Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin

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Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin

Released Aug 26, 2020

1h 29m

Documentary

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89%

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37 Reviews

57%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Werner Herzog turns the camera on himself and his decades-long friendship with the late travel writer Bruce Chatwin, a kindred spirit whose quest for ecstatic truth carried him to all corners of the globe. Herzog's deeply personal portrait of Chatwin, illustrated with archival discoveries, film clips, and a mound of "brontosaurus skin," encompasses their shared interest in aboriginal cultures, ancient rituals, and the mysteries stitching together life on earth.

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Critics Consensus

Another rewardingly idiosyncratic documentary from Werner Herzog, Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin finds the master filmmaker paying warm tribute to a friend.

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Mark Feeney

Boston Globe

"Nomad" has several indelible moments: seeing the backpack and annotated script, Herzog's account of visiting Chatwin just before his death. But overall the film is static and more wayward than not.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 27, 2020

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Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

This isn't the carefully curated version of Herzog, the affable old German quietly voicing wonder about the universe, or detached resignation for the fate of humanity. This is Herzog, looking back at a kindred spirit that he lost along the way.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 27, 2020

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Glenn Kenny

New York Times

As the movie's reach extends, Herzog limns an arc that stretches from Antarctica to Siberia and beyond, implying that, in a sense, we all came from the same unfixed place.

Aug 25, 2020

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Ayeen Forootan

In Review Online

While Herzog is wholly committed to the wanderer spirit here ... his admirable travelogue also frequently gets lost in the twists and turns of its uneven course.

Jun 5, 2021

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Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

One of the kindest things Herzog has ever made, even if it doesn't have the intellectual stamina to make it into the top tier of his filmography.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 19, 2020

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Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

[Werner Herzog] latest does not hit me with the usual intensity of his documentaries but it is still an interesting look into the full and varied life of his friend.

Rated: B-

Nov 1, 2020

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Bradley

Boring! I should have left halfway through the movie but I kept thinking it would get better. I can’t believe this movie was actually released for the theatre. It is something that is better seen at home on the Smithsonian channel or something similar. I thought the movie would have beautiful cinematography but that was far too rare of an occurrence. Don’t waste your money seeing this one! The worst movie I’ve seen in a long time!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/20/20

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dave d

It's beyond apparent the admiration Werner Herzog had for his friend and subject in his latest documentary, Bruce Chatwin. Herzog does his standard narration and he will once again polarize audiences who will inevitably dispute the value of his work. Beauty is, after all, in the eye of the beholder. Truth is we all should be lucky enough to be eulogized by Werner Herzog. When the film wraps up and the pieces of it go through your mind you get a picture into the genius of our fabled filmmaker. While this wasn't his best, it's still worth viewing especially if you're a fan! Final Score: 6.5/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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greg r

Good god this is an awful movie about nobody. Even worse, the soundtrack. Horrible music.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Werner Herzog

Director

Werner Herzog

Screenwriter

Steve O'Hagan

Producer

Lucki Stipetic

Producer

Richard Bright

Executive Producer

Louis Caulfield

Cinematographer

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Nomad: In The Footsteps Of Bruce Chatwin: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Werner Herzog turns the camera on himself and his decades-long friendship with the late travel writer Bruce Chatwin, a kindred spirit whose quest for ecstatic truth carried him to all corners of the globe. Herzog's deeply personal portrait of Chatwin, illustrated with archival discoveries, film clips, and a mound of "brontosaurus skin," encompasses their shared interest in aboriginal cultures, ancient rituals, and the mysteries stitching together life on earth.

Director: Werner Herzog
Producer: Steve O'Hagan, Lucki Stipetic
Screenwriter: Werner Herzog
Distributor: Music Box Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 26, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 27, 2020
Runtime: 1h 29m

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