Keep the River on Your Right

I was expecting this documentary to be about the peoples of the tribes in New Guinea and Peru that painter and anthropologist Tobias Scheenbaum lived with many years ago. It turns out that it really was about Scheenbaum and his own perceptions and memories more than anything else. At first I was a bit put off. He seemed like a bit of an odd old man that was going to make an extraordinary story sounds boring. However, as the film progressed it turns out that my first impression was wrong. In fact, it became quite interesting to hear his tales of taking male lovers in New Guinea or eating human flesh in Peru. Of course, those are the 'sensational' parts of the story-the ones touted in the trailer.

In the end, this was an interesting, and even moving, look at a man who seems so genuine and so kind that it is hard not to feel a bit of bittersweet sadness when, from the top of Machu Pichu, he discusses how he has done everything he wants to do and death is going to be welcome soon.

What started out as a frustration ended rather nicely. And I couldn't help wanting to reach through the screen when they show old interview clips because the people just didn't get it. Not to say it would not be the same today.