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Fata Morgana (1971 film)

January 01, 1970

Fata Morgana is a 1971 film by Werner Herzog, shot in 1968 and 1969, which captures mirages in the Sahara and Sahel deserts. Herzog also wrote the narration by Lotte H. Eisner, which recounts the Mayan creation myth, the Popol Vuh.

Fata Morgana
Screenshot from the sequence
"Scientist with Monitor Lizard"
Directed byWerner Herzog
Written byWerner Herzog
Produced byWerner Herzog
Narrated byLotte H. Eisner
Wolfgang Büchler
Manfred Eigendorf
CinematographyJörg Schmidt-Reitwein
Edited byBeate Mainka-Jellinghaus
Music byBlind Faith
Third Ear Band
Leonard Cohen
Production
company
Release date
  • 19 April 1971 (1971-04-19)
Running time
79 minutes
CountryWest Germany
LanguageGerman

Production edit

The film was shot between November 1968 and December 1969. At the time of filming, Herzog had little ideas as to its eventual use, only developing a concept and structure for the film after shooting was completed. Post-production continued into 1970, as Herzog was completing his Even Dwarfs Started Small for a May premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.[1] Much of the film's footage consists of long tracking shots filmed by cameraman Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein from the top of a Volkswagen camper van with Herzog driving. The crew smoothed out the road themselves to prepare the shots.[2]

Filming was problematic: in Cameroon the crew were imprisoned because cameraman Schmidt-Reitwein's name was similar to the name of a German mercenary who was hiding from the authorities and had recently been sentenced to death in absentia.[2] They also encountered sandstorms and floods. Filming was interrupted when they were forced to abandon their truck and equipment at a border crossing. Herzog said of the arduous filming conditions: "It forces real life, genuine life into the film."[1] During the course of filming, Herzog himself was briefly imprisoned, experiencing beatings and contracting bilharzia.[1]

The film was initially intended to be presented with a science fiction narrative, casting the images as landscapes of a dying planet. This concept was abandoned as soon as filming began, but was realized in Herzog's later films Lessons of Darkness and The Wild Blue Yonder.[2] Herzog has said of the film that it takes place "on the planet Uxmal, which is discovered by creatures from the Andromeda nebula, who make a film report about it."[1] The images and narration are combined with an eclectic soundtrack which features works by Handel, Mozart and Couperin,[3] as well as Blind Faith, Leonard Cohen and the British Third Ear Band.[1]

Synopsis edit

The film is in three parts: Part I - Creation, Part II - Paradise and Part III - The Golden Age. In Creation, the writer and critic, Lotte H. Eisner narrates a version of Popol Vuh the creation myth of the Mayan people, written by Herzog. Eisner, author of a book on German cinema, The Haunted Screen, had praised Herzog's first film Signs of Life (1968), and her casting was a reciprocal tribute to the woman he once called his "most important inner support".[1]

The film has been described as follows:

The planet Uxmal is discovered by beings from the Andromeda Nebula. They produce a cinematic report in three parts. "The Creation": a plane lands, primeval landscapes unfold, burning vents and oil tanks come into the picture. "Paradise": in the grip of nature and the remains of a civilization, people talk about the disaster. "The Golden Age": a brothel singer and a matron sing. All three parts end with the greatest of all hallucinations, a mirage.[4]

Reception and legacy edit

The film was premiered at the 1970 Cannes Festival. Herzog himself has stated that upon its first release, the film was greeted with hostility "almost everywhere".[1] It was released commercially, by the Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, on 19 April 1971.[5] Herzog said "...when [Fata Morgana] was finally released, it was a big success with young people who had taken various drugs and was seen as one of the first European art-house psychedelic films, which of course it has no connection with at all."[3]

Many of the images used in Fata Morgana would appear in Herzog's later work: the vehicle aimlessly turning circles recurs in Even Dwarfs Started Small (1970) and Stroszek (1977); the decaying animal carcasses reappear in Cobra Verde (1987); the welding goggles are worn by the two blind inmates in Even Dwarfs Started Small; and the image of the temple in the desert is used in Kaspar's dream of the Caucasus in The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser. Herzog himself described the film as "an hallucination".[1]

Reviewing the film for The New York Times in 1971, Vincent Canby said:

... Werner Herzog, the young German director of "Fata Morgana", is obviously not suggesting anything as engaged, or as engaging, as a Save‐the-Sahara campaign. His film simply uses the Sahara as the background for his own vision of man's compulsion to corrupt and debase himself, as well as the world in which he lives.[6]

