Incident au Loch Ness

Who knew that Werner Herzog – the director of "Aguirre: the Wrath of God", "Fitzcarraldo", and other weighty dramas -- could do comedy? Herzog proves it here in Zak Penn's terrific send-up of "the making of the movie" documentary.

"Incident at Loch" purports to document a film Herzog sets out to make in Scotland about the Loch Ness monster. Overseeing the production is Penn, a successful screenwriter. Along for the ride are a famous cinematographer, an Academy award winning sound man, a Playboy model, and a radio controlled six-foot "Nessie."

Penn puts it all together in a clever, inventive way. The result is one of the most original – and funniest – movies of the year.

Like a big budget Blair Witch Project this is a clever and amusing con job that shows the manipulative power of the documentary but as the film becomes more and more preposterous and the con becomes more obvious the joke goes a bit flat.

Lately the documentary genre has been messed with royally with blending opinion and personal agenda with fact mainly for entertainment value ala Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, but this one side steps in yet another direction and seems to me to be satirizing the whole mocumentary process which would make it a joke within a joke and a true original. It's not entirely clear if this is the intent of the film, which only adds to the enigma. I like to think it is.

It is refreshing to see a legend like Herzog willing to poke fun at his own obsessive reputation and it's his charismatic presence that carries the film.

I don't know when the mocumentary first showed up in film but one of the first I recall that's well worth checking out if you like this sort of thing is Woody Allen's great from 1983: Zelig.

Visionary director Werner Herzog has explored innumerable landscapes throughout his career, from the wilds of Africa to the jungles of South America and the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. His latest project 'Enigma Of Loch Ness' takes him to the Scottish Highlands, where he plans to examine the myth of the Loch Ness Monster. Alongside him, a documentary crew- led by intrepid producer Zak Penn- film the proceedings as 'Enigma' goes into production. Though Herzog steadfastly disbelieves in the legend of Nessie, it seems that under the waters of the Loch something is stirring; something which may doom both productions to the cinematic shallows.

'Incident at Loch Ness' is a funny mockumentary that satirizes the documentary format, as well as the public persona of the great Werner Herzog. Zak Penn's directorial debut, the film humorously portrays the notion of cinéma vérité as a Sisyphean ideal, also showing how the sensationalist machinations of producers and moneymen can hamper the filmmaking process. Though occasionally the jokes feel a tad on the nose and the narrative loses some impetus in the latter half; the comedy comes fast and frequent, and will assuredly have you laughing throughout.

As will the caricature the film offers of Werner Herzog. Playing into and sending up his reputation as a profound, determined, borderline obsessive eccentric, the film's version of the director is not an over-the-top creation; more of a slyly, wryly heightened one (obviously written by someone with great admiration and affection for the man). Herzog's performance as himself is a masterclass in understated comedy. He exaggerates his mannerisms and style of speech subtly, never once verging into the overblown. The antics the film's Herzog engage in are madcap at times, but always played completely straight and in keeping with his established character, and his dialogue is consistently comical. It is a delight to see Herzog play such an amusing version of himself, and you'll surely remember his performance fondly.

Less impressive are the supporting characters, both in terms of writing and performance. While the central figure of Herzog is amusing, the ostensible co-star of 'Incident at Loch Ness' Zak Penn is considerably less so. His caricature as a desperate producer insistent on cliches and sensationalist tactics is a one-note, irritating creation, and Penn's performance as same is mediocre at best. The other characters are underwritten, so that talents like Russell Williams II and Gabriel Beristain are left with relatively little to do.

On the technical side, the film easily impresses. Like the best mockumentaries, such as 'This Is Spinal Tap' or 'Bob Roberts,' 'Incident at Loch Ness' doesn't overdo the technical conventions of documentary features, such as adding unnecessarily shaky cameras or grainy footage in an attempt to give the film a look grounded in realism. Instead, John Bailey's cinematography is reserved, professional and muted; in keeping with the actual style and look of documentaries. Abby Schwarzwalder and Howard E. Smith's editing must also be mentioned, as their consummate work adds to the effectiveness of the film's masquerade as truth.

