list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Burden of Dreams on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Burden_of_Dreams/4811/default.aspx Title: Burden of Dreams
Year: 1982
Director: Les Blank
Plot: Documentarian Les Blank, who filmed Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe, trained his cameras on Herzog again, as the eccentric German filmmaker made his epic, Fitzcarraldo, in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Herzog's production is in trouble right from the start. He begins filming with Jason Robards playing the title role, and Mick Jagger playing Fitzcarraldo's sidekick, Wilbur. With 40 percent of the film shot, Robards becomes ill and goes back to the states, where his doctor will not let him return. Because of the delay, Jagger, with album and tour commitments, is forced to quit the production. Thinking no one can fill the rock star's shoes, Herzog jettisons Jagger's role. He eventually casts his frequent collaborator Klaus Kinski as Fitzcarraldo and begins shooting again. Violent tribal disputes and unpredictable weather hinder the shoot, but the biggest obstacle is Herzog's own quixotic and dangerous determination to film one antique boat smashing down the Amazonian rapids, and the dragging of an identical boat over a mountain from one river to another. Blank interviews members of the cast and crew, including the impoverished Indian extras, and captures the troubles of the seemingly cursed production, but his interviews with Herzog are the focal point of the film. "If I abandon this project," Herzog explains at one point, "I would be a man without dreams, and I never want to live like that. I live my life or I end my life with this project." Herzog later made his own documentary about Kinski, My Best Fiend, which adds to the lore of this infamously difficult shoot. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 55
Number of Lists: 17
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 12 May 2009 03:01:41 GMTBurden of Dreams1982Les BlankDocumentarian <a href="/players/P____82088/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Les Blank</a>, who filmed <a href=/films/37832/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe</a>, trained his cameras on Herzog again, as the eccentric German filmmaker made his epic, <a href=/films/11817/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Fitzcarraldo</a>, in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Herzog's production is in trouble right from the start. He begins filming with Jason Robards playing the title role, and <a href="/players/P____95775/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Mick Jagger</a> playing Fitzcarraldo's sidekick, Wilbur. With 40 percent of the film shot, Robards becomes ill and goes back to the states, where his doctor will not let him return. Because of the delay, Jagger, with album and tour commitments, is forced to quit the production. Thinking no one can fill the rock star's shoes, Herzog jettisons Jagger's role. He eventually casts his frequent collaborator <a href="/players/P____38429/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Klaus Kinski</a> as Fitzcarraldo and begins shooting again. Violent tribal disputes and unpredictable weather hinder the shoot, but the biggest obstacle is Herzog's own quixotic and dangerous determination to film one antique boat smashing down the Amazonian rapids, and the dragging of an identical boat over a mountain from one river to another. Blank interviews members of the cast and crew, including the impoverished Indian extras, and captures the troubles of the seemingly cursed production, but his interviews with Herzog are the focal point of the film. "If I abandon this project," Herzog explains at one point, "I would be a man without dreams, and I never want to live like that. I live my life or I end my life with this project." Herzog later made his own documentary about Kinski, <a href=/films/134133/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>My Best Fiend</a>, which adds to the lore of this infamously difficult shoot. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide55Tag Target (>10)17633http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t60424s9plu.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Burden_of_Dreams/4811/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2008/11/4/36962.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 11/4/2008 3:13:36 PM
Body: This blog entry is part of my “movie year countdown round #2”. Read more about that here. Burden of Dreams For a moment I was almost thinking about rating this movie lower than what I actually did: a 9 out of 10. Maybe that was because the movie didn't exactly exceed my expectations, but it certainly was what I expected. And since I had seen Fizcarraldo and have listened to Werner Herzog speak about many different things I had been expecting a lot. I have said that I could listen to Herzog talk about almost anything. He is by far my favorite director to listen to his commentary tracks on DVDs of his movies. In fact I wish every DVD had a commentary track by Herzog, even if he had nothing to do with the film. It's partially his strange yet soothing accent, but mostly his amazing outlook on life and art. Even if I don't find all of his films the greatest, I am always fascinated by whatever he is doing and have so much respect for what he tries to do. And in this movie you certainly get a lot of him talking and his viewpoint on art and film. I'm sure if I'd never heard him speak before seeing this, I would have been even more blown away! I also think I was expecting some more tantrums from Kinski. I had seen a clip of him raving on the set of Fitzcarraldo before seeing this film, and I thought it would be in here. In fact it wasn't, but it was shot by Les Blank this film's director. I guess Herzog used it later in My Best Fiend. Maybe that's the movie I should be looking to for my Kinski tantrums. The criterion DVD for his movie also features the interesting short Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. Just in case you can't get quite enough of the man. Rating 9/10
