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Oxford Languages defines "reverie" as "a daydream", some thought or idea that we seem to get lost in, while also offering an archaic definition that refers to it as "a fanciful or impractical idea or theory." It is no wonder that director Werner Herzog chose that word for the subtitle of this documentary, since most of the ideas and inventions exposed in it could fit both definitions; whether it's the inventions of the past that were seen as "fanciful or impractical", but are now a reality, or the "daydreams" of today which we still don't know if we will ever attain.
Lo and Behold opens with the birth of the Internet in 1969, but then branches out to demonstrate the various reaches and effects of a "connected world" in our lives, our society, and our future. From its humble beginnings in a UCLA hallway to the possibilities of connecting with astronauts in Mars; from its advantages in the cure of an illness through a seemingly inoffensive game to its damaging impact in addicted people that have decided to leave gaming and the Internet completely.
Herzog does a good job dividing the film in ten chapters, all of which are relatively self-contained while dealing with the same theme of "connectedness" and the positive/negative impacts it has or could have. There is a certain meandering aspect to it since there is little connective tissue between each chapter, but they all have the vibes of "daydreaming" that I suppose Herzog wanted. His choice of interviewees also, many of which are quite eccentric, support that "dreamy" vibe.
I read some reviews wondering why would Herzog do this, and arguing that it didn't fit into his style. I'm no expert on him, having only seen four of his feature films, but if there is one constant in those four films is the near or complete madness of humanity in different situations and environments. People dreaming of things that seem out of reach and unattainable, that sometimes end up disconnected from the world as a result. I'd say this fits neatly into that.
Grade:
LO AND BEHOLD
REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD
(2016, Herzog)
A documentary film
REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD
(2016, Herzog)
A documentary film
"It used to be that when you communicated with someone, the person you were communicating with was as important as the information; Now on the internet, the person is unimportant at all."
Oxford Languages defines "reverie" as "a daydream", some thought or idea that we seem to get lost in, while also offering an archaic definition that refers to it as "a fanciful or impractical idea or theory." It is no wonder that director Werner Herzog chose that word for the subtitle of this documentary, since most of the ideas and inventions exposed in it could fit both definitions; whether it's the inventions of the past that were seen as "fanciful or impractical", but are now a reality, or the "daydreams" of today which we still don't know if we will ever attain.
Lo and Behold opens with the birth of the Internet in 1969, but then branches out to demonstrate the various reaches and effects of a "connected world" in our lives, our society, and our future. From its humble beginnings in a UCLA hallway to the possibilities of connecting with astronauts in Mars; from its advantages in the cure of an illness through a seemingly inoffensive game to its damaging impact in addicted people that have decided to leave gaming and the Internet completely.
Herzog does a good job dividing the film in ten chapters, all of which are relatively self-contained while dealing with the same theme of "connectedness" and the positive/negative impacts it has or could have. There is a certain meandering aspect to it since there is little connective tissue between each chapter, but they all have the vibes of "daydreaming" that I suppose Herzog wanted. His choice of interviewees also, many of which are quite eccentric, support that "dreamy" vibe.
I read some reviews wondering why would Herzog do this, and arguing that it didn't fit into his style. I'm no expert on him, having only seen four of his feature films, but if there is one constant in those four films is the near or complete madness of humanity in different situations and environments. People dreaming of things that seem out of reach and unattainable, that sometimes end up disconnected from the world as a result. I'd say this fits neatly into that.
Grade: