Werner Herzog is not famous for subtle, sunday night movie making and this is no exception. Fitzcarraldo charts the insane vision of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald; a man with an unwavering vision to stage an opera in the South american Jungle. The film centre's around his herculean attempt to drag a giant boat over a mountain.
In an age of 3d, green screen and exhaustive studio sets, Herzog chose to recreate this epic journey by delving into the heart of the the protagonist, filming entirely on location and even recreating the iconic ship hauling scene.
Klaus Kinski takes the lead and almost dominates the film as the neurotic proponent, clinging on to his vision despite innumerable obstacles.
Due to the nature of Herzog's ambitious and grandeous aims, the shoot was riddled with issues. A great documentary by Les Blank charting this called 'Burden of dreams' is also a great watch.
Herzog is a unique director who doesn't shy away from immersing himself in his films and this may be his finest hour and most epic achievement.
