_**An Amazonian Epic with Grand Ambitions**_ Fitzcarraldo, as it’s known by local people, tells the story of an Irishman (played by Klaus Kinski) residing in Iquitos, Peru, who harbors a vision of bringing grand opera to a city deep within the Amazon Basin. The film is set during the early 19th century when the rubber trade was flourishing. To finance his ambition, he plans to harvest rubber from a large tract of trees located beyond the formidable Ucayali Falls. His plan involves an unbelievable feat: having a steamboat hoisted over a ridge using manpower, with help from infamous headhunters, in order to reach this isolated region. Claudia Cardinale portrays his lover, a prosperous owner of a house of ill repute. Werner Herzog’s “Fitzcarraldo” (1982) surpasses his earlier film, “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” (1972), which was also filmed in the Amazon basin east of the Andes Mountains. While it runs about an hour longer, the narrative is more engaging. "Aguirre" served as inspiration for Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" (1979), and conversely, “Fitzcarraldo” seems to have been influenced by “Apocalypse Now.” However, “Apocalypse Now” made effective use of its setting—the Vietnam War—while very few are familiar with the rubber boom that occurred in the Iquitos region during the early 20th century. The film lacks conventional excitement; instead, it’s more perplexing and unusual, a truly strange cinematic experience. Nevertheless, there are memorable aspects, particularly the performances of the supporting actors like the robust captain, the strikingly large indigenous engineer, and the perpetually inebriated cook. At its heart, the movie explores themes of artistic beauty, lofty aspirations, unwavering determination, enigmatic cultures, crushing setbacks, and… ultimately, triumph. The film’s duration is 2 hours and 37 minutes, and it was filmed in locations around Iquitos, Peru, and Amazonas, Brazil, including several Tribal Regions. GRADE: B+/A-

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