]]>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:13:36 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog11/4/2008 3:13:36 PMThis blog entry is part of my &ldquo;movie year countdown round #2&rdquo;. Read more about that here. Burden of Dreams For a moment I was almost thinking about rating this movie lower than what I actually did: a 9 out of 10. Maybe that was because the movie didn't exactly exceed my expectations, but it certainly was what I expected. And since I had seen Fizcarraldo and have listened to Werner Herzog speak about many different things I had been expecting a lot. I have said that I could listen to Herzog talk about almost anything. He is by far my favorite director to listen to his commentary tracks on DVDs of his movies. In fact I wish every DVD had a commentary track by Herzog, even if he had nothing to do with the film. It's partially his strange yet soothing accent, but mostly his amazing outlook on life and art. Even if I don't find all of his films the greatest, I am always fascinated by whatever he is doing and have so much respect for what he tries to do. And in this movie you certainly get a lot of him talking and his viewpoint on art and film. I'm sure if I'd never heard him speak before seeing this, I would have been even more blown away! I also think I was expecting some more tantrums from Kinski. I had seen a clip of him raving on the set of Fitzcarraldo before seeing this film, and I thought it would be in here. In fact it wasn't, but it was shot by Les Blank this film's director. I guess Herzog used it later in My Best Fiend. Maybe that's the movie I should be looking to for my Kinski tantrums. The criterion DVD for his movie also features the interesting short Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. Just in case you can't get quite enough of the man. Rating 9/10 http://www.spout.com/blogs/quint/archive/2007/11/21/21901.aspx Post By: quint
Post To: An inordinate number of peppers
Post Date: 11/21/2007 8:05:28 AM
Body: Burden of Dreams is necessary. This is a story that needs a good telling and Les Blank was there to capture it. It was obvious to Herzog, who was willing to play Fitzcarraldo himself if necessary, that Fitzcarraldo is the director of an experience. Kinski and Bruno S. have both played Herzog stand-ins. It's always interesting to hear Herzog speak. He is sometimes wise, sometimes full of bluster. An authentic person always. Here the pithy moment comes when Herzog pontificates about the transposition of dreams. He creates a dream on film hoping that it corresponds to the dream we are having. Despite his own vehement denial of Freud and introspection and deams themselves, he sees at the core of art this attempt to express a collective mythical experience. He imagines himself a sort of midwife fulfilling the dictates of something he refuses to look at. He is not the sort to really break it down for you in an interview. He is a man of action. A do-er.Whatever you might think of Herzog (I see the tag MAD-MAN, which is one way to look at it I suppose), he has accomplished something great here. Purposefully challenging so as to capture himself the difficulty of the task. It's easy to conceive of Herzog as Fitzcarraldo. It is hardly worth talking about. Seeing the production shows just how seamless the experience is. The oft-mentioned Kinski blowups are downplayed in Burden of Dreams, but it is not hard to see the necessities of the role. Kinski must internalize Herzog while taking his direction. Kinski is Herzog is Fitzcarraldo. It is no surprise that they would conspire against one another. They are conspiring against themselves in the process. This is perhaps the central meta-story of the whole endeavor. Herzog is dragging Kinski up a mountain as well. So what is it? What is the whole thing about? The burden of dreams is a telling title, but that just transposes Herzog for Fitzcarraldo. What was the whole exercise about? Herzog is trying to give us in images what he thinks is latent in us to begin with. This desire to surmount nature. The confrontation with the rawest force of nature, the jungle. All the fierce engine of life pitted against itself for the epic gesture. And the acknowledgement that it is only just a gesture. Man is dragging himself over a mountain. Forcing all his cultural baggage into the heart of nature. There is something absurd about the endeavor. Something skewed and a bit mad perhaps. And yet we do it all the time. I am a big fan of Riding with Robots. I watch these images come in from all the various probes, filtered down for me by a worthy eye. We want to see the cataracts of death. We want to reach out with our steamships to inject ourselves into those inland rivers, to bridge those impossible gaps. We do transpose our dreams. The kicker is that the Indians sacrifice the ship to the river. It is they who were always in control. These lions of men. It is they who are struggling to appease tyranical forces. In part this is about the loss of lions. Despite his absurdity, Fitzcarraldo is a lion as well. Perhaps he is no different than those native peoples. Perhaps Herzog is no different. And perhaps he is reaching out to the lions within us. To unleash us. Fitzcarraldo has not just the boat to drag, but Caruso, who is almost a character himself. Caruso, a lion as well. And thus the culture of western man. Caruso is the infection. The boat is the infection. The river is the blood stream of the earth. Fitzcarraldo and Caruso ride the ship into the cataracts of death. Behind the scenes, Herzog is there on the ship as well. As well as a camera. Herzog is dragging a camera over a mountain to show us what we are.
