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By
SCOTT D. O'REILLY
Filmmaker Werner Herzog one
said that modern man is starved for images.
Throughout his career Herzog has consistently
managed to create visual metaphors that nourish
the human spirit. "Fitzcarraldo" is a feast for
the eye and the imagination, a perfect fusion of
naturalism and poetic vision, and an inspiration
for creative men and women striving to illuminate
a darkened world.
Herzog's films invariably feature eccentric
characters, outsiders whose exceptional humanity
is not appreciated by ordinary people. Brian
Sweeny Fitzgerald -- Fitzcarraldo for short -- is
one of the screen's most compelling
characterizations. Brought to life by the
inimitable Klaus Kinski, Fitzcarraldo epitomizes
Plato's dictum that the "madness of the gods is to
be preferred to the sanity of men." Fitzcarraldo
is a man possessed by an overwhelming passion for
opera. He has a dream -- to build a grand opera
house in the middle of the jungle and invite the
world-renown tenor Enrico Caruso to sing there.
The speculative business venture that Fitzcarraldo
concocts to finance his dream is nearly as
fantastic as his quest to build the opera house.
He plans to make a fortune as a rubber baron,
extracting rubber from trees in a largely
uncharted and inaccessible region of the jungle.
Fitzcarraldo's project eventually entails hauling
a giant steamship up the side of a mountain in the
middle of nowhere. Here the music of Popol Vuh and
Herzog's hypnotic imagery perfectly articulate the
enormous challenge visionary men and woman have
achieving their dreams. Herzog's cinematic fare is
not for everyone. Those with slack and sleepy
senses would be best served elsewhere. But for
those who recognize and appreciate the burden of
dreams Herzog's film is a sublime achievement.
Anchor Bay's DVD is superbly done, featuring a
full-length commentary by Herzog. Whether it was a
case of life imitating art, or art imitating life,
the making of "Fitzcarraldo" was every bit of a
mad obsession for Herzog, as building an opera
house was for the film's protagonist. Herzog's
commentary, then, is especially fascinating;
illustrating the lengths creative individuals will
go to in the service of their art. Some of
Herzog's anecdotes are almost too fantastic to be
believed, but then again his film is a testament
to achieving the impossible. The DVD extras also
include the film's theatrical trailer, the
director's filmography, and biographical notes for
Herzog and Kinski. |
