Fitzcarraldo (1982)

Reviewed by John Chiafos
May 20, 2006

Director: Werner Herzog Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment MPAA: PG Review Rating: 9 out of 10

Screencap from Fitzcarraldo.

Fitzcarraldo is… well, it's obscure. It's a German film, directed by Warner Herzog ( Grizzly Man ) and starring the great (insane?) Klaus Kinski. It's long, sometimes boring, has no shootouts, and contains very little swearing. The hero is short, has mussed up blond hair, a crazed look in his eyes, and funny teeth. It tells the story of a man obsessed with… building an opera house.

But then there's the boat. Wow , is there a boat--it's so cool that, if you can make it through the first half hour of the film, you're in for a real treat. Fitzarraldo , at its heart, is a terrific adventure movie, reminiscent of Heart of Darkness . I think some—though not all—of you would thoroughly enjoy it.

Kinski, in the title role, plays a man who's kind of like the guys you see on American Inventor . He's poor. He's got a dream. And everyone thinks he's cracked. Everyone, that is, except his rich, hot girlfriend. I wish my life were like the movies.

The fact is, though, Fitzcarraldo is cracked. He spends the first half hour of the movie trying to get financing for his opera house—and establishes himself as a pathetic loser in the process. He's funny, though. He reminded me a lot of the rapping engineers in those new Volkswagen commercials. Anyway, like I said, he has a dream—and we watch patiently as he annoys a rich investor into selling him a steamboat. With the boat, Fitz can sail upriver, claim some land, harvest some rubber trees, and become a “fitzjillionaire.” Then he'll have all the money he needs for his opera house.

There's a problem with the land, though. It starts with a “C” and ends with an “annibals.” (Sweet)

The ending may strike some viewers as a letdown. I didn't think so. I loved it. At the end of the movie, I think Fitzcarraldo went to the jungle and found peace with himself. He's a better man.

I give this film a Medium Evo Factor because it's not for everyone. If my opinion were the only one that mattered, though, it'd be a High Evo Factor. If you're in the mood for something different, check out Fitzcarraldo.

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