Cinematic adventurer Werner Herzog goes spelunking for his latest documentary, providing a 3D tour of 32,000-year-old paintings recently found in a series of French caves – the oldest paintings of any kind yet discovered. The works are engrossing on their own, especially the way these early painters used layered imagery to depict the movement of a herd of horses (Herzog calls it “a form of proto-cinema”). As such, the documentary itself is largely a no-frills affair. The most ostentatious touch – the 3D – is fitting for once, as it helps us grasp the full depth and dimension of these caves. One shot of a stalactite and a stalagmite reaching out and nearly touching each other is a striking image of geologic yearning. As he did in Grizzly Man, Herzog also explores the human element at hand. From the archeologist who used to be a circus juggler to the master perfumer who detects subterranean openings with his nose, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is equally intrigued by the prehistoric painters of yesteryear and those who study their work today.
