Fitzcarraldo [Blu-ray]

Director: Werner Herzog

Overview

German filmmaker Werner Herzog has never done anything by halves. When Herzog tackled Fitzcarraldo, the story of an obsessed impresario (Klaus Kinski) whose foremost desire in life is to bring both Enrico Caruso and an opera house to the deepest jungles of South America, the director boldly embarked on the same journey, disdaining studios, process shots, and special effects throughout. The highlight of the story is Fizcarraldo's Herculean effort to haul a 300-plus ton steamship over the mountains. No trickery was used in filming this grueling sequence, and stories still persist of disgruntled South American film technicians awaiting the opportunity to strangle Herzog if he ever sets foot on their land again. In the end, Herzog proved to be as driven and single-purposed as his protagonist, and it is the audience's knowledge of this that adds to the excitement of Fitzcarraldo.

Product Details

Release Date:	01/13/2015
UPC:	0826663155785
Original Release:	1982
Rating:	PG
Source:	SHOUT FAC
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	2:38:00
Sales rank:	20,321

Special Features

Audio commentary with producer/director Werner Hezog, producer Lucki Stipetic, moderated by Norman Hill; Audio commentary with Werner Herzog, moderated by Laurens Straub (in German with English subtitles); Theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Klaus Kinski	Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald
Claudia Cardinale	Molly
Jose Lewgoy	Don Aquilino
Miguel Angel Fuentes	Cholo
Paul Hittscher	Capt. Orinoco Paul
Huerequeque Enrique Bohorquez	Cook
Grande Otelo	Station Master
Peter Berling	Opera Manager
David Perez Espinosa	Chief of the Campa Indians
Milton Nascimento	Man at Opera House
Rui Polanah	Rubber Baron
Salvador Godinez	Old Missionary
Dieter Milz	Young Missionary
Bill Rose	Notary
Leoncio Bueno	Prison Guard
Ceriano Luchetti	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Costante Moret	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Dimiter Petkov	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Jean-Claude Dreyfus	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Mietta Sighele	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Lourdes Magalhaes	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Isabel Jimines de Cisneros	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Liborio Simonella	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Jesus Goiri	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Christian Mantilla	Soloist in Opera Sequence
Miguel Camaiteri Fernandez	Ashinka-Campa Chief,Ashinka-Campa Chief,Ashinka-Campa Chief
Popol Vuh	Composer

Technical Credits

Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog	Producer,Screenwriter
Lucki Stipetic	Producer
Walter Saxer	Executive Producer
Juarez Dagoberto	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Werner Herzog's most ambitious film divides audiences between those who laud its astonishing portrait of obsession and its insightful commentary on the absurdity of ambition and those who complain that it is a sterile, loud, boring journey to nowhere. There is, however, no denying the visual and technical magnificence of Herzog's achievement, as the jungle scenes have a palpable sense of authenticity, and those poor natives really DID haul that boat over a mountain. Lacking scenes of narrative introspection, the film leaves the audience to figure out the complex and paradoxical title character, who appears to be equal parts madman and genius. Klaus Kinski is at his eccentric best in the role: it is not hard to believe that this man would drive a crew to mutiny. His unwillingness to let go of his dream, regardless of the price, alienates many viewers, making it increasingly difficult to find an emotional connection to this already cool and labyrinthine film. However, the sound of operatic arias floating across the Amazon, a metaphor for artistic transcendence, confirms that dreamers and their obsessions can give us otherwise unimaginable moments of pure beauty. Les Blank's Burden of Dreams, which documents the making of Fitzcarraldo, suggests that there may be equal amounts of hubris and genius in Herzog himself, and that he is in no small part the model for Fitzcarraldo.