Though it is not in the same league as 'This Is Spinal Tap,' 'Incident at Loch Ness' is a funny mockumentary centered around a cinematic giant that is easy to watch and enjoy. Featuring a great self-parodying performance from Werner Herzog and an assured visual style, the film has plenty to boast about; though it also has its' detractions. The supporting cast aren't particularly impressive and the narrative and its' characters are unevenly written. However, it's got plenty of moments that'll have you laughing, and for any fan of Herzog, it's a must watch. In short, 'Incident at Loch Ness' is something of a mixed bag; but one with treasures a-plenty for the discerning viewer.

The film appears to be a documentary about John Bailey making a documentary, "Herzog in Wonderland", about director Werner Herzog, who is himself undertaking a documentary seeking the truth behind the Loch Ness Monster and the cultural facts that lead to such beliefs. We witness Herzog and his crew from the earliest stages of their supposed documentary. Problems begin creeping up almost immediately, growing in severity until everyone's documentaries are abandoned in a climactic horrific incident--the Incident at Loch Ness.

This is really a brilliant film. The appearance is just a conceit. What's really going on is a very clever nested mockumentary that is basically This is Spinal Tap (1984) meets The Blair Witch Project (1999) in attitude and tone, with the twist that our protagonists are not fictional characters, but real people playing spoofed version of themselves.

Similar to some other recent faux documentaries, Incident at Loch Ness plays with the difference between truth and falsehood, fact and fiction, cinematic illusions and reality, while explicitly claiming to explore the same, occasionally untruthfully, in a cinematic equivalent to Epimenides' famous paradox, where a Cretan is claiming that "All Cretans are liars". It's sly enough to even make a committed postmodernist's head spin, and unlike other attempts at similar material from other filmmakers, Incident at Loch Ness has insightful things to say on many different levels--the postmodern playfulness isn't just pretentious here.

In fact, this is the film, minus the humor perhaps, that The Blair Witch Project and The Last Broadcast (1988) wanted to be. Unlike those films, here documentary really seems like documentary. First-time director Zak Penn (who is an experienced screenwriter) is smart and knowledgeable enough to know that documentaries (and even home movies) do not tend to look like they were filmed by someone having a seizure (both BWP and TLB), and they do not tend to feature monotone, extremely amateur comments from the faux interviewees which are then arbitrarily edited into frequently repeating snippets (TLB). Penn's intelligent approach results in Incident at Loch Ness feeling "real", which is exactly what it needs to do. The verisimilitude is only belied by the very funny, increasingly absurdest plot, when we're firmly in This is Spinal Tap territory.

Like This is Spinal Tap, Incident at Loch Ness is as funny as it is because it is so close to the truth. It only slightly exaggerates what really happens in the world of film and television--the ridiculous moves by producers in the hope of creating a more profitable product, the personality clashes and often "political" and subversive machinations in behind-the-scenes relationships, the toying with "the real" in reality shows and documentaries--giving the satire a lot more weight. For Herzog fans, there is a hilarious spoof overview of his past work near the beginning of the film, and fans will also simply delight in Herzog being able to poke fun at himself so easily and naturalistically.

But in trumping BWP and TLB, Incident at Loch Ness is a very realistic horror film as well, with horror coming not only in the climax when some characters end up dead, but all throughout the film with various minor disasters/problems, all threatening to send the feigned Herzog documentary to hell in a hand basket.

Incident at Loch Ness wouldn't have worked without excellent performances, making it even more notable in that the majority of the cast are not most well known, or even very experienced in some cases, as actors. The DVD is worth checking out, as Penn and Herzog do the main commentary in character. There are ample deleted scenes and lots of Easter eggs, as well, including hidden "serious" commentary.

The previous user who compared this film to the 'Fishing With John' series has it down fabulously. However, I have to disagree that you need to know anything about Herzog to enjoy the film. All you need to know is supplied in the very deftly-handled exposition.

I'd also compare it to LOST IN LA MANCHA... except, well. And it's kinda like WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, but... but mostly, it's very like THE BL-... well, I should shut up.

All I can say is that the film is proof that there is *something* to this latest onslaught of documentaries. There is great value in the language they use to convey a story and the self-reflexive possibilities are now endless, thanks to Zak Penn.

See this film.