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Burden of Dreams
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Burden of Dreams

1982
Documentary
1h 35m
A documentary on the chaotic production of Werner Herzog's epic 'Fitzcarraldo' , showing how the film managed to get made despite problems that would have floored a less obsessively driven director (imdb)
Directed by:
Les Blank Les Blank
Written by:
Michael Goodwin
Starring:
Claudia Cardinale Claudia Cardinale Mick Jagger Mick Jagger Werner Herzog Werner Herzog Jason Robards Jason Robards Klaus Kinski Klaus Kinski José Lewgoy José Lewgoy Miguel Ángel Fuentes Huerequeque Enrique Bohorquez Carmen Correa Nelson De Rio Cenepa
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Genre:
Documentary
Country:
USA
Languages:
English, Spanish, German
imdb More information at IMDb
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Burden of Dreams

1982
Documentary
1h 35m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 72.68% from 605 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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gravymaximusGravyMaximus
Rated 02 Apr 2008
90
95th
Werner Herzog, you are my motherfucking hero.
Rated 02 Apr 2008
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 21 Mar 2011
86
84th
Is Werner Herzog a) simply batshit insane or b) better at everything than you? I'll take c) All of the Above. Herzog's waxing poetic should give any aspiring filmmaker both pause and awe. Seeing what seems like otherworldly determination in spite of defeat, and the natural and cultural factors that would strike down a lesser man, is enough to make me also want to steal a camera and claim it was for the greater benefit of mankind.
Rated 21 Mar 2011
jimmynmujimmynmu
Rated 05 Aug 2007
86
84th
"We have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in a field"
Rated 05 Aug 2007
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 14 Aug 2007
78
63rd
I already knew most of this stuff from listening to the commentary on Fitzcarraldo, but it was still pretty interesting to watch. Even if you don't like Herzog, you've got to admire his determination.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 28 Apr 2015
90
92nd
I am always in awe at seeing people wear layers / long sleeve etc in HUMID HOT HELL WEATHER. Would chafe to death. Whenever that native spit booze drink pops up in anything I'm dry heaving. Someone somehow edit this into the making of Grown Ups 2.
Rated 28 Apr 2015
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 18 May 2009
81
64th
On its own it's not a particularly great documentary but if you've seen Fitzcarraldo it's fascinating to see the things that happened behind the scenes. Herzog's slight insanity, the myriad of obstacles that had to be overcome and the native traditions are all well presented.
Rated 18 May 2009
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 25 Dec 2010
4
74th
Werner Herzog is my hero.
Rated 25 Dec 2010
kasperlKasperL
Rated 03 Feb 2018
80
86th
An unbelievably crazy film production and an uncompromising director who would rather die than let nature and unlucky circumstances beat him. According to Werner Herzog the birds where he shot 'Fitcarraldo' didn't sing. Oh no, they just sceeched in pain. Man, that's pretty dark... However, like Herzog tells us, it's not that he hates the jungle. On the contrary he loves it very much - against his better judgment. The last interview, about what it entails to be an artist, is fascinating as well.
Rated 03 Feb 2018
bojanglesBojangles
Rated 15 Apr 2010
55
50th
Taking a close look at - at what's around us there - there is some sort of a harmony. It is the harmony of... overwhelming and collective murder.
Rated 15 Apr 2010
derekstarDerekstar
Rated 26 May 2011
60
36th
I was pretty pumped for this documentary, but as a long time Herzog fan I didn't really learn much new. If you're looking for juicy Fitzcarraldo stories I would recommend My Best Fiend.
Rated 26 May 2011
redactedredacted
Rated 19 Oct 2010
83
79th
The narrator, blunt & blank. It's subject - Werner Herzog, chronically interesting. Always moving, pushing, thinking the project forward. His ambition to make the film, as BoH dictates, are the dreams below the surface of reality. We are moving in subliminal directions towards our own & with the eternal optimism and dedication found within Herzog, these dreams can be realized. Even if, as Herzog experienced, they clash with the imagination. Highlight - His analysis of the Amazon setting.
Rated 19 Oct 2010
omgfridgeomgfridge
Rated 25 Nov 2011
8
79th
Pretty much defines determination.
Rated 25 Nov 2011
stainStain
Rated 26 Mar 2007
60
47th
Not bad. Nice to talk to Herzog, but not as compelling as you'd think
Rated 26 Mar 2007
picklemanPickle_Man
Rated 19 Jun 2019
80
55th
I'm honestly kind of surprised Herzog has survived to be 76.
