Review of Fitzcarraldo (1982) by Brad E — 18 Jul 2007
The most searingly insane film I have ever seen. Even if this movie is shit, which it is far from, it still deserves 5 stars just for its audacity and effort. Based on a true story, Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, played brilliantly by Klaus Kinski, wants to build an opera house in the wilderness of the Amazonian forrest.
In order to raise the funds for it, he buys the rights to a rubber-rich piece of land that is virtually unreachable due to the rapids that block ships from accessing it. Madman that he is, Fitzgerald decides to steer his ship along a parallel river and literally pull it across a mountain to the other river! This feat has to be seen to be believed.
Herzog flips the bird to special effects and really have a 300 ton steam ship dragged past the mountain the way it's shown in the film. It's interesting to compare this with Aguirre. Both men are driven by their obsessions.
Though Fizcarraldo feels like an autobiographical documentary at times whereas Aguirre is so hallucinatory. I really need to watch Burden of Dreams now.
This review of Fitzcarraldo (1982) was written by Brad E on 18 Jul 2007.
Fitzcarraldo has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
