The Wild Blue Yonder (2005)

An alien narrates the story of his dying planet, his and his people's visits to Earth and Earth's man-made demise, while human astronauts attempt to find an alternate planet for surviving humans to live on.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Brad Dourif, Donald Williams, Ellen Baker

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Brad Dourif	...	The Alien
Donald Williams	...	Astronaut Commander (as Capt. Donald Williams)
Ellen Baker	...	Astronaut physician (as Dr. Ellen Baker)
Franklin Chang-Diaz	...	Astronaut Plasma Physicist
Shannon Lucid	...	Astronaut biochemist
Michael McCulley	...	Astronaut pilot
Roger Diehl	...	Mathematician
Ted Sweetser	...	Mathematician
Martin Lo	...	Mathematician

Storyline

An alien narrates the story of his dying planet, his and his people's visits to Earth and Earth's man-made demise, while human astronauts attempt to find an alternate planet for surviving humans to live on.

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Plot Keywords:

astronaut | alien | wormhole | science | global change | 

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion (Eglish, French, German)

Country:

Germany France Austria UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 June 2007 (UK)

Also Known As:

Wake for Galileo

Filming Locations:

Antarctica

Company Credits

Production Co:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, West Park Pictures Produktion, Tétra Média

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Multiple formats were used throughout the film. Footage shot in space was on standard 16mm, the underwater nature footage was on a consumer grade SD digital camera and interview footage with the scientists as well as the scenes with the Alien were on digital HD. The final edit was composed into an unspecified digital format and transferred to 35mm.

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Quotes

The Alien: You know, our great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfathers were fine scientists, but the journey was long and boring and when we got here, hundreds of hundreds and hundreds and hundreda and hundreds of years later, those of us who arrived here just... sucked.

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Connections

Referenced in Was ich bin sind meine Filme - Teil 2... nach 30 Jahren (2010)

User Reviews

I tried to like it, I really did...

...but by the end of it, I was left with the feeling that there was a slice of my life I'll never get back. This is an easy film to summarize, though. Good, sometimes arresting, imagery strung on a thin but interesting plot, all accompanied by the world's most annoying sound track. The pacing is glacial. The scenes play out way too long - which is emphasized by the droning atonal background "music".

I can appreciate the parable of being good stewards of our home planet. I can appreciate the wry wit with which the subject of aliens is treated. What's inexcusable, though, are the gross technical gaffes laying around like mines in a film which otherwise goes out of its way to establish its technical credentials.

I can understand and appreciate what Herzog was trying to accomplish with this film. Still, a misfire is a misfire...