Review of Fitzcarraldo (1982) by Chase K — 04 Dec 2008

[font=Georgia][color=black][i]Fitzcarraldo[/i] is a miracle -- bold, contrarian filmmaking and an obsessive piece of work about an obsessive character who loves opera so much he is willing to put his life on the line to bring an opera house to the Peruvian jungle. [/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]Of course, when everybody think of this movie (whether they've seen it or not), they think of the shots of the ship being pulled through the jungle -- it's the primary dramatic moment in the entire 160-minute running time -- which is why the film is such a miracle. It's essentially like watching manual labor for nearly 3 hours, but it's oh so much more. [/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]The act of the ship being pulled over the mountain through the jungle, is one of the greatest achievements I've ever seen on screen. In many ways, it's more Werner Herzog's achievement than Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald's (Klaus Kinski), and the parallels between Herzog and the title character are so similar, Herzog almost played the role himself. [/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]Brilliant movie, I urge everyone to seek it out -- Over time, I may have a new Top 10 list to write.[/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000][i]Nosferatu[/i] was the other Herzog I watched, and I loved it as well. You only have to watch the 6-minute scene where Harker (Bruno Ganz) travels through the fog-drenched mountains to Count Dracula's castle (set to the musical piece that was instantly recognizable from [i]The New World) [/i]to realize this is a rare, cherishable moment. [/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]Kinski is great as Dracula, and his image lends strength to a moody, atmospheric and genuinely unsettling art-horror film. [/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000][i]Reds [/i]is a long politically-charged epic following two journalists during the times of the Russian Revolution in the early 20th century. Fortunately, it's a great script -- well written, well acted, decently shot. Jack Nicholson sizzles in his few scenes with Diane Keaton, and Warren Beatty is predictably good, as well.[/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]I didn't like the 'documentary interviews' that play throughout -- I would have preferred it if a simple narrator would have supplied the historical context. It's a stylistic touch, just didn't work for me -- It was like a reminder that what you are watching is fictionalized, I couldn't get lost into the scope of it all. [/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]Really good movie, however. Understandably a bigger Oscar winner in 1981 -- although it did not win Best Picture.[/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]Believe it or not, I had never seen [i]The Bridge on the River Kwai[/i] all the way through in one sitting. Had seen the end, maybe the beginning, but that's it. It's a tremendous David Lean epic, war-time tale. The whole thing oozes of 'Hollywood classic' which is ironic given that it's a UK production.[/color][/font].

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[font=Georgia][color=#000000]All of the technical aspects -- with the knowledge that the film was shot in the 50's -- are great. It's visually stimulating, handsomely shot, and the depth of the screenplay must have been unheard of back then. The finale is like a head-on collision that's been brewing ever since the film started -- plus, who doesn't whistle that damn song for a day after seeing it?[/color][/font].

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