Review of Fitzcarraldo (1982) by Glenn S — 01 Apr 2008

Everything about this movie is right on. Cinemetography (a perfect mix of long, thoughtful shots and shorter, dialogue-heavy shots.) Dialogue (though I don't understand German, it was still relatable through the subtitles, and I even learned a few German words). Storyline. Characters. The thing about Herzog is he's all about efficiency. On the a featurette for Rescue Dawn, he said he's never had a movie in the can behind schedule. So he gets his shots and moves on, very quickly. The result is a movie that shows true humanity and realism, because, like real life, the actors don't always have a chance to do it again.

The fact that the movie is over two hours long just says to me that Herzog had a lot to say in this film; it makes me respect him more. He doesn't waste a single second.