Werner Herzog takes on the brain in 'Theatre of Thought' (TIFF review)
Werner Herzog wrecks his brain on the scientific explanations about the inner workings of the organ in charge of us all.
Werner Herzog has been a regular at TIFF, always bringing some light to the sometimes darker docs at the festival. And his latest subject definitely benefits the light-heartedness of his approach.
He speaks with about a dozen scientists on the brain. About reading it, manipulating it or operating on it. And it's a pretty dry subject. One that takes years if not decades of research.
Herzog wouldn't be where he is if he wouldn't get the most interesting and entertaining stories out of these people though. He manages to make mostly complicated scientific explanations human, by throwing in an off question for. Like when he interviews a scientific married couple, he's more interested in the romantic dynamic between the two at the dinner table than their scientific explanations.
At other times he just drifts off. When he sees a diving video looping behind the siri creator, suddenly the subject jumps to the fishes in the video. Do they have thoughts like us? How do they know how to swim together like that?
When all is literally said and done, we come out a little more knowledgeable about our brain. But mostly we get to understand the huge breakthroughs are yet to come.
'Theatre of Thought' had its world premiere at #TIFF22