Rated 19 Jun 2019
saucyjacksaucyjack
Rated 24 Dec 2007
90
89th
Possibly the greatest "making of a movie" documentary ever made...Riveting
Rated 24 Dec 2007
trixrabbiTrixRabbi
Rated 25 Jul 2015
78
59th
A great film, but I feel like I had been so inundated with the stories of Fitzcarraldo's production from interviews and articles that by the time I finally saw this it lost a lot of its impact. The best scenes are Herzog monologuing on the nature of the jungle and story telling, and the scenes where Blank's eyes wander towards the idiosyncrasies of the people.
Rated 25 Jul 2015
caimancaiman
Rated 28 Apr 2011
83
72nd
Herzog is the most fascinating director I've ever known about. His level of gumption and lack of self doubt are traits I admire in anyone, but to see someone take things to such remarkable extremes in the name of film is simply phenomenal. I can't get enough of the stories of him and the insane productions of his films. This documentary captures the harsh, dangerous, miserable conditions of the production of Fitzcarraldo as well as Herzog's nearly inhuman ability to beat those obstacles.
Rated 28 Apr 2011
shmendrekShmendrek
Rated 27 Jan 2008
4
83rd
I don't really care for Blank's documentary style, but being a big fan of Herzog and Kinski and getting to see some of the "behind the scenes" problems that complicated the making of Fitzcarraldo was enjoyable.
Rated 27 Jan 2008
td888td888
Rated 28 Nov 2009
90
95th
A must see if you've seen Fitzcarraldo. Whether you like him or not, he's a fascinating person and you get to understand a little bit why his work till now is so different from the mainstream movies/documentaries.
Rated 28 Nov 2009
jstryjstry
Rated 23 Apr 2009
82
66th
A must-see for anyone who has seen "Fitzcarraldo." Just from watching "Fitzcarraldo" you can see how much effort went into the film, but the extent of that, as shown in this documentary, is amazing. Not many people would go to the lengths Herzog did to fulfill his dream. One thing I found really interesting is that through all the catastrophes, Herzog never seemed to lose his cool. The documentary did feel kind of long at times, but overall, quite fascinating.
Rated 23 Apr 2009
hellsditchhellsditch
Rated 23 Apr 2009
84
81st
An interesting and detailed account of the making of "Fitzcarraldo" that shines when Herzog is allowed to pontificate ("we only sound and look like badly pronounced and half-finished sentences out of a stupid suburban novel"), and gets bogged down when the director focuses (WAY too much) on the disputes between neighboring Amazonian tribes. Still, definitely worth a look for those wondering what TRUE drive and determination look like, as well as the sacrifices and loss that come with it.
Rated 23 Apr 2009
yesistastyyesistasty
Rated 06 Feb 2011
93
80th
In the final act, we come to fully realize the vast implications of Herzog's gargantuan project. However, we also come to appreciate Herzog's justification of it all. That is, if we care about his art at all.
Rated 06 Feb 2011
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 22 Apr 2012
94
89th
Documentary is if anything marginally more impressive than its subject, the Herzog-Kinski epic FITZCARRALDO. Blank appears to have had an all access pass to the many different facets of the shoot, and manages to capture miles of fascinating footage of Herzog, at times sincerely believing nature may be conspiring against him (Terry Gilliam eat your heart out!) One of the great documentaries, and a unique take on the film-making process.
Rated 22 Apr 2012
kito1kito1
Rated 08 Feb 2017
70
73rd
Eye-opening and inspiring. This is how you should make a movie. Please watch it if you have any interest in "behind the scenes" material.
Rated 08 Feb 2017
manwhonosemanwhonose
Rated 10 Mar 2018
99
97th
An absolutely extraordinary and fascinating documentary about an artist (Herzog) pushed to the absolute limit of sanity in order to bring his film, Fitzcorraldo, to the screen. It is at once funny and uncomfortable to watch. It is probably best to view this how I did - back-to-back with Fitzcorraldo itself.
