The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft

As it was said at the film's release, 2022 was a very fruitful year in terms of retelling the story of the Kraffts. Fire of Love may have passed me by, but I didn't miss Herzog's film. Although it’s 90-95% composed of footage shot by the Kraffts, it has a strong narrative value thanks to Herzog's work as narrator, bringing to life (literally) the searing relationship between the two volcanologists. The archival footage from the various volcanoes themselves is still absolutely breathtaking, with my favourite sequences showing the Kraffts walking in silver suits in front of an active volcano – almost like watching a futuristic or dystopian film. Herzog succeeded in vividly depicting and describing the evolution in the aesthetics of filming erupting volcanoes, with the Kraffts moving from amateurish, mundane shots to breathtakingly eerie (or is it terrifyingly breathtaking?) scenery, the impact of which is enhanced by the film's unmistakable musical score. Thanks to the commentary, the film has a rather humorous edge in places (the testing of protective helmets, the shots from the geyser, and the tourists at a volcano), but the foreground is mainly a tribute to the Kraffts, who dared to enter hell on Earth and paid the ultimate price. (2023.04.30)