Composition of Volcanos and Cinema
We begin our journey with Katia and Maurice's most recognizable achievement- their exceptional footage of volcanic wonders. But before we proceed any further, I will let their footage introduce itself.
Clip from: "Into the Inferno", by director Werner Herzog
Clip from: "The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft", by director Werner Herzog
The intense and enigmatic voice you hear in the background of the video is that of Werner Herzog. Like many of us, Herzog was in awe when he first saw the footage and decided to chase volcanos himself in his film "Into the Inferno." He later dedicated an entire film to the volcanologists, paying them tribute in "The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft."
The significance of the footage originates from its proximity to one of the world's greatest mysteries. Katia and Maurice combined their scientific understanding of volcanic processes with aesthetics and cinematographic compositions. In other words, they knew exactly where to point the camera. Only volcanologists could obtain footage like this, but only Katia and Maurice were brave (or insane, depending on who you ask) enough to come this close. When interviewed about the dangers of researching volcanos, Katia responded," I am afraid when I go in a car, but on volcanos, I forget anything."
Fire of Love
The Kraffts' legacy gained international attention through director Sarah Dosas' film, "Fire of Love" (2022). Dosa and her team combed through hundreds of hours of the Kraffts' footage, conducted interviews with family members and friends, and dug through archives to understand the Kraffts.
"Fire of Love" trailer, 2022
Director Sarah Dosa indeed created one of the most aesthetically pleasing films of the year. The visuals are elevated thanks to the Kraffts' unique eye for volcanic compositions, and incredible editing by Erin Casper. However, "Fire of Love" strips the volcanologists of their true selves and makes them seem like movie stars. The Kraffts went through different phases in which they attempted to find the way they wanted to be presented, almost as if there was an "ideal" version that they wished to present on film. In many clips, they can be seen wearing bright red hats, which are the iconic symbol of marine biologist and filmmaker, Jacques Cousteau. In contrast to Werner Herzog's film, which acknowledges their search for identity, the film depicts Katia and Maurice as whimsical fashion icons, and not much else. Nevertheless, I urge you to watch both films and receive a rounded view of the Kraftt's achievements, as well as their search for purpose beyond lava.
Jacques- Yves Cousteau - IMDB
We will part from the Kraffts' mesmerizing footage with a clip from "Fire of Love." In the clip, we hear the voice of Dosa as she describes Katia's categorization of volcanos. Red volcanos are the effusive and basaltic volcanos we associate with classic eruption and shield volcanos, whereas grey volcanos are characterized by pyroclastic flows, lahar, death, and destruction.
Clip from "Fire of Love", by director Sarah Dosa (2022)