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Lessons of Darkness

Play trailer Poster for Lessons of Darkness Released Feb 21, 1992 50m Documentary Sci-Fi War Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Retreating from Kuwait after the first Gulf War, the Iraqi army sets fire to the country's oil fields. In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog films the raging flames while narrating from the perspective of a confused alien visitor, musing on the strangeness of the landscape. As the fires burn, helicopter shots display the extent of the damage. On the ground, firefighters do their best to control things, while Kuwaiti women recount atrocities perpetrated by the Iraqis.

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Lessons of Darkness

Critics Reviews

View All (11) Critics Reviews
Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness One of Herzog's earliest - and most evocative - cinematic essays on the uneasy relationships between man and Earth, unaffected reality and orchestrated drama. Rated: B+ Feb 16, 2006 Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills It restores your faith in humanity to think that the genius behind such cosmic objets d’art... Nov 10, 2023 Full Review Wael Khairy The Cinephile Fix The visuals here pack the grandiosity of anything we’ve seen in Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. The only difference is, this is real, and it’s not outer space, it’s the tip of the Persian Gulf. Dec 30, 2022 Full Review Andrew Todd Birth.Movies.Death. Living up to its opening quote about the end of the universe, Lessons of Darkness is a glimpse at a world-death caused by humanity - one we haven't entirely avoided yet. Sep 1, 2019 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion A staggering, faux-extraterrestrial fugue Feb 6, 2010 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 4/5 Oct 1, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Logan M A superb and disturbing masterpiece of the documentary genre. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/19/23 Full Review Jaan K Amazing masterpiece, must watch Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/29/23 Full Review andres s Wow, gorgeous opening shot with the orange red sky and the towers. I think it's remarkable how Werner is able to film in these almost chaotic situations and dark subject matter and yet still convey a sense of peace, beauty and grace. His sweeping shots are so good. The aftermath of the attack on Kuwait made some of the landscapes look very surreal, almost other worldly. Like from another planet. Barren wastelands. It's really sad to see. Very haunting especially with the classical music. The imagery creating a sense of apocalyptic dread signifying there's no coming back from this. Super captivating and entrancing watching the oil riggers replace the piping system for the oil well. Beautifully filmed and scored, but also haunting at the same time. Powerful movie that highlights the aftermath and destruction of what a war can cause not only to the countries land but also to its people. I kept thinking about that poor little boy. He was so scarred by his experiences with the soldiers that he told his mom he didn't want to learn how to talk. So sad. Just as there is beauty in peace and tranquility, this movie proves that there is also beauty in destruction and chaos; as sad and dreadful as it is. It depends on your outlook on things. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review david f A spare, depressing, mostly visual documentary about the invasion of Kuwait and the destruction of oil fields. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Herzog brings a camera to Kuwait. There's been a oil mess and also a short war. Apart from a few interviews there is little monologue here and no dialogue. There are some very pretty images here over some epic, orchestrial music. That's about it. It shows hell, but it looks so very pretty at the same time. The director himself classifies it as science fiction and not a documentary. I can't agree, but I see his point - the images is majestic. Not entertaining, and it's a good thing that it's short. Still, it's a nice backround film that has it's power in pure imagery. Few others could have made the same kind of film look this good. 5.5 out of 10 spaced out vehicles. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Stunning visual documentation of the aftermath of the Iraq War, including the burning oil fields. Not much dialogue, but the interviews are poignant, and immediately tell the harm of the Gulf War. As they say, it's 1/2 documentary, 1/2 science fiction, set to a dramatic score full of strings and opera music. While it was stunning, you get the point right away and the point could have been made in 30 minutes. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Lessons of Darkness

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Retreating from Kuwait after the first Gulf War, the Iraqi army sets fire to the country's oil fields. In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog films the raging flames while narrating from the perspective of a confused alien visitor, musing on the strangeness of the landscape. As the fires burn, helicopter shots display the extent of the damage. On the ground, firefighters do their best to control things, while Kuwaiti women recount atrocities perpetrated by the Iraqis.
Director
Werner Herzog
Producer
Werner Herzog, Paul Berriff, Lucki Stipetic
Screenwriter
Werner Herzog
Production Co
Canal+, ITEL, Premiere Medien
Genre
Documentary, Sci-Fi, War
Original Language
German
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 21, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 11, 2017
Runtime
50m
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