Fitzcarraldo

Fitzcarraldo

source: Fitzcarraldo

Perhaps I am just a philistine, but I find "Fitzcarroldo" to be like so many other European movies which aspire to artistry: pointless, elliptical, and tedious. I rather like the central premise: a man fueled by a burning love of opera in general, and Enrico Caruso in particular, seeks to make a fortune harvesting rubber in the South American jungle so that he can build an opera house in same. We are treated to the amusing spectacle of Klaus Kinski, in an improbably clean white suit and broad-brimmed hat, cranking up his phonograph and listening to Caruso recordings while steaming up the Amazon. But the central event of the movie -- when scores of natives assist Fitzcarroldo convey his large steamboat overland from one branch of the river to another -- is stunningly implausible. We are offered no clue as to why the natives who undertake this Herculean labor. Even Fitzcarroldo himself wonders "Warum? Warum?" ("why?")as he seeks to understand the natives. The viewer is left wondering the same thing about the whole enterprise, and the movie itself.

One of the strangest films I have seen in some time tells the story of a South American rubber baron named Brian Fitzgerald, better known as Fitzcarraldo (Klaus Kinski), a man who dreams of building an opera house in the jungles of the Amazon. With his white coat, white hat, and his bleached blonde hair, Fitz is quite an eccentric. In a social context, he's an outsider. But he has a bold vision. His romantic sidekick is a woman named Molly (Claudia Cardinale). As a compliment to Fitz, she speaks the film's theme: "It's only the dreamers who move mountains". After some preparation early in the film, Fitz and crew set sail up the Amazon on a huge boat, to stake out a claim for their business that will bring in the money to advance Fitzcarraldo's dream. The boat is equipped with all the necessities, which include, naturally, a gramophone to play the operatic music of Enrico Caruso. And the best sequences of the film are those set in the remote jungle, as the boat moves through a large tributary of the Amazon, into headhunter territory. With the gramophone blaring out opera amid the sound of Indian war drums, it's the unusual contrast between the primitive and the cultural that makes this film interesting. Filmed entirely in South America, the story is set in the early years of the twentieth century, long before the advent of television or automobiles. Color cinematography is quite good. This is a very physical story. Most scenes take place outdoors. And the remoteness of the setting conveys a sense of doom, a sense of unknown terror and foreboding. While the visuals are stunning, some aspects of the story I'm just not sure about. I never did figure out the significance of the ice. Is that a reward for Indian cooperation? If so, how can ice be preserved in a land without electricity? And without electricity, isn't the whole idea of an opera house in the wilderness a tad ludicrous? Maybe these questions are all answered and I just missed them. Even so, these issues could have been better addressed in the script. Not as deeply thematic as "Aguirre: The Wrath Of God" (1972), Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo" nevertheless is an unusual film, one that is worth watching for its stunning visuals and thematic contrasts, its physicality, and the eccentric character of Fitzcarraldo, the dreamer who can move mountains.

... two sides of the same coin and two definitions of Klaus Kinski as the titular character who pursues his dreams in the Amazonian forests of Peru, performing a miracle with a boat and an indigenous tribe, while sailing along to a soundtrack provided by Enrico Caruso. A crazy film about a crazy person made by crazy people in a crazy place.

Perhaps Aguirre is the better film but Brian Fitzgerald (Fitzcarraldo) is an even better character. We love dreamers and Fitz may be the greatest dreamer ever created on film. Kinski in his white suit with his "Hair by Charlie Manson" manning the turret atop the Molly Aida, firing volleys of Caruso at the native tribesman. Ah, unforgettable. Herzog is a truly unique voice and has never been afraid to experiment. Fitzcarraldo is one of the experiments that succeeds.

Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald is an Irish industrialist who lives in Iquitos in north-east Peru in the early twentieth-century and is passionate about one thing - opera. He has a crazy dream to build an opera-house in one of the most remote places in the world, and embarks on a dangerous voyage up the Pachitea River to raise the necessary funds ... Confession time here - I like Fitzcarraldo a lot, but I actually like Les Blank's Burden Of Dreams, a documentary about the making of the movie, quite a bit more. The reason for this is that whilst it is a truly original and fascinating film, the knowledge that none of it was faked - Herzog really did hire the indigenous Machiguenga tribe to pull the 320-ton steamship over a hill, with no model-shots or special effects - makes it more amazing as a physical accomplishment than a cinematic experience. This forty-five minute sequence is astonishing but then so is the whole movie, a visually arresting fable of folly for the sake of it. Kinski is terrific here; iconic in his white suit and panama hat against the greens and browns of the jungle, and it's great to see him for once playing a nice guy, ably supported by the gorgeous Cardinale, who adds glamour and humour to the piece. Where it falls down in my view is that it's a tough movie to get animated about - very languid, with a protagonist who is almost impossible to identify with and a plot which seems to derive directly from Herzog's ambition rather than any kind of storytelling style. Made by many of the same crew as the superior Aguirre, Zorn Des Gottes (cameraman Thomas Mauch, composers Popol Vuh, editor Beate Mainka-Jellinghaus) and even shot in some of the same Peruvian locations, this is Herzog's most famous and acclaimed film - he won Best Director at Cannes - though for my money not his best one. If nothing else however, it is a remarkable achievement and a truly original piece of film craft.

