Check this out: Incident at Loch Ness

[April 13th, 2005] Late last year, Incident at Loch Ness crept into the Hollywood Theatre. I was instantly taken by the film, a dark, twisted comedy that brilliantly played with the notions of fact and fiction. And since the film had its longest theatrical run here in Portland, it seems other people appreciated it as well. For those of you who missed it when it was in town, Incident at Loch Ness was recently released on DVD.

Filmmaker Werner Herzog is known not only for such incredible films as Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre: The Wrath of God, but also for the near-maniacal passion that has driven him to the brink of madness while making those movies. Herzog's vision and passion were to be the topics of John Bailey's documentary Herzog in Wonderland, which itself was an account of the director's attempt to make his film Enigma of Loch Ness. Following Herzog and his crew to Scotland, Bailey manages to capture a film production doomed to both failure and tragedy. Zak Penn, the producer of Enigma, has a hidden agenda, which begins to come to the surface once Herzog and his crew venture out on to Loch Ness, where the legendary monster is said to dwell. But hidden agendas aren't the only things that come to the surface, as Herzog and crew make a discovery scientists and adventurers have spent centuries chasing.

By now many of you know the hidden secret of Incident at Loch Ness, but don't let that stop you from seeing this film. In fact, being in on the twist/joke can make viewing more fun-sort of like knowing the truth about Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense. Incident at Loch Ness is a profound examination of the filmmaking process that is at once informative, terrifying, hilarious and entertaining.

The recently released DVD includes an audio commentary with Penn and Herzog, deleted scenes, outtakes, and a bunch of hidden surprises.