7/21/2012

"Herzog in the lands of Kilt"

Title: Incident at Loch Ness
Year: 2004
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Horror
Director: Zack Penn
Writer: Werner Herzog, Zack Penn
Runtime: 94min
Cast: Werner Herzog, Zack Penn, Gabriel Beristain, Russell Williams II, Kitana Baker, Michael Karnow, David A. Davidson, Robert O'Meara, Steven Gardner
Produc.: Eden Rock Media
Budget: $1.400.000 million approx.

In Incident at Loch Ness, Werner Herzog and a group of filmmakers embark themselves into the waters of the famous scottish lake, to be documented by John Bailey.
Year 2004. Los Angeles. A cameraman records every movement of the veteran german director, who, in his house, gets ready with his wife, all the preparations to welcome the guests. John Bailey, who is the man behind the camera, follows Werner while they make dinner, and also when in his office, Werner tells both, to him and to us, what is this movie exactly about.
For the occasion have been invited Zack Penn, Jeff Goldblum, Crispin Glover, Gabriel Beristain, Ricky Jay or Russell Williams II, among several important personalities, all linked to the world of cinema. Not all, although some of them, will travel to Europe with Herzog and Penn, to see if the Loch Ness monster is it or not, just a myth.
At first glance, many might see this as a teasing. Being this the case of a serious person as Herzog, than what he has for us were to be a documentary about a creature, whose inexistence, at this point, has been, for most, more than confirmed.
Then, if so: What the hell would we see? This is precisely where we must take a pause and dig a bit more. None of this is more than just a big game to have fun for a little while. A typical "mockumentary".
Something that is interesting, is that from the beginning it is Herzog who runns the show, who is always followed by the camera and who leads the expedition, when it is actually Zack Penn who holds the reins, because in the end credits he is who directs. Herzog does not come to be more than the "false head" of a "fictional crew."
The utmost importance has been given to, that the line between fiction and reality is not easily detectable. What is clearly seen as Beristain and Williams are both true professionals in their respective areas. The first is a cameraman and cinematographer, and the second, a sound engineer and sound mixer, and both are going to be crewmen in this fantasy, in which they play themselves.
Also among the members of the Discovery IV (the vessel) will be seen Kitana Baker as the sonar operator and Michael Karnow as the cryptographer on board, both hired by Zack, as "part of the fiction." They will also have a direct involvement in some of the conflicts that are lived on board, as they give to the movie, comical (for us), while terrible and insulting (for Herzog), twists in the plot.
But if it is not yet understood, let's briefly review.
Incident at Loch Ness is a "mockumentary" directed by Zack Penn, written by Herzog and Penn (this, I add it now), and starring people that all play themselves. Herzog, who in turn plays the documentary´s director, "within" the fiction of this mockumentary. Penn, who plays the producer of the documentary, both, in and out of fiction. With the rest of the cast (the other crew members), the same happens in near all. Although there are some details that I do best, not to reveal.
Herzog and Penn combine comedy, suspense and horror, but mostly it should be noted that they parody themselves and the film industry itself. The comedy, in this case may be seen, for example, when Herzog intends to shoot a take, talking to the camera, and the cryptologist, who he has not invited to appear, gets with him in the frame. Or it is simply enough, to just have a look at the curves of the girl Penn has put in charge of the sonar. Really, it seems like a bad joke.
There is, to complete, a self-reference to an alleged incident in an earlier Herzog film, which involved a firearm.
Anyway. Penn and Herzog show us how the crewmembers of a ship may begin to have frictions between them, when disagreen on how to do things. All of this, while also routed to an even worse fate, including a very moved end and an angry Nessie. A beast, that if few have seen, maybe that is for a reason.
Incident at Loch Ness is not a great movie, but it entertains, and that, I beleve, is good enough.

My rating: 6/10


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