff out another priceless discovery in the French countryside to the audiences who come to see the film, the most significant aspect of the whole production for me is how passionately we seek to make that connection, to reach back in time and to understand.
For whatever reason, the individuals who so carefully observed the wild animals they portrayed on the cave walls, who then utilized their exceptional mark-making skills to freeze these moments in time, have communicated across 32,000 years something that they saw, something that they dreamed, something that they imagined. Whether they intended to or not, they communicated it to us. This desire to capture the moment and make it visually available to other beings validates all artistic expression.
The most daunting question for me is this: with such a heavy reliance on electronic communication rendered obsolete by the next generation of devices, what is our culture leaving behind that will stand the test of time, and that our descendants will be trying to decipher 32,000 years from now?