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Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Play trailer Poster for Cave of Forgotten Dreams G 2011 1h 30m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 136 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog and a small crew are given a rare chance to film inside France's Chauvet Cave, where the walls are covered with the world's oldest surviving paintings. To preserve the art, people are allowed to enter the site for only two weeks a year. Examining the 30,000-year-old drawings, Herzog discusses how the artwork represents humanity's earliest dreams with scientists and art scholars conducting research at Chauvet.
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Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

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Critics Consensus

Hauntingly filmed and brimming with Herzog's infectious enthusiasm, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a fascinating triumph.

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Critics Reviews

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David Stratton At the Movies (Australia) Herzog has used the 3D process with tremendous creativity to make this very beautiful film. Rated: 4/5 Sep 21, 2011 Full Review Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald This is what 3-D was made for, puncturing the proscenium and taking us somewhere ''not yet offended''. Rated: 4/5 Sep 21, 2011 Full Review Stephen Cole Globe and Mail It is our tour guide that makes Cave of Forgotten Dreams an often thrilling experience. Rated: 3.5/4 Jul 8, 2011 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Herzog delivers a documentary so powerful that the result will leave the viewer more than just well-informed but transported by the experience. Rated: 4/4 Jun 7, 2023 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) A marvelous dream impossible to forget. [Full review in Spanish] Aug 9, 2022 Full Review Jack Fleischer Battleship Pretension Cave of Forgotten Dreams: 3D is an interesting story, told by that quirky friend... Mar 24, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Scott S Extremely boring, just watch the emoji movie instead. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/03/25 Full Review georgan g Absolutely fascinating documentary about the oldest found cave paintings. Being a lover of all things about cultural anthropology, this was RIGHT up my alley! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Really dry documentary. Why are all cave drawings of animals. Interesting for 20 minutes and then it gets really hard to watch as there's not enough content to keep the subject going. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Not even the amazing voice/narration of Werner Herzog saved me from making me almost fall sleep and making me feel there was not much to say about the topic that a 20 min museum video could have made in such a better way. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review William L Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a tale of two films. One is a neat documentary based around unprecedented access to a notoriously restricted historical site of international significance, one of the earliest surviving records of the dawn of human culture. The other is Werner Herzog droning on and on with whatever pseudointellectual philosophical bullshit he can think up. You can clearly see the man projecting his own ego onto some of the most important artifacts with vague musings that mean nothing ("What constitutes humanness?", and "What will these albino crocodiles in a nuclear power plant think of the cave paintings?"). It completely sours the experience, and I have no problem saying that despite the quality of the visuals and the fascinating subject matter, Herzog himself makes me actually hate the film. (1/5) Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/07/21 Full Review Audience Member It was interesting. A slice of prehistoric history. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Cave of Forgotten Dreams

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Cast & Crew

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Werner Herzog

Director

Werner Herzog

Narrator

Werner Herzog

Screenwriter

Peter Zeitlinger

Cinematographer

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Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Poster Art Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog and a small crew are given a rare chance to film inside France's Chauvet Cave, where the walls are covered with the world's oldest surviving paintings. To preserve the art, people are allowed to enter the site for only two weeks a year. Examining the 30,000-year-old drawings, Herzog discusses how the artwork represents humanity's earliest dreams with scientists and art scholars conducting research at Chauvet.
Director
Werner Herzog
Screenwriter
Werner Herzog
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Arte France, History
Rating
G
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 29, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 7, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.2M
Runtime
1h 30m