Not Coming to a Theater Near You

The White Diamond / Germany / 2004

I usually don’t focus much on plot details, but there was one moment in Herzog’s doc that had me a bit puzzled. After Dorrington has built the White Diamond and acknowledged the previous accident that still preoccupies his thoughts, Herzog and Dorrington get into a mild argument regarding the testing of the helium-balloon to ensure its safety. Herzog mentions that it would be irresponsible of him to allow his employee (his cinematographer) to fly with Dorrington without ensuring the balloon’s safety. This makes sense, but I’m not quite sure why Herzog has to be involved in the testing, and why Dorrington can’t just test the airship’s ability himself (which I believe is Dorrington’s suggestion). I believe Herzog mentions something about having someone around that can handle the camera, as if the flight would be a waste without footage, but then little, if any, footage is used from this initial flight. So why exactly does Herzog have to accompany Dorrington on this initial flight, other than to increase the stakes involved in the scenario for the film’s audience?

Other than that slight plot oddity, Herzog’s doc is a sublime exploration of both the Amazon jungle’s canopy, as well as all of Herzog’s lifelong thematic fascinations. By the time Dorrington’s geographical journey ends, we realize his flight is far more meaningful as a personal spiritual quest for forgiveness.

by Chiranjit Goswami | Source: Wellspring DVD
29 Jan 2006 2:03 PM | Comments (2)

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1. Rumsey / 16 October 2006 / 7:59 AM / URL

   After Dorrington has built the White Diamond and acknowledged the previous accident that still preoccupies his thoughts, Herzog and Dorrington get into a mild argument regarding the testing of the helium-balloon to ensure its safety. Herzog mentions that it would be irresponsible of him to allow his employee (his cinematographer) to fly with Dorrington without ensuring the balloon’s safety. This makes sense, but I’m not quite sure why Herzog has to be involved in the testing, and why Dorrington can’t just test the airship’s ability himself (which I believe is Dorrington’s suggestion).

   The scene you cite is, I think, one of the most crucial scenes in this film because it demonstrates Dorrington’s hubris—and Herzog ends up being vindicated in calling him out because the first run is disastrous and Dorrington is humiliated. I think, at this point, Herzog notices this particular quality in men; he saw it in Dorrington, and he called him on it.

   The initial suggestion, on Dorrington’s part, was to do an untethered trial run in the airship with only him in it, and Herzog’s thinking, given the man’s past mistakes and oversights (he’s missing three fingers on his left hand because of an error with a rocket, and he witnessed the death of one of his colleagues in another airship), that there’s potential for disaster here, and if something’s going to happen he better get some footage. Plus, if something does happen, they’ll get it on tape from an amazing perspective—Herzog demands to partake in the trial run, and arms himself with a camera.

   This presages a similar scene in Incident at Loch Ness—a pretty terrible film which is comprised almost entirely of Herzogian anecdotes. Late in the film, Herzog and a few others are on a wrecked tug boat in the middle of Loch Ness, and one of them must swim to shore to get help. Hesitant to impose the risk on anyone else, Herzog dons a wetsuit, grabs a camera in a waterproof housing, and starts swimming. Only here he captures the money shot. Despite the fact that this is an unrecommended fiction film, Herzog actually puts on a wetsuit and jumps in to Loch Ness.

   Point is: the man’s got balls.

2. Chiranjit / 16 October 2006 / 8:26 AM / URL

   Very true, but sometimes I wonder if Herzog gets a little bit carried away with making sure his audience fully comprehends the size of his balls.