Show and Tell Presentation- Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a great example of how complicated the idea of aura is. This documentary displays the cave art work of neanderthals. The artwork demonstrates the viewpoint and documentation system that they had. The cave is so highly protected that no average citizen could ever see the cave. The cave must have the least amount of people entering in case of any disruption to the preserved artwork. The researchers who work in the cave explain how delicate everything is within the cave. There are numerous skulls and animal tracks that could potentially be ruined.

All of these qualities are what make the cave impossible to be viewed as "original." Since a replica is going to made of the cave that will be the "original" cave in many people's eyes because no one has ever seen the "original" cave. There can not be any comparison to make. Not even the people who are in charge of making the model of the cave can get everything to be exactly right. No one can pick up the skulls, examine the animal tracks, or feel the texture of the paintings on the walls. The replica of the cave will have a great distance in aura because there can not be a replica made of cave if we want to preserve the original cave.

This brings up the question will the replica still have meaning to it? Will visitors be satisfied with the replica or will the replica leave them to wonder what it is missing from the original cave? That is what I would ask myself if I went to visit the replica cave. I would wonder how much of the original cave is actually represented in the replica. The distance of aura is however shortened with having a replica cave. If there was no replica cave made we would still have only photographs and this documentary. We are brought "closer" to the original cave with the replica.

This documentary also reminded me of the John Berger's Ways of Seeing. I connected it to this television show because of the camera angles and how the camera can be manipulated to make us think or feel a certain way. This documentary was dependent upon the camera view. We only were able to see parts of the cave that the camera showed the viewers. Ways of Seeing described how the director chooses what the audience will see and the order that they see it in. The director of Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Werner Herzog, was extremely conscious of the order in which he showed the cave, interviews with researchers, and silence throughout the movie. There were two parts in the movie that I did not show because they are long portions of complete silence. Herzog allowed there to be only the sounds of water dripping from the cave and the natural sounds the cave makes. I believe he did these two pauses in order for the audience to feel as if they are in the cave. He wanted us to feel what he felt in that moment just standing in the cave. They were powerful moments in silence. When a film has a silent scene it usual is one of the most important scenes in the movie.