Burden of Dreams

Burden of Dreams (Criterion #287).
1982 Flower Films & Janus Films.
Starring: Werner Herzog, Claudia Cardinale, Klaus Kinski, Mick Jagger, Jason Robards
Narration: Michael Goodwin (writer), Candace Laughlin (spoken)
Directors: Les Blank with Maureen Gosling
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Les Blank, with some help from Maureen Gosling, directed this documentary examining German filmmaker Werner Herzog and his nearly-five year struggle to film Fitzcarraldo in the South American jungle. Fitzcarraldo is the story of Brian "Fitzcarraldo" Sweeny Fitzgerald, a European living in Peru who loves opera music enough that he decides to build a music hall in the middle of the Peruvian rain forest, simply so Enrico Caruso can christen it with a performance. Fitzgerald breaks into the rubber industry, Peru's most profitable industry at the turn of the 20th century, to realize this vision.

From the very start, the production seems cursed, as original star Jason Robards becomes ill, and returns to America, where his doctor orders him to stay. His co-star, Mick Jagger, has to drop out of the film to honor commitments with the Rolling Stones (recording Tattoo You, and touring to support that record). Herzog replaces Robards with his frequent collaborator Klaus Kinski, and deletes Jagger's role from the script. The film's production also is hindered by unpredictable weather, and dealing with hostile local tribes, not to mention hostilities between Peru and Ecuador military units. Kinski was also difficult to deal with during the shoot, and he clashed with Herzog and other crew members many times, upsetting the local extras enough that a native tribe leader offered to murder the actor. Herzog turned down the offer...because he needed Kinski to finish filming.

Herzog wanted his movie to be as realistic as possible, which meant that instead of using models or other special effects, he hired hundreds of local residents to help move a 320 ton steamship over a hill (the real life Fitzgerald simply dismantled his boat before transporting it). The director believed that no one had ever performed a similar feat in history, and likely would never try it again, so he called himself "Conquistador of the Useless". Regardless, despite all of the hardships and setbacks, Herzog never gave up, and Fitzcarraldo was released to theaters in 1982, garnering great critical success.

As for Burden of Dreams, it is a very interesting documentary depicting the efforts of a nearly impossible and at times ridiculous film production that would've broken the wills of many directors, actors, or other film crew members. Highly recommended.