]]>Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:05:28 GMTquintAn inordinate number of peppers11/21/2007 8:05:28 AMBurden of Dreams is necessary. This is a story that needs a good telling and Les Blank was there to capture it. It was obvious to Herzog, who was willing to play Fitzcarraldo himself if necessary, that Fitzcarraldo is the director of an experience. Kinski and Bruno S. have both played Herzog stand-ins. It&#39;s always interesting to hear Herzog speak. He is sometimes wise, sometimes full of bluster. An authentic person always. Here the pithy moment comes when Herzog pontificates about the transposition of dreams. He creates a dream on film hoping that it corresponds to the dream we are having. Despite his own vehement denial of Freud and introspection and deams themselves, he sees at the core of art this attempt to express a collective mythical experience. He imagines himself a sort of midwife fulfilling the dictates of something he refuses to look at. He is not the sort to really break it down for you in an interview. He is a man of action. A do-er.Whatever you might think of Herzog (I see the tag MAD-MAN, which is one way to look at it I suppose), he has accomplished something great here. Purposefully challenging so as to capture himself the difficulty of the task. It&#39;s easy to conceive of Herzog as Fitzcarraldo. It is hardly worth talking about. Seeing the production shows just how seamless the experience is. The oft-mentioned Kinski blowups are downplayed in Burden of Dreams, but it is not hard to see the necessities of the role. Kinski must internalize Herzog while taking his direction. Kinski is Herzog is Fitzcarraldo. It is no surprise that they would conspire against one another. They are conspiring against themselves in the process. This is perhaps the central meta-story of the whole endeavor. Herzog is dragging Kinski up a mountain as well. So what is it? What is the whole thing about? The burden of dreams is a telling title, but that just transposes Herzog for Fitzcarraldo. What was the whole exercise about? Herzog is trying to give us in images what he thinks is latent in us to begin with. This desire to surmount nature. The confrontation with the rawest force of nature, the jungle. All the fierce engine of life pitted against itself for the epic gesture. And the acknowledgement that it is only just a gesture. Man is dragging himself over a mountain. Forcing all his cultural baggage into the heart of nature. There is something absurd about the endeavor. Something skewed and a bit mad perhaps. And yet we do it all the time. I am a big fan of Riding with Robots. I watch these images come in from all the various probes, filtered down for me by a worthy eye. We want to see the cataracts of death. We want to reach out with our steamships to inject ourselves into those inland rivers, to bridge those impossible gaps. We do transpose our dreams. The kicker is that the Indians sacrifice the ship to the river. It is they who were always in control. These lions of men. It is they who are struggling to appease tyranical forces. In part this is about the loss of lions. Despite his absurdity, Fitzcarraldo is a lion as well. Perhaps he is no different than those native peoples. Perhaps Herzog is no different. And perhaps he is reaching out to the lions within us. To unleash us. Fitzcarraldo has not just the boat to drag, but Caruso, who is almost a character himself. Caruso, a lion as well. And thus the culture of western man. Caruso is the infection. The boat is the infection. The river is the blood stream of the earth. Fitzcarraldo and Caruso ride the ship into the cataracts of death. Behind the scenes, Herzog is there on the ship as well. As well as a camera. Herzog is dragging a camera over a mountain to show us what we are. http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2007/11/19/21772.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 11/19/2007 11:10:22 AM
Body: This is a list for Round 2 of my movie year countdown viewing project as first described here. If by any strange chance whoever is reading this is actually following along you may notice that I'm still less than two thirds of the way through my original one. Well I'm starting this new one because as much as I love old movies it can get a little tedious watching just older movies. So I'm going to be blending my watching of the two lists together. Still focusing on the original one, but every once in a while sliding in the next entry from this new list.Again these new movies are limited to full length movies that are available on Netflix. And for this new round instead of picking a movie from every year, I will be picking a movie from every two years. For example the first movie must have come out during 2006 or 2007. The second movie must have come out in 2004 or 2005. The next in 2002 or 2003. You see.The list is not finished yet, but here is what I have decided so far. I will update this post later with the new flicks.