Burden of Dreams

Burden of Dreams (1982) is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the people and places involved in the making of Werner Herzog’s jungle epic Fitzcarraldo (1982), the story of one man’s impossible dream to bring Opera to the Amazon jungles of South America as a metaphor for conquering our darker primal nature through enlightenment by enchanting the Peruvian natives with music.

Les Blank was hired to document the making of this grand sweeping adventure tale as it was being shot in the most isolated and inhospitable tropical forests of Peru. The herculean task of bring this film to life became just as harrowing as the adventure story it was depicting, which Herzog says is based on a news story he read.

The making of Herzog’s jungle odyssey Fitzcarraldo, is an epic tale of man’s struggle against nature that has much in common with the making of Apocalypse Now (1979), which was documented in the film Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991).

While on location Herzog’s cast and crew lived in the remote jungle for months among wild animals and tribes of native Indians. Indigenes tribes where used in the film as actors and we discover how the rivalries among these natives led to some extremely dangerous situations for the film crew.

At one point in the story of Fitzcarraldo, the eccentric character of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (Klaus Kinski), obsessed with building an Opera house in the jungle, must find a way to haul his mammoth three deck riverboat over a steep hill between two river tributaries. With the help of the Machiguenga and Asháninka Indians using only the raw materials found in the jungle, they must clear the rainforest by hand to create a land passage through the jungle.

The jungle and the enormous river ferryboat become characters in the film symbolizing the grueling up-hill struggle of one man’s passion for Opera music. Herzog likens it to his own chaotic and sometimes absurd battles to get his films made. He says ‘If we don’t strive to realize our dreams than life is meaningless’. 

Coming from a documentary background and for the sake of art and realism, Herzog attempts to achieve this part of the film by doing it for real; actually bulldozing a path through the jungle and pulling a real life-sized riverboat over a large steep chunk of Peruvian jungle.

Much like the heavy unwieldy riverboat slowly being dragged through the mud, the film production is eventually bogged down and engulfed in its own mounting obstacles that include financing, politics, accidents, conflicts with the crew and the natives, weather, and the wild unpredictable antics of the lead actor Klaus Kinski.

Herzog and Kinski’s collaborations have become legendary, an infamous partnership that spans 5 classic films including Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), Cobra Verde (1987), and their earlier classic jungle epic Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972).

This extraordinary documentary is a must-see for anyone interested in movies, filmmaking and anthropology, and a perfect companion piece to the film itself. Fitzcarraldo is Herzog’s magnum opus, his most ambitious masterpiece and a timeless piece of art, and this document of its making is invaluable for its insight into the process and motivations of those involved in its creation.

JP

Whiplash

A throwback to art school dramas like Fame (1980), without the spontaneous singing and dancing in the streets, Whiplash takes place in the musty wood paneled halls of a music conservatory where one notorious teacher is determined to bring out or break out the best in his music class. But are his extreme methods crossing the line between inspiration and psychological abuse?

Essentially a two person drama focused on a mentor protégé relationship, we follow Andrew (Miles Teller), a first year jazz drumming student, as he tries to impress and win the admiration of the most demanding and merciless music teacher in the country. 

Unlike the apathetic, languid Mason in Boyhood, this intense coming-of-age tale takes its subject on a harrowing journey in pursuit of perfection and what it takes to be great at something, taking the adage that greatness is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, or in this case blood sweat and tears, to extreme levels.

The volatile Mr. Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) gets results because he’s a brutal disciplinarian who accepts no excuses and runs his jazz orchestra class like a boot camp, kicking anyone not up to his standards out without a moment’s hesitation. He is the Chef Ramsey (Hell’s Kitchen) of music school instructors played brilliantly by J.K. Simmons, known for his role as obnoxious newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-man movies.

Andrew is in for a rude awakening when he first arrives in Mr. Fletcher’s class. However, his desire and stubborn determination to be the best is so strong that he will not be so easily discouraged from his goal, including having a cymbal thrown at him, relationship demands or well-meaning parental advice. 

