Rescue Dawn

Ibolya and I watched 'Rescue Dawn' on DVD last night, our first film of the year.
I've loved Werner Herzog's movies since I first saw 'Fitzcarraldo' 20 years ago. I love his 'mad-German', 'method' approach to making films and he's a towering figure in world cinema. I love it that he's still making films and that he's so prolific.
His protagonists are always pitted against beautiful yet hostile environments and concher against all odds. None more so than this which tells the true story of Deiter Dengler, the only US serviceman to escape a POW camp during the Vietnam War. Shot down over Laos, on a secret bombing raid in 1965, 40 minutes into his very first mission, Dengler survived capture, torture, escape and starvation during months in the jungle.
Herzog cast his method equal in Christian Bale who boasts in the extras that he shed 50lbs, ate magots, did all his own stunts and was tortured by natives to accurately tell Dengler's remarkable story.
Ibolya and I really enjoyed it, it's a great film that's powerfully optimistic, humane and inspiring.