Encounters at the End of the World (2007)

Film-maker Werner Herzog travels to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, looking to capture the continent's beauty and investigate the characters living there.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Werner Herzog, Scott Rowland, Stefan Pashov

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Werner Herzog	...	Narrator
Scott Rowland	...	Himself - Transportation Dept.
Stefan Pashov	...	Himself - Philosopher, Forklift Driver
Doug MacAyeal	...	Himself - Glaciologist (as Douglas MacAyeal)
Ryan Andrew Evans	...	Himself - Filmmaker, Cook (as Ryan A. Evans)
Kevin Emery	...	Himself - Survival School Instructor
Olav T. Oftedal	...	Himself - Nutritional Ecologist
Regina Eisert	...	Herself - Physiologist
David R. Pacheco Jr.	...	Himself - Journeyman Plumber
Samuel S. Bowser	...	Himself - Cell Biologist
Jan Pawlowski	...	Himself - Zoologist
William Jirsa	...	Himself - Linguist, Computer Expert
Karen Joyce	...	Herself - Traveler, Computer Expert
Libor Zicha	...	Himself - Utility Mechanic
Ashrita Furman	...	Himself - Multiple World Record Holder

Storyline

'Werner Herzog' takes his camera to Antarctica where we meet the odd men and women who have dedicated their lives to furthering the cause of science in treacherous conditions. A scientist studies neutrinos, which are everywhere, yet elusive; he likens them to spirits. A researcher's nighttime performance art includes contorting her body into a luggage bag. A survival guide teaches his students to survive white-out conditions by wearing cartoon-face buckets over their heads. Animal researchers milk mother seals as part of their study. Volcanologists offer advice on what to do when a volcano erupts. A pipefitter shows us the anomaly in his hands that he says are a sign he descended from Atzec royalty. A former Colorado banker drives what he has christened Ivan the Terra Bus. An underwater diver shows his colleagues DVDs of apocalyptic sci-fi films like Them! (1954). And -- though Herzog declares he's not "making another film about penguins" -- we meet a penguin researcher who answers ...

---

Plot Keywords:

penguin | antarctica | mcmurdo station | volcanologist | survival | 

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

18 July 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rencontres au bout du monde

Filming Locations:

McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,730, 15 June 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$943,934, 2 November 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Discovery Films,Creative Differences Productions,Discovery Channel

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Werner Herzog has disclosed that the scene of scientists putting their ears to the ice to listen to seal calls was entirely staged. Herzog asked them to position themselves according to his directions, and the sounds were previously recorded through underwater microphones by sound artist Douglas Quin.

---

Quotes

Werner Herzog: It occurred to me that in the time that we spent with him in the greenhouse possibly three or four languages have died. In our efforts to preserve endangered species we seem to overlook something equally important. To me, it's a sign of a deeply disturbed civilization, where tree-huggers and whale-huggers in their weirdness are acceptable, while no one embraces the last speakers of a language.

---

Connections

Edited from Them! (1954)

---

Soundtracks

Il Est Digne en Verite
from Basso Profundo

User Reviews

Not another movie about penguins.

My school recently sponsored a screening of this film with Werner Herzog himself in attendance. Herzog joked with the audience that part of his ambition to make this film was because he wanted to document the Antarctic without making "another movie about penguins." And although a portion of the movie DOES contain a segment about penguins, it plays a minor role in a film of many elements which compose a curious and beautiful documentary. It is a study of both Nature and Man: by turns breathtaking in its landscape (especially the underwater photography), at other times funny and serious, as Herzog interviews the motley crew of individuals who call Antarctica home for the greater part of the year. Herzog narrates the film with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, yet always maintains respect for the subjects he covers. While he quipped with us afterward that this is not your typical Discovery Channel fare, he said he hopes to broadcast this film sometime on Discovery early next year. If that is the case, it is not a documentary anyone should miss.