Rated 10 Mar 2018
neonmanNeonman
Rated 08 May 2014
82
70th
Just watching Fitzcarraldo it appears its production would make a great movie in itself, and here it proves the behind the scenes is more interesting than the film.This doco focuses mostly on the human suffering that went into the film's production, ranging from mild to rather upsetting, the overseas and native crew equally represented. Things get into top gear towards the end, as we see Herzog's full madness at flight, with his soliloquies cementing him as the German auteur we all know and love
Rated 08 May 2014
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 05 Mar 2015
85
59th
I pretty much always knew that the story of making Fitzcarraldo would be more interesting than Fitzcarraldo itself, but now I've seen the proof. Also, just a beautiful movie about what it means to be an artist. The only issue with it is that there's so little Klaus Kinski. I wanted some Kinski being angry, Kinski thinking the natives were fond of him when they actually wanted to kill him, Kinski getting into arguments with Werner Herzog.
Rated 05 Mar 2015
yiannosYiannos
Rated 26 Dec 2017
63
54th
Despite Herzog's claims that Brando was a piece of cake compared to Kinski, the difficulties he brought to the set are conspicuously absent from B.O.D, which, unlike Heart of Darkness, is less a document of a turbulent shoot than a reaffirmation of Herzog's strength and determination as a film maker. The scenes of him reflecting on the chaos of nature are the most interesting and provide some unintentional laughs, but too much time is devoted to the conflicts between the Amazonian tribes.
Rated 26 Dec 2017
closedmouthclosedmouth
Rated 05 Nov 2013
80
68th
In some ways this is more entertaining than the film itself. The lack of Kinski is disappointing, though we did get a lot of that in "My Best Fiend".
Rated 05 Nov 2013
elmakebabielmakebabi
Rated 23 Aug 2011
70
64th
Burden is the right word.
Rated 23 Aug 2011
zayankZayanK
Rated 10 Oct 2010
87
77th
Anyone seriously interested in filmmaking should watch this. Everytime you bump into a seemingly unsurpassable obstacle - think of Werner Herzog.
Rated 10 Oct 2010
brrrpbrrrp
Rated 19 Feb 2024
80
87th
If you were ever wondering how Herzog pulls off being Herzog, as opposed to regular ole you or me, well. Here you go. It's because he's batshit fucking insane. This is by turns hilarious and mind boggling, and is an essential supplement to Fitzcarraldo, as well as being an extraordinary piece of filmmaking in its own right.
Rated 19 Feb 2024
darrenDarren
Rated 09 Jul 2023
65
36th
Cinema as colonialism
Rated 09 Jul 2023
imperialistIMPERIALIST
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
80th
Nice documentary that chronicled the making of his movie Fitzcarraldo. I haven't seen that movie yet, but this documentary was interesting and engaging nonetheless on its own. Having been filmed in the middle of the Amazon, you're given a glimpse of what it's like to be away from 'the world'. Herzog is a pretty wild man, and I enjoyed listening to his ramblings, as it was enlightening to hear his thought process on life, art and whatever falls in between. This man is a true genius.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
babaracusbabaracus
Rated 04 May 2016
8
70th
this and Heart of Darkness are the kind of documentaries that terrify me. to be a director in those situations your really have to be insane
Rated 04 May 2016
joekinzoJoeKinzo
Rated 29 Sep 2020
5
34th
Documentary about a megalomaniac who fancies himself an important artist making a film about a megalomaniac who fancies himself an opera fan. If you can slog through the arrogance and triviality, there's a lot of pretty scenery.
Rated 29 Sep 2020
tathieltathiel
Rated 08 Feb 2010
75
42nd
A documentary I liked much more than the actual feature film "Fitzcarraldo".
Rated 08 Feb 2010
derdudeDerDude
Rated 19 Feb 2012
9
86th
Transcending interplay between the feature and this documentary gives immense weight and depth to both. You just have to watch this to truly understand what Herzog's movies represent.
Rated 19 Feb 2012
krf7krf7
Rated 13 Apr 2011
80
63rd
If you are unsure of whether or not Herzog is a deranged genius, this documentary will answer that question.
Rated 13 Apr 2011
frankhowleyFrankHowley
Rated 08 Aug 2015
75
69th
An essential companion piece to Fitzcarraldo, made me appreciate the film even more. Herzog's dedication is insane and awe-inspiring.
Rated 08 Aug 2015
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 15 Sep 2010
3
38th
Herzog really is some sort of a mad genius. Keep on keepin' on, Werner.