Fata Morgana is considered a key picture in Herzog's filmography, giving insight into many of his subsequent works. It has also been regarded as "one of modern cinema's key films." Its influence has lasted and the 1997 film Gummo by Harmony Korine has been called a "direct descendant" of Fata Morgana.[1] Its influence is also visible in the work of directors such as Terrence Malick and Claire Denis.[1]

In December 2013 the film was screened by West Hollywood's Cinefamily with a live performance by American drone metal band Earth.[7][8][9]

Chapter points edit

Part One: Die Schöpfung ("Creation")

  1. Desert Landscapes
  2. Plane Wreck
  3. Civilization in the desert
  4. Boy with desert animal
  5. City in the Hills

Part Two: Das Paradies ("Paradise")

  1. Old man with medals
  2. Scientist with Monitor Lizard
  3. Sea Turtle
  4. The 'Blitzkrieg' is Insanity

Part Three: Das Goldene Zeitalter ("The Golden Age*)

  1. What can we learn from the turtle
  2. Musical duo
  3. Landscapes from the air
  4. Mirage

source:[1]

Soundtrack (partial) edit

source:[10]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wickum, Mark (1990), Fata Morgana, DVD Film Notes, Anchor Bay: ABD4436. DVD embedded title and search points.
  2. ^ a b c Herzog, Werner (2001). Herzog on Herzog. Faber and Faber. p. 303. ISBN 0-571-20708-1.
  3. ^ a b Nagib, Lúcia (20 January 2011). World Cinema and the Ethics of Realism. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 9781441154651. Retrieved 2 January 2017 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Fata Morgana". Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Fata Morgana". Filmportal.de. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  6. ^ Canby, Vincent (8 October 1971). "Film Festival". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 May 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
  7. ^ Bret. . cinefamily.org. Archived from the original on 2 January 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  8. ^ TELETHON 2013: Earth plays Herzog's "Fata Morgana" (trailer) on YouTube
  9. ^ "An homage to the wonderfully weird Cinefamily Telethon". kcrw.com. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Fata Morgana". imdb.com. 1 February 1972. Retrieved 1 January 2017 – via IMDb.

External links edit

  • Fata Morgana at IMDb  
  • Werner Herzog film collection: Fata Morgana - Trailer on YouTube

