Werner Herzog discusses the value of facts in his text On the Absolute, the Sublime, and Ecstatic Truth: "sometimes facts so exceed our expectations - have such an unusual, bizarre power that they seem unbelievable". Herzog's text reminds me of a particular scene in the first Pirates of the Caribbean film when the Black Pearl attacks Port Royal and Jack Sparrow has a conversation with a fellow prisoner. The prisoner, responding to Sparrow's claim that he recognizes the sounds of the cannons as belonging to the Black Pearl, that the Black Pearl leaves no survivors. Sparrow's response is one of the more memorable quotes in recent film history: "No survivors? Then where do the stories come from, I wonder?".
Herzog makes the point that in art (music, literature, cinema), a deeper truth (ecstatic truth as he calls it) can be found. The claim that the Black Pearl leaves no survivors is unbelievable, but it is the visual destruction of Port Royal that allows the audience to see the real truth of the matter. The cinematic effects involved create an ecstatic truth. The same could be said of The Thin Blue Line, as the interviews captured by the camera creates an inexplicable ecstatic truth. The audience's imaginations fly wild in hope of finding that ultimate truth under the influence of visual effects.
Plato's precious Allegory of the Cave claims that the prisoners only know the shadow or physical appearance of a book and are incapable of comprehending the actual concept of a book or its contents. In other words, Plato claims that perception and reality (or truth) are very different indeed. The Thin Blue Line is a wonderful example of perception becoming reality, or art becoming truth. Back to my original question of a fictional Thin Blue Line, would truth not still be uncovered? It is my contention that regardless of the film's accuracy, an ecstatic truth can be found. It is also my contention that Plato is mistaken in believing that truth cannot be formed from the shadows, or perceptions. Then again, do all audience members believe the same truth? Some might say that Randall Adams was rightfully convicted. The beauty of art is that not only can a truth be uncovered, but they can also vary in form.
Mullroy: I think he's telling the truth.
Murtogg: If he were telling the truth, he wouldn't have told us.
Jack Sparrow: Unless, of course, he knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told it to you.
One, I really liked the POC reference, and the simplicity of your explanation. I had been struggling to understand what Herzog meant by the ecstatic truth but that helped me to understand it a lot more. I do believe that you're right. The things that we can't comprehend doing, because we cannot see ourselves acting in the same way is a very self-centered way of thinking. And, I never realized how unreliable our gauges for truth and fact are until now. I couldn't believe that people went through the lengths that they did in the movie Catfish, but I also can't believe that I've watched POC numerous times now, and never related it to something like this.
ReplyDeleteI think that you posed a very interesting question. I think that as you stated there would be still some truth to be found even in a "mockumentary"; however, the viewer's perception of truth would be altered. Documentaries gives people the perception that some truth or at least the majority what is presented is factual. I feel that eye witnessed testimony should have been the deciding factor in a man's innocence. As Plato pointed out perception and truth are not the same thus the testimonies could have been just as fake as a child's "imaginary friend" because there is a lot that goes into making a decision about what one has seen such as stereotypes about certain people and what you can't see, your mind fills in those blanks based off of those stereotypes or prejudices.
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