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Children of Men (2006)2. The New World (2005)3. Mou gaan dou (Infernal Affairs) (2002)4. Riri Shushu no subete (All About Lily Chou-Chou) (2001)5. Party Monster (1998)6. Hard Eight (1996)7. Smoke (1995)8. Jennifer Eight (1992)9. The Fisher King (1991)10. Tetsuo (Tetsuo, the Iron Man) (1989)11. Angel Heart (1987)12. Runaway Train (1985)13. Burden of Dreams (1982)14. The Big Red One (1980)15. Stalker (1979)16. Network (1976)17. Angst essen Seele auf (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul) (1974)18. The Wicker Man (1973)19. Land des Schweigens und der Dunkelheit (Land of Silence and Darkness) (1971)20. Z (1969)21. In Cold Blood (1967)22. Suna no onna (Woman in the Dunes) (1964)23. The Intruder (1962)24. Jungfrukällan (The Virgin Spring) (1960)25. Pickpocket (1959)26. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)27. Kiss Me Deadly (1955)28. Shane (1953)29. Winchester '73 (1950)30. The Big Clock (1948)31. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)32. The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (1944)33. Hi Diddle Diddle (1943)34. The Philadelphia Story (1940)35. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)36. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)37. Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)38. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)39. Zemlya (Earth) (1930)40. Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora's Box) (1929)41. The Unknown (1927)42. Seven Chances (1925)43. Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit (Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler) (1922)44. The Kid (1921)45. Male and Female (1919)46. Umirayushchii Lebed (The Dying Swan) (1917)47. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
]]>Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:10:22 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog11/19/2007 11:10:22 AMThis is a list for Round 2 of my movie year countdown viewing project as first described here. If by any strange chance whoever is reading this is actually following along you may notice that I&#39;m still less than two thirds of the way through my original one. Well I&#39;m starting this new one because as much as I love old movies it can get a little tedious watching just older movies. So I&#39;m going to be blending my watching of the two lists together. Still focusing on the original one, but every once in a while sliding in the next entry from this new list.Again these new movies are limited to full length movies that are available on Netflix. And for this new round instead of picking a movie from every year, I will be picking a movie from every two years. For example the first movie must have come out during 2006 or 2007. The second movie must have come out in 2004 or 2005. The next in 2002 or 2003. You see.The list is not finished yet, but here is what I have decided so far. I will update this post later with the new flicks.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Children of Men (2006)2. The New World (2005)3. Mou gaan dou (Infernal Affairs) (2002)4. Riri Shushu no subete (All About Lily Chou-Chou) (2001)5. Party Monster (1998)6. Hard Eight (1996)7. Smoke (1995)8. Jennifer Eight (1992)9. The Fisher King (1991)10. Tetsuo (Tetsuo, the Iron Man) (1989)11. Angel Heart (1987)12. Runaway Train (1985)13. Burden of Dreams (1982)14. The Big Red One (1980)15. Stalker (1979)16. Network (1976)17. Angst essen Seele auf (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul) (1974)18. The Wicker Man (1973)19. Land des Schweigens und der Dunkelheit (Land of Silence and Darkness) (1971)20. Z (1969)21. In Cold Blood (1967)22. Suna no onna (Woman in the Dunes) (1964)23. The Intruder (1962)24. Jungfruk&auml;llan (The Virgin Spring) (1960)25. Pickpocket (1959)26. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)27. Kiss Me Deadly (1955)28. Shane (1953)29. Winchester &#39;73 (1950)30. The Big Clock (1948)31. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)32. The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought at Agincourt in France (1944)33. Hi Diddle Diddle (1943)34. The Philadelphia Story (1940)35. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)36. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)37. Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935)38. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)39. Zemlya (Earth) (1930)40. Die B&uuml;chse der Pandora (Pandora&#39;s Box) (1929)41. The Unknown (1927)42. Seven Chances (1925)43. Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit (Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler) (1922)44. The Kid (1921)45. Male and Female (1919)46. Umirayushchii Lebed (The Dying Swan) (1917)47. The Birth of a Nation (1915) http://www.spout.com/groups/HORROR_MOVIES_101/Re_The_Differentiation_Of_Horror_Films/222/18783/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: TheWorkingDead
