Fitzcarraldo

Fitzcarraldo (1982)

Timing: 2:37 (157 min)

7.62/10
852

7.948/10
7322

7.9/10
43000

All about film

Video 4

Photo 44

Actors and characters

Release date

1982-03-02

Country

Germany, Peru

Production

ZDF, Pro-ject Filmproduktion, Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Filmverlag der Autoren, Wildlife Films Peru

Genre

Drama, Adventure

Budget

$7 362 000

Revenue

$0

Website

Director

Werner Herzog

Actors

Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, José Lewgoy, Miguel Ángel Fuentes, Paul Hittscher, Huerequeque Enrique Bohórquez, Grande Otelo, Peter Berling, David Pérez Espinosa, Milton Nascimento
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Werner Herzog, Lucki Stipetić, Walter Saxer

Operator

Thomas Mauch

Composer

Popol Vuh

Artist

Audition

Editing

Beate Mainka-Jellinghaus
All team (25)

• In 1981, Herzog began filming "Fitzcarraldo" after 2 years of preparation. It was assumed that the main role would be played by American Jason Robards. However, he became seriously ill during filming. Herzog turned to Mario Adorf, but he declined the offer because he "was frightened by Herzog's obsession." In the midst of working on the film, Herzog was left without an actor. Unexpectedly, he received a telegram: "If you want, you can hire me. Klaus Kinski." As a result, the role of Fitzcarraldo went to Herzog's favorite actor, Klaus Kinski, but his capricious behavior drove not only the director but also the tribal chief to a white heat, who offered Herzog to kill Kinski.
• The film was difficult for its creators - several intense days were followed by a complete halt to the entire process. After numerous delays and constant reshoots, the American producers (Jason Robards and Mick Jagger) refused to extend Herzog's contract, as the money had been spent and the bank accounts were frozen.
• The real ship of the actual Irish man Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald weighed 28 tons. Herzog's ship weighed 328 tons, and two absolutely identical vessels were used in the filming.
• It took four years to make the film.
• Werner Herzog's film received the Cannes Palme d'Or for directing, and in 1982 the documentary 'Burden of Dreams' about the filming of 'Fitzcarraldo' was released.
• The leader of the indigenous people employed as extras seriously offered Herzog his assistance in killing Kinski, if he so desired. The director, of course, refused. Later, Herzog jokingly said he regretted the refusal.
• According to Herzog, if Kinski hadn't appeared as an actor in time, he would have had to play the role of Fitzcarraldo himself.
• The main character was based on a historical figure – Carlos Fermín Fitzcarraldo.
• Originally, Mick Jagger was planned to play the role of Fitzcarraldo's assistant. However, his world tour prevented him from filming, and Werner Herzog then removed the role from the script.
• When Kinski wanted to abandon everything and leave Peru, where filming was taking place, and even got into a boat, Herzog told him, showing him a revolver, that he would shoot all the bullets into the temperamental actor except for the last one – which he would put in his own head. After that, 'working with Kinski became a pure pleasure'.
• Herzog regretted that stereophonic recording was not used during filming, as the sounds made by the ship being hauled over the mountain were 'unlike anything at all'.
• The stunning scene of the ship slowly being hauled over the hill separating the rivers was filmed without any special effects, using ingenious engineering devices. Werner Herzog aimed for the audience to physically feel the scale of what was happening, and he succeeded completely. Moreover: the episode with the broken rope, when the ship, having already covered part of the way, suddenly begins to slide back down, reflects a real situation that arose during filming.
• In 1981, Herzog began filming "Fitzcarraldo" after 2 years of preparation. It was assumed that the main role would be played by American Jason Robards. However, during filming, he became seriously ill. Herzog turned to Mario Adorf, but he declined the offer because he "was frightened by Herzog's obsession." In the midst of working on the film, Herzog was left without an actor. Unexpectedly, he received a telegram: "If you want, you can hire me. Klaus Kinski." As a result, the role of Fitzcarraldo went to Herzog's favorite actor, Klaus Kinski, but his capricious behavior drove not only the director, but also the chief of the local indigenous tribe, who offered Herzog to kill Kinski, to the brink.
• The actual ship belonging to the real Irishman Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald weighed 28 tons. The Duke's ship weighed 328 tons, and two completely identical vessels were used in the filming.
• When Kinski wanted to abandon everything and leave Peru, where filming was taking place, and even got into a boat, the Duke showed him a revolver, saying he would shoot all the bullets into the temperamental actor except for the last one – which he would put in his own head. After that, “working with Kinski became a pure pleasure.”
• The Duke regretted that stereo recording was not used during filming, as the sounds made by the ship being hauled over the mountain were “unlike anything at all.”