Doc. FIRE of LOVE Volcanoes up Close and Personal

The visually stunning and hypnotic doc. "Fire of Love" is a compilation of videos and interviews of Maurice and Katia Kraft, a French couple who were professional volcanoes "chasers".  Much of the footage has never before been seen.  The scientific couple flicker on screen in front of majestic, volcanic eruptions.  Viewing the footage we can appreciate why they dedicated their lives to studying volcanoes throughout the world.  The film starts with footage on June 2, 1991.  The couple is seen on Mount Unzen in Japan just hours before they're killed instantly by the volcano's explosion.  Earlier, Maurice prophetically predicted his own death by such an explosion.  Katia explained she follows Maurice everywhere he goes because if he were to die there would be no reason to continue living.   Their passion for one another and their joint life's work is understandable and enviable but for a seeming death wish.  Regardless, the compilation of photographs, films and scientific notations amassed are immensely valuable.  In 1985, the couple made an impassioned plea to the government of Columbia to order an evacuation of citizens around the Nevado del Ruiz volcano because of its impending explosion.  Tragically, their warnings were unheeded.  The resulting devastation was staggering with an estimated loss of 25,000 lives.  Maurice and Katia vowed to make it a mission to alert nations to forewarn nations to avoid such needless tragedies in the future.  Their vigilance didn't prevent protecting themselves, their friends and crew filming on Mount Unzen.  "Fire of Love" is a fascinating and compelling film.  It's a charming, love story of two like minded individuals with a shared passion.  They met as college students, married soon after graduating and agreed not to have children and devote their energy towards documenting and understanding volcanoes and lava flows.  They traveled around the globe  pioneering the study of volcanoes and sharing their findings.  The film is also a breathtakingly, beautiful National Geographic expose of nature's destructive, omnipotent prowess. The movie works on both burners.  The narration deters from the film with sanguine quotes and its melancholic, monotone.   However, the score serves to intensify the magnificence of lava flows and volcanic eruptions.  This is a must see film to be seen on the big screen.   Its haunting imagery will emblazon molten memories into your cerebrum.   Maurice and Katia fell victim to their need for notoriety and funding which fueled their zeal to take their studies to the precipice.  "I prefer an intense and short life to a monotonous, long one." (M. Krafft)