EL SEGUNDO HERALD December 1, 2016 Page 7 Entertainment Check It Out Film Review Werner Herzog’s Into the Inferno is a Different Kind of Nature Odyssey By H. Nelson Tracey for www.cinemacy.com In director Werner Herzog’s own words, “This is not something you will find playing on the National Geographic channel.” And with all due respect to NatGeo…from the very beginning, the sounds of an angelic chorus singing hymns over images of a fiery chasm of volcanic magma reveals that we are in for a different kind of nature odyssey. Over the next 100 minutes, we follow Werner Herzog and volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer across the globe as they witness some of the world’s most deadly volcanoes and talk to those nearby who call this adjacent land home in the documentary Into the Inferno. About halfway through the movie, I had a realization that completely invigorated the remainder of the film’s runtime: Herzog has no intention of making a movie about volcanoes and their properties. Again, let’s leave that to the educational documentaries. This is hardly a film about volcanoes at all, but in fact a story of humanity. Herzog’s journey is about humankind’s relationship to these fiery infernos and how these relationships are portrayed from place to place throughout the world. These chasms have produced legends of all kinds that vary from the South Pacific, Antarctica, the Caribbean and, most surprisingly, North Korea. The myths themselves are intriguing, but the heart of the film is the power that these volcanoes strike into the hearts of those who witness them up close. Some view them as gods, some as ancestors and some as government. But the action of exalting is found globally. So when the film makes a detour to talk about the beginning of civilization, I was initially puzzled--but then recognized this as a confirmation of its focus on humanity, despite being led to believe it’s all about the volcanoes. This type of bait-and-switch artistry is what makes Herzog so essential to the documentary world. He playfully rejects the notions we have grown accustomed to of the informational documentary and views the medium more as art than educational think-piece. This demands an extra level of attention from the viewer, but for cinephiles this is a delightful treat to the stimuli. My personal realization that he had in fact made a movie about humanity disguised as a volcano film is the type of exciting realization that makes this so engaging, yet I wouldn’t be surprised if another viewer read into an entirely different argument. In fact, I’d welcome it. Unlike many films that come out in the fall when we typically only get specialty releases in the major cities, Into the Inferno is already available to view on Netflix. In other words, there is no need to wait another moment to dive into this adventure. Let the ferocity of the world’s volcanoes matched with the insight of a documentary master be your companions of choice on your next night in... Into the Inferno is not rated. 104 minutes. Now streaming on Netflix. • The Devil in the Valley By Castle Freeman, Jr. The Gentleman By Forrest Leo Reviewed by Roz Templin, Library Assistant, El Segundo Public Library This review discusses two books similar in theme, with writing styles distinctly different from each other. The Devil in the Valley is a contemporary take on an old tale: What if you could have The Devil in the Valley by Castle Freeman, Jr. The Gentleman by Forrest Leo. your heart’s desire(s)? What is the price you are willing to pay to acquire those things? Langdon Taft is a retired teacher. Taft drinks. Taft is bored. One day, a fellow named Dangerfield appears and offers him a contract for seven months. During that time, Dangerfield will serve Taft and get him whatever he wants. On Columbus Day, Taft will pay up…with his soul. Leisurely-paced and folksy, author Freeman, Jr. introduces us to those in Taft’s orbit --- there’s his friend Eli Adams and Eli’s 98 year-old “cousin” Calpurnia, who figures prominently in unexpected ways as the story continues. Taft’s “desires” turn out to be good deeds for his neighbors, which antagonize the Devil’s representative, Mr. Dangerfield. Readers will appreciate Langdon Taft’s transformation from a solitary, taciturn near-drunk into a well-meaning, charitable benefactor, with several twists and turns along the way. The Gentleman, however, is a light-heartedly amusing adventure that is written in the Victorian British style. Lionel Savage, a popular London poet, finds that he has lost his wife to the Devil (AKA, The Gentleman) and must find a way to get her back from the depths of Hell. He enlists his faithful butler Simmons, his younger sister Lizzie, his brother-in-law Ashley Lancaster and inventor Will Kensington to accompany him on his mission to rescue Vivien from Down Below. Absurd and outright funny, author Forrest Leo has created some over-the-top characters in wild situations, accompanied by period illustrations and droll footnotes by the book’s “editor.” The Devil in the Valley and The Gentleman are both entertaining and humorous reads. The El Segundo Public Library offers access to its collection of titles in a variety of formats, including traditional hardback, ebooks and books on CD. To check out either The Devil in the Valley, The Gentleman, or any other titles on your to-read list, please visit the library to apply for your free library card, or please contact the reference staff for further assistance. • Photo courtesy of Netflix. Missing Missing Box Turtle “Lucky” has been in our family for over 20 years and belonged to my late mother. She is about 6”-7” across. We miss her very much and are hoping for her safe return. REWARD Call / Text (310) 963-6160 Roz Templin. Eagles from page 5 season. Two returning sophomores watched and learned from the graduating seniors and figure to step right in and make the Lady Eagles competitive. Tatianna Taylor-Willis will start at center and according to Kiehm, the senior gives the team a much-needed presence in the rebounding department. Rounding out the starting lineup is freshman Hannah Chang. She is as good as any player in the program--and with her ball-handling and shooting skills, she gives the team many options. Kayla Smith Petty and Chanel Murray are returning sophomores who will be needed off the bench. With their experience and skills, there won’t be much of a drop-off between the starters and the bench personnel. Reese Jones is a freshman who will play significant minutes coming off the bench. Rounding out the roster are Paige Bargas, Justina Gorgy and Alliya Nomura. The Lady Eagles are off to a 1-1 record, but should really be tested when they face Mira Costa on the road Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Mustangs have reached the CIF finals the past three seasons and have a number of returning players from last year’s team. The Lady Eagles won’t play their first home game until Friday, December 16 at 7 p.m. when they host Lakewood. The Lady Eagles finished third in the Ocean League last season and hope to knock off Culver City--the consensus league favorite. But the Centaurs will be gunning for the Eagles after El Segundo ended Culver City’s 42-game consecutive Ocean League win streak last season. The Lady Eagles have a streak of their own going, having advanced a school record seven consecutive seasons to the CIF playoffs. •
Herald_120116_FNL_lorez
To see the actual publication please follow the link above