Post To: HORROR MOVIES 101
Post Date: 8/26/2007 2:06:42 AM
Body: [quote user="Risselada"] I still haven't seen My Best Fiend or Burden of Dreams, but am very excited to.I find it interesting that someone who could throw such tantrums would be able to ultimately be such a good actor. And that people other than Herzog would ever even work with him.It's fascinating.[/quote]Ever watch House(the TV show, not the movie)? There's an episode where this patient says, after meeting House, 'That man must be a very good at his job...' '... because nobody that much of a jerk can be bad at his job and keep it' I'm paraphrasing, but that sums up what I think the attitude towards Kinski was, whenever he'd throw his tantrums.And yes, My Best Fiend is very good. Kinski was, according to Herzog, every bit the crazy mother that you'd expect.
]]>Sun, 26 Aug 2007 06:06:42 GMTTheWorkingDeadHORROR MOVIES 1018/26/2007 2:06:42 AM[quote user="Risselada"] I still haven&#39;t seen My Best Fiend or Burden of Dreams, but am very excited to.I find it interesting that someone who could throw such tantrums would be able to ultimately be such a good actor. And that people other than Herzog would ever even work with him.It&#39;s fascinating.[/quote]Ever watch House(the TV show, not the movie)? There&#39;s an episode where this patient says, after meeting House, &#39;That man must be a very good at his job...&#39; &#39;... because nobody that much of a jerk can be bad at his job and keep it&#39; I&#39;m paraphrasing, but that sums up what I think the attitude towards Kinski was, whenever he&#39;d throw his tantrums.And yes, My Best Fiend is very good. Kinski was, according to Herzog, every bit the crazy mother that you&#39;d expect. http://www.spout.com/groups/HORROR_MOVIES_101/Re_The_Differentiation_Of_Horror_Films/222/18677/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: HORROR MOVIES 101
Post Date: 8/24/2007 11:09:32 AM
Body: I still haven't seen My Best Fiend or Burden of Dreams, but am very excited to.I find it interesting that someone who could throw such tantrums would be able to ultimately be such a good actor. And that people other than Herzog would ever even work with him.It's fascinating.
]]>Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:09:32 GMTRisseladaHORROR MOVIES 1018/24/2007 11:09:32 AMI still haven&#39;t seen My Best Fiend or Burden of Dreams, but am very excited to.I find it interesting that someone who could throw such tantrums would be able to ultimately be such a good actor. And that people other than Herzog would ever even work with him.It&#39;s fascinating. http://www.spout.com/blogs/analogzombie/archive/2007/7/13/14060.aspx Post By: analogzombie
Post To: analogzombie Blog
Post Date: 7/13/2007 8:53:00 PM
Body: In 1979 Werner Herzog set out to make Fittzcarraldo, a story about a caucho era rubber baron who tried to pull a steam ship over a mountain to bring opera to Quito. This a documentary about that shoot.With everything from native indian attacks, wild accusations about Herzog executing workers en masse, less than competant engineers, last minute recasting, screaming fits from the lead actor, and cost overages, the last thing Herzog had to worry about was actually pulling a real boat over a real mountain. Yet, he achieved that, and finished his film to boot. Burden of Dreams is a window into the mind of a mad genius. Herzog is shown as an artist so clear about his art that he will literally and metaphorically push himself, and those around him, to the brink of destruction. Director Les Blank's camera finds him at the production's most honest points. He chooses to focus on the lives of the natives that have come to take part in the film, as much as on Kinski and the director. What develops is a film that is more than a making of, more than a portarit of an artist at work. What emerges is a story as engaging as Fittzcarraldo. Herzog and his main character have fused into a single being. It is no surpruise then, that the task of pulling the ship over the mountain is not only completely real, but also more difficult than what was done in events that inspired the film. The real Fittzcarraldo disected the ship into hundreds of parts to be reassembled on the other side of the river. The film and necessarily the ship wrenching act itself have become almost an obsession. As Werner states in the documentary "I live or die with this film."