Rated 15 Sep 2010
dtortumdtortum
Rated 19 Aug 2013
85
47th
We're incomplete sentences in a suburban cheap American novel
Rated 19 Aug 2013
barthalenBarthalen
Rated 19 May 2013
84
90th
The perfect companion piece to Fitzcarraldo, which I will probably enjoy a lot more on a rewatch now. It's just so engrossing to see Herzog and his crew tackle such an immense project filled with so many dangers and unexpected obstacles, all just to tell a fascinating story in the most natural way. Respect.
Rated 19 May 2013
adam_p_dAdam P-D
Rated 16 Nov 2017
50
55th
Oh, Art! Why must you torture poor Werner? Forcing him into the jungle to behave like a delusional colonialist: exploiting the land and it's people, toying with communities and lives while believing himself their saviour. The horror!
Rated 16 Nov 2017
burmashaveburmashave
Rated 10 Dec 2011
100
99th
if you don't want to be a filmmaker, this film will make you want to be one at all costs. if you want to be a filmmaker, this film will make want to give up on it.
Rated 10 Dec 2011
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 31 May 2022
90
87th
Burden of Dreams estreava há 40 anos na TV alemã. Um dos grandes making of já feitos, claro que incomoda o discurso colonialista do Herzog sobre a selva, mas esse filme é grandioso demais para não relevarmos. WEBRip no MakingOff.
Rated 31 May 2022
caspiancaspian
Rated 11 Jul 2021
100
99th
one of the greatest making ofs of all time. pure dramatic chaos
Rated 11 Jul 2021
wulfstanleeWulfstanLee
Rated 22 Jun 2016
100
94th
It is remarkable how well Burden of Dreams serves to parallel Herzog's wild dreams (plus eccentricities and colonializing tendencies) with that of his character Fitzcarraldo. Herzog's monologue on the disharmony of the jungle is incredible to see and a fitting climax.
Rated 22 Jun 2016
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 18 Aug 2013
80
95th
Unbelievable.
Rated 18 Aug 2013
von_kroghvon krogh
Rated 14 Jan 2013
78
82nd
A tour de force of bizarre anecdotes and an amazing character study of the man accurately described as "arguably the most interesting person on the planet," Werner Herzog. Burden of Dreams oddly doesn't mention the many problems Klaus Kinski created for the production, but we have My Best Fiend for that.
Rated 14 Jan 2013
gnalkhereGnalkhere
Rated 14 Jul 2015
80
72nd
As much of a match made in heaven Herzog and Blank always were, this is what it came to be for each other on screen.
Rated 14 Jul 2015
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 26 Jul 2008
73
79th
This "making of" documentary is a tense and exciting adventure movie in and of itself: Apparently, the making of "Fitzcarraldo" has put Werner Herzog and his crew through twice the hardships undergone by the film's protagonist himself, mostly due to Herzog's insistence on using actual god-forsaken locations in the midst of the rain-forest, actual arrow-shooting natives, hauling an actual 3-story boat up a hillside. The indigenous singing in the Burden of Dreams soundtrack is delectable.
Rated 26 Jul 2008
auritechauritech
Rated 25 Dec 2009
85
83rd
A perfect companion piece to Fitzcarraldo, a great film in its own right.
Rated 25 Dec 2009
nminichinonminichino
Rated 26 May 2008
70
67th
90 for every frame in which herzog speaks, 50 for every other frame, 70 average
Rated 26 May 2008
icarusIcarus
Rated 10 Oct 2015
91
91st
This film encapsulates what I love about Herzog--his passion for artmaking, his groundedness in the material world, and his conflicted vision of the world in which we live. Herzog touches on all three of these themes in this film, and documentarian Blank does well to capture them. I'm not sure I've seen a documentary on the subject of a filmmaker that does a better job of distilling that filmmaker's vision as Burden of Dreams does for Herzog.
Rated 10 Oct 2015
mike365365mike365365
Rated 09 Sep 2020
62
46th
This film makes me like Herzog a bit less.
Rated 09 Sep 2020
bofbof
Rated 15 Nov 2011
78
77th
Very good documentary about one of the most ambitious and possibly insane movie shoots ever, Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo, in which Herzog tries to film a story about a half-mad European hiring the local native Americans to pull a steamship over a mountain in the Amazon by hiring the local native Americans to pull a steamship over a mountain in the Amazon.
Rated 15 Nov 2011
graveyardtangraveyardtan
Rated 31 Oct 2011
85
71st
The best part of this was seeing the footage from the original Fitzcarraldo with Mick Jaggar, which until now, I had no idea even existed.
Rated 31 Oct 2011

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