Land of Silence and Darkness
Director: Werner Herzog
Year Released: 1971
Rating: 2.0
Herzog's film about deaf and blind activist/humanist Fini Straubinger and how she tries to live her life to the fullest - despite her terrible disability - and how she does her best to show love for others with similar disabilities (including children). Though the director keeps the camera at a distance in order to capture the 'mystical state' of not being able to see or hear and reliant on touch for communication, the film fails to be anything more than a pity party for the audience, who watch as these individuals helplessly wander without guidance and are unable - as viewers - to lend assistance (the movie's function is to play on your sympathies). When the individuals recite poetry about their state, it sounds more like Herzog's words than theirs - he's trying to forcibly add spirituality to their tragic situation.
