Welcome to the Movie Club! Today’s movie is Werner Herzog’s documentary Encounters at the End of the World!
Encounters at the End of the World is focused on Antarctica and the people who live and work there. Its primary subjects are various scientists and researchers working in and around McMurdo Station, along with some of the other workers that help keep it running.
Encounters at the End of the World was first screened on September 1, 2007 at the Telluride Film Festival before its official premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10. It later received a theatrical release in the US on June 11, 2008, and another in the UK on April 24, 2009. It was well-received by critics and has a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, and was even nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 81st Academy Awards.1
- Herzog and his cinematographer, Peter Zeitlinger, were in Antarctica for seven weeks, with six of them being spent on shooting. The entire first week was spent dealing with bureaucracy and survival, radio communications, and snow-mobile training. They had no idea who they would meet or what they would record while down there.
- The diver, Henry Kaiser, who also shot the underwater footage, is primarily a musician and composed the film’s score with David Lindley.
- Herzog is visible at one point in the film, but only from behind so that you don’t see his face.
What did you think? Share your thoughts below!
Announcements: We are almost out of movies! Next Friday I will create a new selection thread at this same time so keep an eye out for that.
Up Next: I love a coincidental theme. Our next movie is another Werner Herzog film, Stroszek! We will meet to discuss it on December 26 at 12PM EST. Check out the trailer and where it’s playing below (and here’s a link to it on YouTube as well, although the quality is not great):
USA
- Stream: Cineverse, The Criterion Channel, Plex, Tubi, The Roku Channel, Shout Factory TV, Philo, Kanopy, Phandor
- Rent or Buy: Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
Canada
- Stream: Cineverse, The Criterion Channel, Plex, Tubi
- Rent or Buy: Apple TV,Google Play, YouTube
UK
- Stream: BFI Player
- Rent or Buy: Nada!