"Fitzcarraldo" is an ode to men who dare to have dreams and make them come true. This epic speaks volumes about a man who happens to be obsessed with the opera, which is his passion. He is a foreigner in a hostile land at the beginning of the last century where enormous fortunes were made in different parts of the world. For Fitzcarraldo, it is Peru, the land where he is now living. As he is introduced in the story, he is seen arriving at the Manaus opera house, to catch the Great Caruso sing. Since he has no ticket, and the performance is sold out, he impresses on one of the attendants, who lets him, and Molly, his companion, stay at the back of the house. Fitzcarraldo, who returns with Molly back to Iquitos, a desolate locale, figures he will bring opera, and Caruso to the city. Fitzcarraldo, who has no means to support his dream, decides to go into the rubber business. For that, he must go to a remote spot, away from where the other, and wealthier rubber barons, have established claims to the land. It will take only a resolute, and mad person to undertake such a gigantic enterprise. With the help of Molly, he buys a dilapidated boat and modernizes it. He takes along an experienced captain, a great mechanic, Cholo, and the best cook money can buy into a trip down the river to his property. The only thing is he soon realizes how if he continues along the river route, he will be in danger because of the rapids at one particular spot. His decision, to hoist the ship across a mountain to the other side, where another river is more navigable. Fitzcarraldo made a lasting impression on the local Indian population, who saw in this adventurer, somebody larger than life. His inter action with them was instrumental in doing the insurmountable task that had to be done to get to his ultimate goal. This film could only have been done by Werner Herzog, a director who was not afraid to go into an inhospitable part of South America to photograph this magnificent picture. Helped by his cinematographer, Thomas Mauch, he was able to conquer a great obstacle in order to make the film. Popol Vuh's film score mingles with some great music by Bellini, Puccini, Verdi and Strauss that does wonder in the background. No one but Klaus Kinski was born to play Fitzcarraldo, in what might be considered his best screen role. Mr. Kinski was an obsessed actor who bares his soul in getting under the skin of his characters. As Fitzcarraldo, he goes through the whole gamut of emotions to show what this man was really like. We can't take our eyes from him throughout the picture because of his intensity and his honesty in portraying this mad man with a vision for beauty. Claudia Cardinale makes a tremendous contribution to the film as Molly, the woman who loved, understood, and saw the genius of her man. Jose Lewgoy is perfect as Don Aquilino, Fitzcarraldo's rival and mentor. Miguel Angel Fuentes is also excellent as Cholo. Huerequeque Bohorquez plays the cook and Paul Hittscher appears as the captain. The last sequence of the film shows Mr. Herzog's greatness as Mr. Kinski rides with the opera company in a small ship. They sing an aria from "I Puritani", an opera that delights his soul as Fitzcarraldo feasts himself into Iquitos in their company.

How unfortunate that this 2.5 hour long film is filled with this long, slow scenes that reveal nothing about the storyline. He could have clipped an hour's worth of shots and still maintained the dreary tale. In some ways the main character's insane/reckless pursuit of art is actually what the director has done. Herzog took a snippet of a true story and fictionalized it. Because of this it fails as it unfolds, unless I've missed something--they cross the mountain for the purpose of being below the rapids and in his section of land that he can harvest rubber on. But instead he ends up set going through those very rapids. Why would that be? Were there MORE rapids? Another failure of the film was Herzog's complete ignorance of opera. This could have been beautifully incorporated by using operatic segments (complete with subtitles) that paralleled the events unfolding or contrasted them. Our main character's story could have played out like an opera story, but Herzog didn't do his research. Dreary!

I watched the movie last evening, and I had no idea what the movie was about, as I had never heard of it. I am not a highbrow movie watcher and found the movie flat. I guess I just did not get it. After I watched the movie I asked myself, "What was that all about?" I guess I just did not see the point of the movie. I was not familiar with any of the actors or actresses...but thought they did OK. I guess the thing I find fault with is just the uselessness of the plot of the movie. Yes, there are a few good scenes in the movie and I liked the fact that many Peruvian extra's were cast in roles, it did add to the reality of the show. The scenery of the Amazon River was beautiful. If you watch the movie just for the scenery, it may be worth watching, but the plot line just left me confused and not satisfied.