Cave of Forgotten Dreams - DVD

I first saw this film in 2D a couple of years ago, and it was absolutely remarkable then to see such artistic and fresh-looking markings left by individuals who once walked the earth 30,000 years ago. But in 3D, it’s astounding. This is the kind of subject 3D technology was meant for. You feel like you are visiting Chauvet Cave with the crew beside you. You don't just see the images, you also get a tangible sense of height and width… the curves, cracks and crevices of the walls… the size and shapes of the animal bones on the cave floor. You feel constricted in the small passageways. You feel the depth and scale of the larger chambers. Even the little reflections in the limestone sparkle three-dimensionally. There’s a variety of music in the soundtrack which lends a great deal of impact to the experience; beautiful, haunting, mysterious and intimate with the soft sounds of human voices and the feel of ancient hand-made percussion instruments that transport you back in time. Now, I won't lie; Werner Hertzog's rather monotone voiceover provides helpful and insightful commentary about how the cave was formed, how it was found, and what it means to researchers, but much of this film is made up of exterior shots and interviews. It’s the moments inside the cave (maybe half the film’s running time) where the breath-taking detail of the photography and the disc’s high-quality 3D resolution make it so satisfying to own, especially as 3D discs become more scarce these days. The package contains a single blu-ray disk, with both 2D and 3D variants that can be selected from the main menu. At first, I was concerned that the limited lighting and portable film format used inside the cave would result in blurry or low-resolution images in 3D, but there’s no problem here. Certainly, low-light and restricted shooting angles limit the full potential of revealing a place like this, and there are grainy segments here and there, but there were virtually no registration problems with this 3D film, even in active 3D. So be sure to see it at least once all the way through, but if you own the disc you can choose to revisit those summit moments in the film and be transported 30,000 years back in time to one of the most extraordinary places on earth.

I have a 3D projector and was looking for more 3D DVDs to add to my collection while they’re still available. I never thought I would have the chance to actually see cave paintings. Herzog really captures the feeling of being there. The 3D really brings out the feeling of being in a cave. You can feel every contour of the walls. The background story also enhances the actual time in the cave. An experience not to be missed.

I was disappointed that one of my favorite pictures from the original was not included in this Blu-ray. There was a bear skull sitting on a ledge in the cave and a stalactite had formed over the side of it. The years that it must have taken for that to happen always impressed me. Still. The 3D was great and nothing was lost from the absence of this one picture.

A cave was found preserved in France. It was sealed off 32,000 years ago according to the film, and the cave paintings are in pristine shape. The artists used the cave features to tell stories about themselves. You can see layers that were added over time that tell chapters of their story. The film also covers how the cave is explored, while trying to keep it preserved.

The 3d in this movie was magical. I'm so impressed that the film crew managed to lug all that equipment in without damaging the untouched floors and walls of this beautifully preserved cave. without a doubt one of the most amazing documentaries if seen in a long time.