Mr. Fletcher believes that “there are no two words more harmful than ‘Good job’” which indicates his philosophy that teachers/mentors should always encourage their students to continue to strive for better work and not to settle for anything less than their highest potential. The danger is that some people can be pushed too far and will not be able to live up to the instructor’s high expectations which may result in depression and suicide.

Whatever your opinion about nurturing talent or teaching techniques, this film is an eye opening wake-up call and a must-see for anyone wishing a career in the arts. The message is an important one. How much would we sacrifice and push ourselves to achieve our dreams? 

Visually, Whiplash lives up to its title with rapid fire close up snapshots of instruments, sheet notes and anguished concentrated faces edited together with heart pounding orchestra Jazz music that is absolutely riveting and mesmerizing.

Music and Jazz lovers will connect with the film’s hard hitting passionate love for the art form and pursuit of excellence. Everyone else will definitely get an education they won’t soon forget and be entertained at the same time. 

The performances are first rate especially that of J.K. Simmons as the instructor, who has been winning accolades and awards at every award show. His Oscar nominated performance is the surest bet to win this year for Best Supporting Actor award. 

You may need to check your ego for injuries after seeing this exceptionally brave and daring drama that will leave you transfixed and shell shocked. 

JP

Wild Tales

The slogan on the Spanish poster of the Argentine film Wild Tales (2014) or Relatos Salvajes reads “We all have our animal side” and it certainly lives up to its promise of savage stories so rabid that they seem to be more closely related to the primal behavior of the animal kingdom. 

Oscar contender for Best Foreign film, Wild Tales is a collection of six short films that take place in various locations around present day Argentina with a running theme of how frustrated people in bizarre situations can explode, losing all civilized pretensions and inhibitions.

These daring revenge stories begin innocently enough; a casual conversation between travelers on an airplane, a waitress serving a patron in a roadside diner, a driver enjoying a scenic ride on a winding highway through the mountains, a demolition engineer picking up a birthday cake for his daughter’s birthday party, a newlywed couple enjoying their wedding reception, but these events suddenly erupt absurdly out of control beyond what anyone would imagine possible.

The violent tales of operatic mayhem are exhilarating, depicting such common frustrating occurrences in contemporary Argentine society as having your car towed for no reason and having to pay to get it back, or dealing with road rage when confronted by a driver who gets under your skin, or the corruption of the callous wealthy who have no regard for the less fortunate, or discovering your husband’s infidelity on your wedding day.

I’ve heard many stories or urban legends of the volatile Argentine temperament and the frustration with a corrupt justice system that prompt people to settle their own disputes often in violent ways. But until now I have not actually witnessed a depiction of what director Damián Szifrón from Buenos Aires has said he personally experienced in similar shocking situations.

The film is a high octane, often insanely hilarious and outrageous black comedy with Pulp Fiction (1994) inspired energy and humor but without using any guns. You almost expect Dick Dale’s surfer rock rendition of ‘Misirlou’ to play after the opening sequence. The mostly Spanish audience I saw it with, were in stitches from the opening segment to the end.

Visually, all the episodes are innovatively presented adding a bold visual dimension that gives the film a polished sophisticated look. But it’s clearly the authentic engaging performances by the ensemble cast that give the film its powerful satiric punch.

Two of my favorite segments, one called ‘Bombita’, stars the superb Argentine actor Ricardo Darin who is well-known for his roles in Nine Queens (2000), The Aura (2005), and The Secret in Their Eyes (2009). 

Another great segment involving road rage is called ‘Road to Hell’ and stars Leonardo Sbaraglia, who I recently saw in another Argentine film called Aire Libre (2014) – click on link to read my review - at the Toronto International Film Festival, is one of the funniest things you’ll ever see.

Wild Tales has been playing the festival circuit to enthusiastic crowds and critical acclaim around the world since it was first shown at the Cannes film festival in May 2014. Its intense brutal action stands out, making for a truly gripping experience that’s not afraid to show humans at our most vulnerable and barbarous.

Make this brilliant, hysterically courageous film a must-see and judge for yourself. It’s an unforgettable experience that will not disappoint.

JP