6.8/10
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Fata Morgana (1971)

Not Rated | | Documentary, Comedy, Drama | 1 February 1972 (West Germany)
Fata Morgana Poster
Footage shot in and around the Sahara Desert, accompanied only by a spoken creation myth and the songs of Leonard Cohen.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog (original screenplay)

Stars:

Lotte Eisner, Eugen Des Montagnes, James William Gledhill | See full cast & crew »
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Photos

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Cast

Credited cast:
Lotte Eisner Lotte Eisner ... Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eugen Des Montagnes Eugen Des Montagnes
James William Gledhill James William Gledhill
Wolfgang von Ungern-Sternberg Wolfgang von Ungern-Sternberg
See full cast »
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Storyline

Footage shot in and around the Sahara Desert, accompanied only by a spoken creation myth and the songs of Leonard Cohen.

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

desert | voice over | three parts | experimental film | sahara desert | See All (14) »

Genres:

Documentary | Comedy | Drama

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Did You Know?

Trivia

[All trivia items for this title are spoilers.] See more »

Connections

Referenced in Gummo (1997) See more »

Soundtracks

Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
Written and Performed by Leonard Cohen
See more »

User Reviews

 
Haunting and Hypnotic.
26 June 2003 | by Bloodfordracula – See all my reviews

Fata Morgana is an absolute masterpiece. It's Werner Herzog's most unconventional film. It doesn't have a plot or story. Instead of a story, we're given a collection of images, words and music that work so wonderfully together. It's not a documentary either. Some of the people in this film are directed and given lines to read. It has some of the most beautiful and haunting images. Herzog shoots real mirages and we see cars and people floating around in the middle of the desert who aren't actually there but hundreds of miles away reflected like in a mirror. The use of music in this movie is so brilliant - from Leonard Cohen, Mozart, and the Third Ear Band. Imagine Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey in the desert; that's what this movie is like. This film is so hypnotic that it has the ability to make you feel as though your spirit has left your body. A must see. It will change the way you view films. Rating: 10 out of 10.
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Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

1 February 1972 (West Germany) See more »

Also Known As:

Фата Моргана See more »

Filming Locations:

Sahara Desert, Africa See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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