Incident at Loch Ness
Encyclopedia
Incident at Loch Ness is a mockumentary
starring, produced by and written by, Werner Herzog
and Zak Penn
. The small cast film follows Herzog and his crew (Gabriel Beristain, Russell Williams II) while working on the production of an abandoned movie project on the Loch Ness Monster
entitled Enigma of Loch Ness. It won the New American Cinema Award at the 2004
Seattle International Film Festival
.
called Herzog In Wonderland being directed by John Bailey
with an overview of Herzog's work as he himself begins work for a separate documentary to be called Enigma of Loch Ness, in which he is exploring the Loch Ness Monster
myth. Throughout the film, Herzog asserts the Loch Ness Monster is merely a creation of a collective psychological need in society.
As the film continues, Herzog hosts a dinner party to kick off film production. In attendance are his wife (Lena Herzog
), several Hollywood celebrities (Jeff Goldblum
, Ricky Jay
), and the film's crew. Difficulties begin to arise as the untested producer
, Zak Penn
, attempts to transform Herzog's film into a high-grossing blockbuster
. In this attempt, Penn commits several Hollywood clichés such as hiring a beautiful woman (Kitana Baker
) for a dubious role as a sonar
operator and a self-deluded cryptozoologist (Michael Karnow) for comic relief.
As the shooting progresses, the tension between Herzog and Penn escalates with each revelation that Penn is acting in an underhanded manner. First, it becomes quite apparent the producer has commissioned a fake "Nessie
" to be used. Then both Kitana and Karnow are revealed to be actors hired by Penn.
In a twist of events, when Herzog and his crew are working on their film, the crew begins to see what appears to truly be the Loch Ness Monster. Herzog and crew become more and more concerned as first the boat's motor fails and then the "monster" appears to be attacking the vessel in a deepening fog. The crew huddles below decks until the monster returns again to ram the boat hard enough to cause it to begin to sink. Karnow is thrown overboard during another attack, "Nessie" now clearly visible to the crew. Karnow is lost in the fog and presumably eaten by the monster. After Penn and the assistant director
(AD), Robert O'Meara, sneak away in the liferaft, Herzog decides to put on the ship's sole wetsuit
and swim to shore for help. Before he can do so, however, "Nessie" returns to finally sink the ship. While holding a camera in a water-resistant housing, Herzog captures underwater images of a large creature passing him in the murky, dark water.
The next day, Penn is found by vacationers on holiday and leads them back to recover all but O'Meara and Karnow, who are presumed dead. At this point, it appears that both the documentary film we have been watching and the documentary film we were watching Herzog make could be fictitious. However, this never becomes completely obvious, and the film ends without making it clear exactly who is duping whom.
. Penn wrote what he calls a "scriptment
" (part script
, part treatment
) that outlined the specific structure of the film and including key dialogue that was needed in order to advance the plot, but left most of the dialogue and interaction up to the participants to work out as improvisation
.
As shown on the DVD, the "hoax" was on even before photography started as several media outlets announced the upcoming production as an actual film. Adding to the verisimilitude
is the fact that everyone who appears on screen is a real person and most are in fact who they say they are. For example, DP Gabriel Beristain and soundman Russell Williams II are well-known, distinguished professionals who did work on the productions they respectively name on screen.
enjoyed the film, giving it 3 stars out of 4, saying: "Watching the movie is an entertaining exercise in forensic viewing, and the insidious thing is, even if it is a con, who is the conner and who is the connee?"
Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times called it: "An amusing mock documentary that spends considerable energy artfully trying to make you believe it's real as real can be."
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
starring, produced by and written by, Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog Stipetić , known as Werner Herzog, is a German film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and opera director.He is often considered as one of the greatest figures of the New German Cinema, along with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Margarethe von Trotta, Volker Schlöndorff, Werner...
and Zak Penn
Zak Penn
Zak Penn is an American screenwriter and director. Penn wrote and directed Incident at Loch Ness, The Grand, and co-wrote the script for X-Men: The Last Stand. With Michael Karnow, Penn is the co-creator of Alphas.-Early life:...
. The small cast film follows Herzog and his crew (Gabriel Beristain, Russell Williams II) while working on the production of an abandoned movie project on the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
entitled Enigma of Loch Ness. It won the New American Cinema Award at the 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
The Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
.
Plot summary
After a mysterious shot of a body floating in Loch Ness (reprised near the end), Incident at Loch Ness flashes back to the beginning of a documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
called Herzog In Wonderland being directed by John Bailey
John Bailey (cinematographer)
John Bailey, A.S.C. is an American Cinematographer and Film Director.Born in Moberly, Missouri, Bailey attended Santa Clara University and Loyola University Chicago. During his junior year he studied German language and culture at the University of Vienna, where he developed an appreciation for...
with an overview of Herzog's work as he himself begins work for a separate documentary to be called Enigma of Loch Ness, in which he is exploring the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
myth. Throughout the film, Herzog asserts the Loch Ness Monster is merely a creation of a collective psychological need in society.