]]>Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:53:00 GMTanalogzombieanalogzombie Blog7/13/2007 8:53:00 PMIn 1979 Werner Herzog set out to make Fittzcarraldo, a story about a caucho era rubber baron who tried to pull a steam ship over a mountain to bring opera to Quito. This a documentary about that shoot.With everything from native indian attacks, wild accusations about Herzog executing workers en masse, less than competant engineers, last minute recasting, screaming fits from the lead actor, and cost overages, the last thing Herzog had to worry about was actually pulling a real boat over a real mountain. Yet, he achieved that, and finished his film to boot. Burden of Dreams is a window into the mind of a mad genius. Herzog is shown as an artist so clear about his art that he will literally and metaphorically push himself, and those around him, to the brink of destruction. Director Les Blank&#39;s camera finds him at the production&#39;s most honest points. He chooses to focus on the lives of the natives that have come to take part in the film, as much as on Kinski and the director. What develops is a film that is more than a making of, more than a portarit of an artist at work. What emerges is a story as engaging as Fittzcarraldo. Herzog and his main character have fused into a single being. It is no surpruise then, that the task of pulling the ship over the mountain is not only completely real, but also more difficult than what was done in events that inspired the film. The real Fittzcarraldo disected the ship into hundreds of parts to be reassembled on the other side of the river. The film and necessarily the ship wrenching act itself have become almost an obsession. As Werner states in the documentary "I live or die with this film." http://www.spout.com/blogs/analogzombie/archive/2007/7/13/14041.aspx Post By: analogzombie
Post To: analogzombie Blog
Post Date: 7/13/2007 8:34:00 PM
Body: My Best Fiend was made by Werner Herzog after Klaus Kinski's death and chronicles the tumultuous relationship between the director and the actor most often associated with him. Together they made five films over a 15 year period, but their connection extends much deeper into childhood, when they lived together for a short while. As Herzog dissects his friend it becomes clear that Kinski was more than a raving lunatic or mad genius. He was a man tormented by his desire to succeed and his will to dominate, a man forever impatient with those who he saw as standing in his way. What emerges over the course of the documentary is how complimentary the two truly were. Only Herzog seems capable of withstanding Kinski's fits, and pushing him to his greatest acting achievements. In his heart Kinski knew that he needed someone as equally obstinate as himself to drive him forward. This truth served as the bedrock for a friendship that would endure twin murder plots, threats of film sabotage, and wild international rumors that the two helped to spur on.Herzog and Kinski are one of film's greatest collaborative teams. Like Kurosawa and Mifune, they brought out the best in each other. Herzog and Kinski however, also brought out the worst. Peppered with footage of their film collaborations, My Best fiend is a very decent documentary and a nice companion piece to Les Blank's documentary; 'Burden of Dreams', about the production of Herzog and Kinski's "Fitzcarraldo", footage of which is contained here. The film is imbued with the depth of love and healthy, if violent, emotions that brought these two men together.
]]>Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:34:00 GMTanalogzombieanalogzombie Blog7/13/2007 8:34:00 PMMy Best Fiend was made by Werner Herzog after Klaus Kinski&#39;s death and chronicles the tumultuous relationship between the director and the actor most often associated with him. Together they made five films over a 15 year period, but their connection extends much deeper into childhood, when they lived together for a short while. As Herzog dissects his friend it becomes clear that Kinski was more than a raving lunatic or mad genius. He was a man tormented by his desire to succeed and his will to dominate, a man forever impatient with those who he saw as standing in his way. What emerges over the course of the documentary is how complimentary the two truly were. Only Herzog seems capable of withstanding Kinski&#39;s fits, and pushing him to his greatest acting achievements. In his heart Kinski knew that he needed someone as equally obstinate as himself to drive him forward. This truth served as the bedrock for a friendship that would endure twin murder plots, threats of film sabotage, and wild international rumors that the two helped to spur on.Herzog and Kinski are one of film&#39;s greatest collaborative teams. Like Kurosawa and Mifune, they brought out the best in each other. Herzog and Kinski however, also brought out the worst. Peppered with footage of their film collaborations, My Best fiend is a very decent documentary and a nice companion piece to Les Blank&#39;s documentary; &#39;Burden of Dreams&#39;, about the production of Herzog and Kinski&#39;s "Fitzcarraldo", footage of which is contained here. The film is imbued with the depth of love and healthy, if violent, emotions that brought these two men together. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Movies_About_Making_Movies/190/13666/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 7/11/2007 11:08:43 AM
Body: [quote user="indieabby88"]3. Lost in La Mancha: I loved this, and thought it was very well done. It was a good story and also an interesting study of Gilliam's history of problems with studios. This movie made me wish Gilliam's project had worked out, since the footage I did see was pretty darn good, and I really did feel sorry for the guy.[/quote]I've been pretty interested in seeing this one. I don't know why I haven't yet. Maybe because I always wanted to read Don Quixote before I saw a movie of it. Then again this isn't even a movie of it. It's about trying to make a movie of it. Ok I'm anal.Going along with this sort of type of movie, I'm also very VERY interested in seeing Burden of Dreams. I'm not sure why I haven't gotten to that one yet.
