Review of Fitzcarraldo (1982) by Lisa R — 06 Mar 2009

Of all the great spectacles in cinema history, "Fitzcarraldo" may be the most overlooked. Much of the impressive visuals from "Apocalypse Now" are here - the rivers, the jungles, hundreds of natives - the only difference is, of course, the explosions replaced by a mammoth boat dragged up a mountain. Although "Fitzcarraldo" is inferior to a work like that, it still handily stands on it's own as a great visionary spectacle that's absolutely unforgettable.

Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (Klaus Kinski), later dubbed Fitzcarraldo, is an Irish dreamer with a love of opera. The film opens with Fitzcarraldo and his lover, Molly (Claudio Cardinale), working their way to Manaus after a 1,2000 mile trip down the Amazon. Their destination? To hear the great opera singer Caruso (Costante Moret), the very man who fuels Fitzcarraldo's own extraordinary vision. He wishes to build an opera house in the jungles of Iquitos and bring in Caruso to perform.

After a series of failed investments, Fitzcarraldo makes an effort to get on the rubber bandwagon. He purchases a spread of 400 square miles in land for a very cheap price - cheap because, well, it's inaccessible. There are heavy rapids on the river leading to the land, certainly too dangerous for a boat. However, the madman Fitzcarraldo sees another route - by traveling down a parallel river, he can pass the rapids, take his intact boat across a mountain, and finish his expedition on the other side. Shockingly, he succeeds with help of hundreds of natives apparently compelled by his determination. The question, of course, is how the hell did he plan do to this without that kind of man power? A small crew certainly isn't going to haul a large boat over a mountain. As an audience, we don't think that Fitzcarraldo had ever thought that far ahead.

The beauty of the sights in "Fitzcarraldo" will burn in your retina. From the wild Klaus Kinski, wearing a white suit and a large hat, overseeing his boat pulled up a mountain, to the trip down the Amazon that mirrors "Aguirre: The Wrath of God", the film is largely unmatched in it's incredible visuals. Zack Snyder's "Watchmen" opens this weekend, a spectacle promoted on the strength of it's visual effects. I doubt that anything in that film will leave a mark like "Fitzcarraldo".

"Fitzcarraldo" isn't a perfect film, especially due to it's lackluster conclusion (it's hard to have a satisfying climax after you've hauled a boat over a mountain), but it's certainly worth seeing. NetFlix members can watch it on Instant View.