Burden of Dreams (1982)

Director:

Les Blank

Writer:

Michael Goodwin (narration)

Release Date:

1 October 1982 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A documentary on the chaotic production of Werner Herzog's epic Fitzcarraldo (1982), showing how the film...

Plot Keywords:

German | Amazon | Peru | Arrow Catching | Amazon Rainforest

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Werner Herzog	...	Himself
Klaus Kinski	...	Fitzcarraldo / Himself
Claudia Cardinale	...	Molly / Herself
Jason Robards	...	Fitzcarraldo
Mick Jagger	...	Wilbur
Alfredo De Rio Tambo	...	Himself (as Alfredo de Rio Tambo)
Ángela Reina	...	Herself (as Angela Reine)
Carmen Correa	...	Herself
Elia De Rio Ene	...	Himself (as Elia de Rio Ene)
David Pérez Espinosa	...	Himself (as David Perez Espinosa)
Miguel Ángel Fuentes	...	Himself (as Miguel Angel Fuentes)
Mariano Gagnon	...	Himself (as Father Mariano Gagnon)
Paul Hittscher	...	Himself
Huerequeque Enrique Bohorquez	...	Himself (as Huerequeque Bohoroquez)
Evaristo Nunkuag Ikanan	...	Himself
José Lewgoy	...	Himself
Laplace Martins	...	Himself
Thomas Mauch	...	Himself
Nelson De Rio Cenepa	...	Himself (as Nelson de Rio Cenepa)
Walter Saxer	...	Himself
Jorge Vignati	...	Himself
Candace Laughlin	...	Narrator (voice)

Directed by
Les Blank

Writing credits
Michael Goodwin		(narration)

Produced by
Les Blank	....	producer
Kathy Kline	....	coordinating producer
David R. Loxton	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Les Blank		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Maureen Gosling

Sound Department
Mark Berger	....	re-recording
Michael Goodwin	....	assistant sound
Maureen Gosling	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Patricia Buchanan	....	title photographer
Michael Goodwin	....	assistant camera
Pacho Lane	....	camera assistant (as Bruce 'Pacho' Lane)

Editorial Department
Joe Orr	....	negative cutter
Chris Simon	....	assistant editor
Andrea Sohn	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Richard Becker	....	translator
Andy Freeberg	....	photos/artwork
Michael Goodwin	....	interviewer
Volker Hinz	....	photos/artwork
Pacho Lane	....	interpreter (as Bruce 'Pacho' Lane)
Pacho Lane	....	interviewer (as Bruce 'Pacho' Lane)
John Lumsdaine	....	researcher
Christian Piper	....	photos/artwork
Inez Reider	....	translator
Sarah Satterlee	....	title typography
Chris Simon	....	office manager
Chris Simon	....	researcher
Andrea Sohn	....	office manager
Juan Manuel Ugarte	....	murals: Iquitos Airport
Francisca Wentworth	....	translator

Thanks
Walter Saxer	....	grateful acknowledgment
Lucki Stipetic	....	grateful acknowledgment

Production Companies

• Flower Films

Distributors

• Flower Films (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (Korea) (DVD)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (Korea) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish | English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Amazon Basin, Brazil

Company:

Flower Films

Quotes:

Werner Herzog:[On the jungle] Kinski always says it's full of erotic elements. I don't see it so much erotic. I see it more full of obscenity. It's just - Nature here is vile and base. I wouldn't see anything erotical here. I would see fornication and asphyxiation and choking and fighting for survival and...

Movie Connections:

References The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Worth seeing, but shallow

I saw this enjoyable documentary film in 1983 and have recently seen it again (2001) at the National Film Theatre in London, together with "Fitzcarraldo" and "Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe" - sore bum!

In 1983 I thought it was brilliant and it was immensely valuable to get an insight into the tortured making of the film "Fitzcarraldo". Seeing it again, almost two decades later, I feel the film skims the surface as Les Blank seems to have little interest in drawing out what went on. He just observes and accepts the events at face value. Only Herzog is interviewed at any length and the burden of his dream(s) does become apparent as the film progresses, however there is virtually no comment from Kinski or the other actors. Les Blank might argue that the film is about Herzog's state of mind and his attitude to the production of Fitzcarraldo. In this, I think it is largely a success. To look for more from the film is perhaps to unfairly employ the benefit of hindsight.

I suspect my disappointment (relative) at seeing this again is the release of "My Best Fiend" in the interim. I find my memory conflating the two films, the piece about Kinski's "hate hate" relationship with the jungle (and almost everything else!) would seem more appropriate to "Burdens" but is in "Fiend".

"Burden of Dreams" and "My Best Fiend" would make a good double bill, giving a much more rounded impression of the context of the production of Fitzcarraldo and the relationship between Herzog and Kinski. If you are interested, try to see them both.