As the film continues, Herzog hosts a dinner party to kick off film production. In attendance are his wife (Lena Herzog
Lena Herzog
Lena Herzog is a documentary and fine art photographer.Born Elena Pisetski in 1970 in the Russian city of Ekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains, Herzog moved to St. Petersburg in 1987 to attend the Philological Faculty of St. Petersburg University where she studied languages and literature...
), several Hollywood celebrities (Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum
Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is an American actor. His career began in the mid-1970s and he has appeared in major box-office successes including The Fly, Jurassic Park and its sequel Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Independence Day...
, Ricky Jay
Ricky Jay
Richard Jay Potash , better known by the stage name Ricky Jay, is an American stage magician, actor, and writer. He is a sleight-of-hand expert and is notable for his card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter.-Life and career:...
), and the film's crew. Difficulties begin to arise as the untested producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, Zak Penn
Zak Penn
Zak Penn is an American screenwriter and director. Penn wrote and directed Incident at Loch Ness, The Grand, and co-wrote the script for X-Men: The Last Stand. With Michael Karnow, Penn is the co-creator of Alphas.-Early life:...
, attempts to transform Herzog's film into a high-grossing blockbuster
Blockbuster (entertainment)
Blockbuster, as applied to film or theatre, denotes a very popular or successful production. The entertainment industry use was originally theatrical slang referring to a particularly successful play but is now used primarily by the film industry...
. In this attempt, Penn commits several Hollywood clichés such as hiring a beautiful woman (Kitana Baker
Kitana Baker
Kitana Baker is an American model and actressBorn in Anaheim, California, and of Chinese, Hawaiian, German, and Irish ancestry, Baker has appeared in numerous films, videos and television shows, and has worked for both E! and Playboy...
) for a dubious role as a sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
operator and a self-deluded cryptozoologist (Michael Karnow) for comic relief.
As the shooting progresses, the tension between Herzog and Penn escalates with each revelation that Penn is acting in an underhanded manner. First, it becomes quite apparent the producer has commissioned a fake "Nessie
NESSIE
NESSIE was a European research project funded from 2000–2003 to identify secure cryptographic primitives. The project was comparable to the NIST AES process and the Japanese Government-sponsored CRYPTREC project, but with notable differences from both...
" to be used. Then both Kitana and Karnow are revealed to be actors hired by Penn.
In a twist of events, when Herzog and his crew are working on their film, the crew begins to see what appears to truly be the Loch Ness Monster. Herzog and crew become more and more concerned as first the boat's motor fails and then the "monster" appears to be attacking the vessel in a deepening fog. The crew huddles below decks until the monster returns again to ram the boat hard enough to cause it to begin to sink. Karnow is thrown overboard during another attack, "Nessie" now clearly visible to the crew. Karnow is lost in the fog and presumably eaten by the monster. After Penn and the assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
(AD), Robert O'Meara, sneak away in the liferaft, Herzog decides to put on the ship's sole wetsuit
Wetsuit
A wetsuit is a garment, usually made of foamed neoprene, which is worn by surfers, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports, providing thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy. The insulation properties depend on bubbles of gas enclosed within the material,...
and swim to shore for help. Before he can do so, however, "Nessie" returns to finally sink the ship. While holding a camera in a water-resistant housing, Herzog captures underwater images of a large creature passing him in the murky, dark water.
The next day, Penn is found by vacationers on holiday and leads them back to recover all but O'Meara and Karnow, who are presumed dead. At this point, it appears that both the documentary film we have been watching and the documentary film we were watching Herzog make could be fictitious. However, this never becomes completely obvious, and the film ends without making it clear exactly who is duping whom.
Production
The entire movie is actually a mockumentary film-within-a-film-within-a-film invented by Penn. The ruse is revealed in Easter eggs hidden on the DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. Penn wrote what he calls a "scriptment
Scriptment
A scriptment is a written work by a movie or television screenwriter that combines elements of a script and treatment, especially the dialogue elements, which are formatted the same as in a screenplay. It is a more elaborate document than a standard draft treatment...
" (part script
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
, part treatment
Film treatment
A film treatment is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally longer and more detailed than an outline , and it may include details of directorial style that an outline omits...
) that outlined the specific structure of the film and including key dialogue that was needed in order to advance the plot, but left most of the dialogue and interaction up to the participants to work out as improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
.
As shown on the DVD, the "hoax" was on even before photography started as several media outlets announced the upcoming production as an actual film. Adding to the verisimilitude
Verisimilitude
Verisimilitude is the quality of realism in something .-Competing ideas:The problem of verisimilitude is the problem of articulating what it takes for one false theory to be closer to the truth than another false theory...
is the fact that everyone who appears on screen is a real person and most are in fact who they say they are. For example, DP Gabriel Beristain and soundman Russell Williams II are well-known, distinguished professionals who did work on the productions they respectively name on screen.
Critical reaction
Incident at Loch Ness scored a moderate 61% fresh rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website. Critic Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
enjoyed the film, giving it 3 stars out of 4, saying: "Watching the movie is an entertaining exercise in forensic viewing, and the insidious thing is, even if it is a con, who is the conner and who is the connee?"
Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times called it: "An amusing mock documentary that spends considerable energy artfully trying to make you believe it's real as real can be."