Hey babe. Take a walk on the wild side.
“Encounters at the End of the World”
Fiddlers on the Roof
A man walks into a bar and says, “What do you get when you cross Pink Floyd seals, prostitute penguins and global warming?” His friend replies, “I don’t know, what do you get when you cross Pink Floyd seals, prostitute penguins and global warming?” “The new Herzog film,” laughs the man. Okay, it’s not much of a punch line, but describing Werner Herzog’s latest journey into the abyss sounds like the telling of a surreal joke.
“Encounters at the End of the World” (2007) is Herzog’s latest ode to Mother Nature’s sinister forces. With echoes of his recent efforts, “Grizzly Man” (2005) and “The Wild Blue Yonder” (2005), “Encounters” is a documentary that explores the awe-inspiring landscapes of Antarctica and the scientists who spend five months of the year at the McMurdo Research Base.
The Pole’s magnetism has drawn workers from all corners of the earth. There is Stefan, a Russian philosopher who has channelled his conceptual brain power into something more practical. Then there’s David the team’s plumber, who goes to great lengths to persuade Herzog and his cameraman of his Aztec ancestry. Sam is part marine biologist, part amateur guitarist, forming a band with his colleague. Together, they spend their evenings rocking out on the roof of a hut perched high above the snow. And lest I forget Karen who possess the useful skill of fitting her body into a carry holdall transforming herself from ‘computer expert’ to ‘weekend away bag’ in a few easy bends. This unusual settlement of people makes for interesting viewing. As Stefan poetically puts it, “we are all the lines of the map converged.”
However, whilst Herzog exposes the team’s eccentricities he does not mock them. First and foremost he presents the group as our hope for the future. They may drop into ice wells and teeter on crater rims, but still, you can’t help but envy this group of enthusiasts. They arrive at the base with a collective mission – to try and better our understanding of the planet and indulge a primal need for adventure. To hear that ice caps the size of Ireland are melting serves to remind us that global warming is a frightening reality. This group of men and women may be unconventional but our existence lies in their hands. No wonder Karen’s learnt her seemingly pointless party trick. If I could predict the future I’d want to hide in a carry case too.
Herzog’s films “Aguirre, Wrath of God” (1972), “Fitzcarraldo” (1982), “Little Dieter Needs to Fly” (1997) and “Grizzly Man” all sit man in nature’s grip. The films’ protagonists may be plucky adventurers but they are ultimately disposable. Herzog grew up in post-war Germany where he survived by sucking the nutrients out of wallpaper paste. If the director feels a bond with these characters – both fictional and real – it comes as no surprise. With a lightness of touch, Herzog allows his characters to tell their stories whilst at the same time reminding us of the bigger picture. In “Encounters” we see gas-chiselled ice chimneys and neon sea creatures. We see spider-like crabs and tunnels of ice. Despite the droll tone of Herzog’s narration, one can almost feel the awesome wonder flooding his mind.
It is this combination of fact, philosophy and humanist insight that makes the film so affecting. Despite claiming that “Encounters” is not about “fluffy penguins” Herzog still creates a narrative around the wildlife living in Antarctica. Most notable is the story of one penguin that chooses certain death over comfortable colony life. Standing alone perplexed in the snow, the penguin heads north leaving the group to begin his fateful journey towards the mountains. A scientist explains that even if he were to catch the penguin and bring him back, it would ultimately be a futile exercise; if the penguin wants to leave, he’ll find a way to escape. Just as one questions Timothy Treadwell’s mental stability in “Grizzly Man” when he sets off into the wilderness, Herzog wonders whether penguins also suffer from insanity. As ever, the director presents nature as infinitely fascinating but ultimately terrifying. As the scientists explain, it’s almost certain that the human race will eventually be wiped out by nature’s forces. Guaranteed existence is a falsehood – nature will finally claim back what is rightfully hers.
A hundred years on, Shackleton’s hut remains in Antarctica completely unchanged. Lining the shelves are cans of stewed rump stake and mutton cutlets; woollen socks decorate the beams. This “extinct supermarket,” as Herzog describes it, stands like a frozen relic. Like a scene out of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, the rotting remains of human existence linger like a sinister warning. A thousand years from now McMurdo’s yoga studio and bowling alley will be gone, and perhaps new life forms will wonder what happened to the creatures that once lived there. Above all, what would they make of the bizarre tokens left by the scientists – a frozen fish and a shrine lined with popcorn. Why these objects have been chosen as a kind of time capsule one can only guess. All I hope is that these future life forms have an appreciation of kitsch.
