BURDEN OF DREAMS
Directed by Les Blank with Maureen Gosling
United States, 1982, 95 min, DCP, in English, Spanish & German with English subtitles
Burden of Dreams captures legendary director Werner Herzog’s filming of his most ambitious film Fitzcarraldo, in which an entrepreneur (Klaus Kinski) endeavors to push a steamship over a mountain to build an opera house deep in the Amazon jungle.
Press
The Grueling Comedy of “Burden of Dreams” Chance Solem-Pfeifer, The Wilamette WeekTragicomedy at its finest
Dreams Remastered: On the 4K Remaster of Burden of Dreams William Blick, Film InternationalBurden of Dreams doesn’t need to be seen; it needs to be experienced
Santa Fe New MexicanAn extraordinary document of the filmmaking process and a unique look into the single-minded mission of one of cinema’s most fearless directors.
Werner Herzog Gets Stuck in the Mud Zachary Barnes, The Wall Street JournalBlank created an enduring record of hubris, exploitation and unrelenting misadventure in the pursuit of artistic greatness
Katie Rife, Letterboxd - Shelf LifeThe film shines in 4K with a new restoration that highlights the sweltering beauty (or evil, depending on the mood that day) of Amazonian flora and fauna.
Cole SmitheyUnforgettable
Alison Foreman, Christian Zilko, IndiewireCaptures the spirit of extreme filmmaking
Boston GlobeExtraordinary…one of the most exquisitely detailed, dramatically compelling films ever made about the creative process.
Gene Siskel, Chicago TribuneBurden of Dreams should be ranked with the finest of films about great artists.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-TimesAn extraordinary portrait of Herzog trapped in the middle of one of his wildest dreams…Les Blank is a brilliant filmmaker who is unafraid to ask difficult questions and portray Werner Herzog, warts and all.