Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
90%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
2 wins & 16 nominations total
Encounters at the End of the World offers a poignant study of the human psyche amid haunting landscapes.
Encounters at the End of the World” is a documentary that takes you on a journey to the coldest place on Earth, Antarctica. While some may expect to see more penguins, this film offers a unique perspective on the people who live and work in this extreme environment. Director Werner Herzog’s respect for the environment is evident, and the breathtaking footage of the natural wonders of the pole will leave you in awe. Plus, who knew penguins could be so scandalous? This film reveals some surprising revelations about these adorable creatures, including their “prostitution” habits and even some gay penguins. Overall, “Encounters at the End of the World” is a fascinating and thought-provoking documentary that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the beauty and fragility of our planet.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
ThinkFilm
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Antarctica
MPAA / Certificate
G
Year of Release
2008
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 39m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 11, 2008 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2008
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, Antarctica, human psyche, Werner Herzog, Henry Kaiser, English, G, McMurdo Station, scientists, wildlife, natural wonders, box office, gross USA, ThinkFilm, reviewed by Ty Burr, David Fear, Ben Kenigsberg, Roger Moore, Edward Porter, Trevor Johnston, Brian Eggert, Mattie Lucas, Jerry White, Nick Rogers, Ian Buckwalter, Louise Keller, starring Werner Herzog, directed by Werner Herzog, written by Werner Herzog, produced by Henry Kaiser, MPAA rating G, untouched landscape, unique people, risky research, haunting landscapes, environmental effects, fate of humanity, underwater footage, dirty buildings, noisy, cluttered, seals, penguins, wanderers, truck drivers, welders, Antarctic research center, poignant study, desolate, beautiful landscape, untouched by human hands, volatile conditions, awe-inspiring natural wonders
Worldwide gross: $1,205,464
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,660,481
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,463
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 181,077
US/Canada gross: $944,933
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,301,609
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,122
US/Canada opening weekend: $17,730
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $24,422
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,440
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Scott Rowland – Self
Stefan Pashov – Self
Doug MacAyeal – Self
Ryan Andrew Evans – Self
Kevin Emery – Self
Director(s)
Werner Herzog
Writer(s)
Werner Herzog
Producer(s)
Henry Kaiser
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
2 wins & 16 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (112) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (105) | Rotten (7)
November 24, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
November 16, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
David Fear
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
November 16, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
May 13, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
This documentary about life in and around a vast scientific research centre in Antarctica. None of these meetings, however, is as interesting as the interspersed footage of the pole’s natural wonders.
April 28, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Edward Porter
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Seemingly off-hand, cumulatively imposing, utterly masterful.
April 24, 2009 | Rating: 5/6
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
An exceptionally beautiful and thoughtful documentary.
April 4, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
A minor miracle of a movie, one that dares, even for an instant, to reach out and touch the face of god.
July 7, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Some TV viewers may tune in expecting more penguins; what they get instead is a portrait of people in search of the sublime.
March 30, 2018
Jerry White
Cinema Scope
Damnably frustrating and fascinating, Herzog’s questions deconstruct Earth’s DNA in a scientific process going beyond statistics to ancestry or spirituality – an idea that we’re witnesses and valets who are here and, sooner than we think, will be gone.
September 25, 2010 | Rating: 4/4
Nick Rogers
The Film Yap
Respect for the environment is not a moral issue for Herzog, but a common sense issue of survival. In the harsh environs of the polar regions, his point is made with crystalline clarity.
June 12, 2010 | Rating: 8.9/10
Ian Buckwalter
DCist
The footage is breathtaking. We also are privileged to watch seals feeding their young, but the revelations about penguin ‘prostitutes’ are perhaps the film’s most extraordinary. Gay penguins? Insane penguins?
September 10, 2009
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile…
Plot
Acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica to explore the minds of scientists studying the continent’s wildlife and natural wonders in Encounters at the End of the World.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Werner Herzog, the acclaimed filmmaker, serves as both the director and writer of Encounters at the End of the World.
Werner-Herzog.jpg
