MovieChat Forums > Burden of Dreams (1982) Discussion > Fitzcarraldo

Fitzcarraldo

posted 16 years ago by johnbensonwillkickyouras
4 replies | jump to latest

Should I see it first or does it matter?

[–] Enigma789 16 years ago

To be honest it doesn't really matter. The main point here is the struggles that Herzog went through during the production of the film. This film does a great job in putting you there.

[–] eeleyebrown 16 years ago

It must have been frustrating. At one point he denounces his surroundings as ugly and chaotic but I realized he was just frustrated from having to waste so much time on filming and being stranded in the jungle. It should have been so easy since he had cheap labor but he was struggling against nature and nature was winning.

[–] GayBard 16 years ago

Yes, you must see this film, if for no other reason than the scenes with Jason Robards and Mick Jager before Jager had to go back to his tour and Robards got sick. (They recast Robards role with Klaus Kinsky. They simply cut Jager's role out.)

Besides that, it is a fascinating portrait of a dangerously obsessed man filming a movie about a dangerously obsessed man.

[–] Eric-1226 15 years ago

Actually, "Burden of Dreams" contains a bit of a spoiler in the sense that it lays out the plot arc of, and gives away the ending of "Fitzcarraldo," so, I would say that if you don't like having your movies spoiled, then see "Fitzcarraldo" first, then watch "BoD."

For the sake of relevance and poignancy though, I would watch "BoD" pretty soon after "Fitz," while "Fitz" is still fresh in your mind. I speak from experience here because I watched "Fitz" nearly 15 years ago, and only last night got around to watching "BoD." I fear that some if not a lot of the impact has been lost over that span of time.

"I've always tried to teach you two things. First: never let them see you bleed. Second: Always have an escape plan." - Q