]]>Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:08:43 GMTRisseladaTop 57/11/2007 11:08:43 AM[quote user="indieabby88"]3. Lost in La Mancha: I loved this, and thought it was very well done. It was a good story and also an interesting study of Gilliam's history of problems with studios. This movie made me wish Gilliam's project had worked out, since the footage I did see was pretty darn good, and I really did feel sorry for the guy.[/quote]I've been pretty interested in seeing this one. I don't know why I haven't yet. Maybe because I always wanted to read Don Quixote before I saw a movie of it. Then again this isn't even a movie of it. It's about trying to make a movie of it. Ok I'm anal.Going along with this sort of type of movie, I'm also very VERY interested in seeing Burden of Dreams. I'm not sure why I haven't gotten to that one yet. http://www.spout.com/blogs/chesterfilms/archive/2007/5/27/9471.aspx Post By: chesterfilms
Post To: chesterfilms Blog
Post Date: 5/27/2007 2:42:38 PM
Body: 1. Jaws (1975)What more can be said about this film. This film never gets old, and it's still just as frightening today as it was on my first viewing. Unbelievable direction (understatement of the year).2. Fitzcarraldo (1982)The greatest scene in this film has a boat in it, but the boat is being pulled over a mountain (does that still count). An incredibly ambitious film about an incredibly ambitious man. 3. Lifeboat (1944)When the whole movie takes place in a life boat you better have a great story, and a great cast. Thankfully it's Hitchcock, so the tension and suspense is always building. 4. The African Queen (1951) Boogie and Hepburn on the run from German troupes. Battling crocodiles, rapids, and everything else that the African jungle throws at them. Huston makes a film that goes into my small list of perfect films. 5. Burden Of Dreams (1982)I'm gonna throw a curve ball here. Les Bank's documentary chronicling the production of Fitzcarraldo is a perfect example of art imitating life. Herzog is a madman. Report abuse chesterfilms Joined on 05-11-2007 Los Angeles Posts 111 Reply Quote Delete Edit
]]>Sun, 27 May 2007 18:42:38 GMTchesterfilmschesterfilms Blog5/27/2007 2:42:38 PM 1. Jaws (1975)What more can be said about this film. This film never gets old, and it&#39;s still just as frightening today as it was on my first viewing. Unbelievable direction (understatement of the year).2. Fitzcarraldo (1982)The greatest scene in this film has a boat in it, but the boat is being pulled over a mountain (does that still count). An incredibly ambitious film about an incredibly ambitious man. 3. Lifeboat (1944)When the whole movie takes place in a life boat you better have a great story, and a great cast. Thankfully it&#39;s Hitchcock, so the tension and suspense is always building. 4. The African Queen (1951) Boogie and Hepburn on the run from German troupes. Battling crocodiles, rapids, and everything else that the African jungle throws at them. Huston makes a film that goes into my small list of perfect films. 5. Burden Of Dreams (1982)I&#39;m gonna throw a curve ball here. Les Bank&#39;s documentary chronicling the production of Fitzcarraldo is a perfect example of art imitating life. Herzog is a madman. Report abuse chesterfilms Joined on 05-11-2007 Los Angeles Posts 111 Reply Quote Delete Edit http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/documentary/MemberTagFilms.aspxdocumentary
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