Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Cave of Forgotten Dreams Image
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Metascore
86 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 34 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 39 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Summary: For over 20,000 years, Chauvet Cave has been completely sealed off by a fallen rock face, its crystal-encrusted interior as large as a football field and strewn with the petrified remains of giant ice age mammals. In 1994, scientists discovered the caverns, and found hundreds of pristine paintings within, spectacular artwork dating back over 30,000 years (almost twice as old as any previous finds) to a time when Neanderthals still roamed the earth and cave bears, mammoths, and ice age lions were the dominant populations of Europe. Since then, only a handful of specialists have stepped foot in the cave, and the true scope of its contents had largely gone unfelt—until Werner Herzog managed to gain access. Filming in 3D, Herzog captures the wonder and beauty of one of the most awe-inspiring sites on earth, all the while musing in his inimitable fashion about its original inhabitants, the birth of art, and the curious people surrounding the caves today. (IFC Films)

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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    Apr 29, 2011
    100
    Director Werner Herzog's latest cinematic mind trip blows you away with its beauty.
  2. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: Peter Rainer
    Apr 29, 2011
    100
    These paintings speak to us; they both compress and elongate time. In Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Herzog is reaching for ways to comprehend what he imagines to be the emblems of the birth of the modern soul.
  3. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    May 2, 2011
    80
    An enthralled and mostly enthralling guided tour of what Herzog describes as "one of the greatest art discoveries in the history of human culture."
  4. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: Joshua Rothkopf
    Apr 26, 2011
    60
    Cave of Forgotten Dreams feels stuck in a middling zone of too much conjecture and not enough scholarship.

See all 34 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 3 out of 15
  1. Phil_D
    10
    Yet another inspired talk-o-mentary by master Herzog. This time about a 32 000-year window into the past of our ancestors. Like nothing out there. The footage itself musto be on its way to the UNESCO. Must-see.… Expand
  2. j30
    8
    One of the things I really like about the film, "Cave of Forgotten Dreams," is Werner Herzog puts his soul into each frame. You can really tell the Chauvet caves made a huge impression on him in some spiritual way, as did the archaeologists who worked therein. A compelling documentary.… Expand
  3. JamesL
    7
    It is extremely hard to review a documentary like this. One learns a lot but is really unable to be overwhelmed due to the availability of the cave I thought the minimalist approach here did not suffice to make a full length film.Thus, I found myself desiring more when maybe more is not available.… Expand
  4. Ziziltibs
    4
    Fascinating visuals and stunning artwork. Even seeing them 20 times in the film, the images don't fail to amaze and delight. The zum-zum music and repetitive metaphysical speculations do, though. The film is way too long, and the postscript is truly bizarre. It detracts from the overall experience.… Expand

See all 15 User Reviews

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