Peter Fischli & David Weiss’ 1983 film The Right Way features their mascot icons Rat and Bear journeying through the Swiss Alps. Rat and Bear drift through caves, glaciers and swamps, less a representation of the world as our fears, hubris and inability to focus.Like Werner Herzog’s Aguirre, Rat and Bear dally with a primal essence that comes out in moments of loss, confusion and incongruous observations.
Their aimless path drifts from the brink of death to congratulating each other on being at the top of the food chain to trying to kill each other, caricaturing the men inside the outfits.
Whatever sense can be made of Rat and Bear, I do wonder how much it might damage a child to see and hear any of this.