Storyline

A documentary on the chaotic production of Werner Herzog's epic Fitzcarraldo (1982), showing how the film managed to get made despite problems that would have floored a less obsessively driven director. Not only does he have major casting problems, losing both Jason Robards (health) and Mick Jagger (other commitments) halfway through shooting, but the crew gets caught up in a war between Peru and Ecuador, there are problems with the weather and the morale of cast and crew is falling rapidly.—Michael Brooke

Plot Keywords

filmmaker, actor, native, mick jagger, cinematographer, shocking, passionate, spectacular, peru, amazon, mountain, steamboat, movie set, river, werner herzog, obsession, filmmaking, collaboration, bad luck, quest, wretched excess, transformation, sacrifice, 1980s

Short Review

At best "Burden of Dreams" offers a superficial, inconclusive impression of an esoteric project whose distribution is bound to be haphazard.

Trailer

Streaming Service

1. Amazon Video : Rent from $1.99, Or $0.00 with a Prime membership