“Theater of Thought” takes a meandering tour through neural research

Director Werner Herzog needs no introduction from his better known films "Fitzcarraldo" to "Grizzly Man." A fiction and nonfiction director, for the documentary "Theater of Thought" Herzog turns his attention to neural technology and the landscape of the mind where, through various interviews, he surveys brain research and, it seems, anything remotely connected that occurs to him.

Noted scientists hold forth on diverse subjects, including cryptography, cerebral cortex mapping, calcium illumination, neural encrypted helmets, quantum computers, hydras with the earliest developed nervous systems, telepathy, brain-computer interfaces, polymer physics, chip making, and integrated circuit technologies. At one point fairly early in the film, after a discussion of giant cryostats and qubits, Herzog comments, "I understand none of this but find it fascinating." Because this disconnected survey of neuroscience remains superficial in every instance, that is probably the dominant viewer reaction as well. 

That's particularly disheartening since the scientists comprise an articulate, expert group, from Richard Axel, Nobel Prize winner for decoding the sense of smell, to a who's who from Columbia, Stanford, MIT, Washington, and Rockefeller Universities, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, Research at IBM, and more. But Herzog interviews each much too briefly about their areas of expertise before he moves on to another person, including Philippe Petit, the man who walked the tightrope between the Twin Towers. Why? Because he could? In addition, Herzog's customary, droning voiceover narration and his interviewing off camera add nothing.

In press notes, Herzog writes that "much of what's in 'Theater of Thought' has been dormant in me for a long time." I wish he'd explored and analyzed this stockpile of his simmering, fertile topics more comprehensively. What's here is no more than an unfulfilling appetizer. Indeed, as a parting comment, Herzog says he leaves this inquiry more mystified than when he began. So am I, disappointed at the insubstantial exploration of such rich topics. "Theater of Thought" screens at Webster University’s Winifred Moore auditorium Friday, February 7, through Sunday, February 9, at 7:00 p.m. each of those evenings. For more information, you may visit the film series website.