January 01, 1970
fata, morgana, 1971, film, fata, morgana, 1971, film, werner, herzog, shot, 1968, 1969, which, captures, mirages, sahara, sahel, deserts, herzog, also, wrote, narration, lotte, eisner, which, recounts, mayan, creation, myth, popol, fata, morganascreenshot, fro. Fata Morgana is a 1971 film by Werner Herzog shot in 1968 and 1969 which captures mirages in the Sahara and Sahel deserts Herzog also wrote the narration by Lotte H Eisner which recounts the Mayan creation myth the Popol Vuh Fata MorganaScreenshot from the sequence Scientist with Monitor Lizard Directed byWerner HerzogWritten byWerner HerzogProduced byWerner HerzogNarrated byLotte H Eisner Wolfgang Buchler Manfred EigendorfCinematographyJorg Schmidt ReitweinEdited byBeate Mainka JellinghausMusic byBlind Faith Third Ear Band Leonard CohenProductioncompanyWerner Herzog FilmproduktionRelease date19 April 1971 1971 04 19 Running time79 minutesCountryWest GermanyLanguageGerman Contents 1 Production 2 Synopsis 3 Reception and legacy 4 Chapter points 5 Soundtrack partial 6 References 7 External linksProduction editThe film was shot between November 1968 and December 1969 At the time of filming Herzog had little ideas as to its eventual use only developing a concept and structure for the film after shooting was completed Post production continued into 1970 as Herzog was completing his Even Dwarfs Started Small for a May premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 1 Much of the film s footage consists of long tracking shots filmed by cameraman Jorg Schmidt Reitwein from the top of a Volkswagen camper van with Herzog driving The crew smoothed out the road themselves to prepare the shots 2 Filming was problematic in Cameroon the crew were imprisoned because cameraman Schmidt Reitwein s name was similar to the name of a German mercenary who was hiding from the authorities and had recently been sentenced to death in absentia 2 They also encountered sandstorms and floods Filming was interrupted when they were forced to abandon their truck and equipment at a border crossing Herzog said of the arduous filming conditions It forces real life genuine life into the film 1 During the course of filming Herzog himself was briefly imprisoned experiencing beatings and contracting bilharzia 1 The film was initially intended to be presented with a science fiction narrative casting the images as landscapes of a dying planet This concept was abandoned as soon as filming began but was realized in Herzog s later films Lessons of Darkness and The Wild Blue Yonder 2 Herzog has said of the film that it takes place on the planet Uxmal which is discovered by creatures from the Andromeda nebula who make a film report about it 1 The images and narration are combined with an eclectic soundtrack which features works by Handel Mozart and Couperin 3 as well as Blind Faith Leonard Cohen and the British Third Ear Band 1 Synopsis editThe film is in three parts Part I Creation Part II Paradise and Part III The Golden Age In Creation the writer and critic Lotte H Eisner narrates a version of Popol Vuh the creation myth of the Mayan people written by Herzog Eisner author of a book on German cinema The Haunted Screen had praised Herzog s first film Signs of Life 1968 and her casting was a reciprocal tribute to the woman he once called his most important inner support 1 The film has been described as follows The planet Uxmal is discovered by beings from the Andromeda Nebula They produce a cinematic report in three parts The Creation a plane lands primeval landscapes unfold burning vents and oil tanks come into the picture Paradise in the grip of nature and the remains of a civilization people talk about the disaster The Golden Age a brothel singer and a matron sing All three parts end with the greatest of all hallucinations a mirage 4 Reception and legacy editThe film was premiered at the 1970 Cannes Festival Herzog himself has stated that upon its first release the film was greeted with hostility almost everywhere 1 It was released commercially by the Werner Herzog Filmproduktion on 19 April 1971 5 Herzog said when Fata Morgana was finally released it was a big success with young people who had taken various drugs and was seen as one of the first European art house psychedelic films which of course it has no connection with at all 3 Many of the images used in Fata Morgana would appear in Herzog s later work the vehicle aimlessly turning circles recurs in Even Dwarfs Started Small 1970 and Stroszek 1977 the decaying animal carcasses reappear in Cobra Verde 1987 the welding goggles are worn by the two blind inmates in Even Dwarfs Started Small and the image of the temple in the desert is used in Kaspar s dream of the Caucasus in The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser Herzog himself described the film as an hallucination 1 Reviewing the film for The New York Times in 1971 Vincent Canby said Werner Herzog the young German director of Fata Morgana is obviously not suggesting anything as engaged or as engaging as a Save the Sahara campaign His film simply uses the Sahara as the background for his own vision of man s compulsion to corrupt and debase himself as well as the world in which he lives 6 Fata Morgana is considered a key picture in Herzog s filmography giving insight into many of his subsequent works It has also been regarded as one of modern cinema s key films Its influence has lasted and the 1997 film Gummo by Harmony Korine has been called a direct descendant of Fata Morgana 1 Its influence is also visible in the work of directors such as Terrence Malick and Claire Denis 1 In December 2013 the film was screened by West Hollywood s Cinefamily with a live performance by American drone metal band Earth 7 8 9 Chapter points editPart One Die Schopfung Creation Desert Landscapes Plane Wreck Civilization in the desert Boy with desert animal City in the Hills Part Two Das Paradies Paradise Old man with medals Scientist with Monitor Lizard Sea Turtle The Blitzkrieg is Insanity Part Three Das Goldene Zeitalter The Golden Age What can we learn from the turtle Musical duo Landscapes from the air Mirage source 1 Soundtrack partial edit Coronation Mass Kyrie Mozart Ghetto Raga Third Ear Band Hey That s No Way to Say Goodbye Leonard Cohen Suzanne Leonard Cohen So Long Marianne Leonard Cohen Sea of Joy Blind Faith Sweet Potato Booker T Jones John Renbourn source 10 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k Wickum Mark 1990 Fata Morgana DVD Film Notes Anchor Bay ABD4436 DVD embedded title and search points a b c Herzog Werner 2001 Herzog on Herzog Faber and Faber p 303 ISBN 0 571 20708 1 a b Nagib Lucia 20 January 2011 World Cinema and the Ethics of Realism Bloomsbury Publishing USA ISBN 9781441154651 Retrieved 2 January 2017 via Google Books Fata Morgana Retrieved 1 May 2018 Fata Morgana Filmportal de Retrieved 1 January 2017 Canby Vincent 8 October 1971 Film Festival The New York Times Retrieved 1 May 2018 via NYTimes com Bret TELETHON 2013 Primetime feat live score to Herzog s Fata Morgana by Earth and more cinefamily org Archived from the original on 2 January 2017 Retrieved 1 January 2017 TELETHON 2013 Earth plays Herzog s Fata Morgana trailer on YouTube An homage to the wonderfully weird Cinefamily Telethon kcrw com 13 December 2013 Retrieved 1 January 2017 Fata Morgana imdb com 1 February 1972 Retrieved 1 January 2017 via IMDb External links editFata Morgana at IMDb nbsp Werner Herzog film collection Fata Morgana Trailer on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fata Morgana 1971 film amp oldid 1222743624, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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