You will enjoy this movie the more you appreciate Werner Herzog. As a lover of Herzog, I thought "Burden of Dreams" was wonderful, but the film's true merits as a documentary are, admitingly, somewhat average. Herzog fans shouldn't miss this movie, though, and about a third of the film is devoted to scenes with him, while he and his team are on location filming "Fitzcarraldo." There are some priceless scenes in this documentary, particularly a few minutes of footage of Herzog and Kinski aboard the steamship during the famous scene when the vessel careens down the treacherous rapids. Herzog and crew had one shot at filming that scene, and watching their reactions while in the course of creating such a masterpiece is terrific. Herzog has some good dialog here, and, as always, his pontifications are intriguing and insightful. Herzog talks about art, the duty of filming his dreams, and the tribulations of such an arduous undertaking as "Fitzcarraldo." You'll learn a lot of cool behind-the-scenes stuff, and the end result should be an even greater appreciation for both Herzog and "Fitzcarraldo." Herzog and crew faced incredible problems: native Indian attacks, political intrigue, cast mutiny, and the dryest rainy season in recorded history. Like so many of Herzog's works, the story behind the film is just as interesting as the film itself, and "Burden of Dreams" takes you up close to this inspiring man during the high water mark of his incredible career. Herzog fans, this is one you SHOULD NOT MISS. ---|--- Reviews by Flak Magnet
Review of Burden of Dreams
