Chauvet Cave was discovered in Southern France by three men
in 1994. Inside are some of the earliest human cave paintings, dating from some
32,000 years ago. Back in the distant past, the side of the mountain caved in
and the cave was sealed into a time capsule. Only by chance did the three men
find the cave, which was then named for one of the explorers.
Access to the cave has been limited to protect the site, but
film maker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Aquire: The Wrath of God) was allowed in
to make a documentary of them. Since those in the cave have to stay on a metal path, the film
crew of four are often in the sights of the cameras.
The site is fascinating. Not only are there depictions of
cave lions and bears, horses, rhinoceros, but the site includes the carbon
remains of the torches used to light the cave, footprints of animals and bone
fragments.
The water has calcified much
of the surfaces so that they often glitter on film. A stalagmite rises from on
top of a porcelanized looking bear skull. What appears to be a waving flounced cloth
scarf has been formed from dripping water, creating a beautiful alternating
pattern of orches and browns. This is a dream-world free from the constrains of
time.
Scientists do not believe humans lived in the cave, but they
certainly decorated and explored it.
In the rear of the cave are the footprints of a wolf and an
8 year old boy. Are these from the same time period or separated by millennium?
The palm paintings of one individual show he is 6 foot tall with a crooked
little finger and he has done paintings in several places. On one rock pedestal
is a bear head placed facing the cave and on the ground around are carbon
fragments from torches. Ceremonial? Probably.
The film was done in 3D, although I saw it on Netflix so I
can’t speak for that aspect.
At times the ninety-minute film at times feels a little
long, but when Herzog lets the cave speak for itself, it is fascinating.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011) **** (Netflix)
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