The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft

It's easy to see why Werner Herzog was attracted to the story of Katia and Maurice Krafft, seeing as they had a job that involved some kind of unusual natural phenomena, they had a determination that put themselves in immense danger, and they were also keen filmmakers, in a way.

Plenty of Herzog movies (his feature films and documentaries alike) have unusual or unconventional figures pursuing something outdoors, and I think The Fire Within feels almost like a spiritual sequel to Grizzly Man, in some ways. We learn the fate of the central figures straight away, and in both films, those figures left behind much film footage that more or less speaks to who they were. The key difference is that in Grizzly Man, grizzly bears were the dangerous threat within nature, and in this documentary, it's volcanoes.

I feel like there might be less mystery or psychological deep-diving here on Herzog's part, which might be the main reason this didn't grip me as much as Grizzly Man, nor some of the very best Herzog documentaries out there. Maybe there was less to ponder about when it came to Katia and Maurice Krafft, or maybe Herzog was more intent on letting the footage speak for itself (unlike Grizzly Man, The Fire Within does notably lack interviews with other people throughout).

But for the amazing footage on offer, and the interesting presentation/editing, The Fire Within's still good. It wasn't done any favors by coming out the same year as the superior Fire of Love, because that one focused on the same people and was, from memory, much more emotionally resonant, but I still feel like there's enough on offer in The Fire Within to make it worth watching alongside that other 2022 documentary about Katia and Maurice Krafft.

Some scenes were so awe-inspiring I had to watch twice. I particularly savoured the pairing of the Kyrie from Bach's Bminor Mass with erupting volcanoes and larvae flow as it gave an unexpectedly graceful impression. Later on we hear extracts from Verdi's Requiem but not the overly famous bit! We don't learn much of what motivates Katia and Maurice Kraft to be so consumed by volcanoes which is part of the charm of the documentary as it gives the viewer an opportunity to ruminate instead. The narration gives plenty of space. The few words which are spoken are very telling. A masterpiece which I feel immensely privileged to have watched.

Werner Herzog made this documentary not as a biography, but as a celebration and showcase of the work of a French couple famed for their pioneering photography of volcanoes, a dangerous craft that ultimately cost them their lives. It's pleasingly unpretentious: we see excerpts from their (still stunning) work alongside a little casual footage of the film-makers themselves, while Herzog gives us a quiet commentary more from the perspective of a fan than that of an expert (though of course he knows something of what he is talking about). If there's a tragic dimension (did they keep taking risks because that was what, at the end of the day, they did) Herzog doesn't dwell on it. It might sound dull and pedestrian, but the stunning images keep you attached, and draw out your admiration for those who dared to film them.

I could honestly not listen to some parts of the awe inspiring footage for the shouting and wailing music. This type of music is so divisive I don't know why they didn't just use emotive classical music. It spoiled the whole documentary for me. What I did see with the sound turned down was amazing. The couple seem to have a death wish at times and are more thrill seekers than volcanologist. The footage they filmed is incredible though. To see the devastation volcanos wreck on human and animal life is heartbreaking. This is how our amazing planet began and to honour the death from our past we should do more to save our future.

Despite some rough edits and bare bones production value, another Herzog masterpiece in the same league as Fata Morgana.

The images shot by the Krafts and their home movies of each other are breathtaking. These are stitched together masterfully by Herzog as a lasting tribute to their work and a celebration of their sense of wonder.