Burden of Dreams

One of the most legendary making-of films in the history of movies, Burden of Dreams is less the story of Fitzcarraldo or filmmaker Werner Herzog than it is the story of a culture clash between Western filmmakers and a native Indian community. Given the stories of near death infections, feuds with Klaus Kinski, Indian revolts, and production woes typical of any film as adventurous or unorthodox as this, Herzog comes across as an amazingly calm, philosophical force in the centre of a natural disaster. Of course, that's where Herzog feels most at home.

Part of Criterion's recent string of documentary releases -- which also includes Hoop Dreams and Orson Welles' F for Fake -- this disc attempts to explain Herzog's puzzling cinematic and psychological processes. Even with full knowledge of what was planned for this release, I'm still a little overwhelmed by Criterion's thoroughness.

For one, we get a commentary by director Les Blank, his filmmaking partner Maureen Gosling, and Herzog himself. Along with the disc's 38 minute Herzog interview, this provides an intriguing representation of the differing perspectives on the film. In these supplements, we learn how Blank teamed up with Herzog, what Herzog's input into Burden of Dreams was, and how the film ultimately impacted Herzog's already shaky reputation in the film industry.

Herzog is extremely defensive about his outrageous filmmaking techniques and claims that some of the film is misleading. To some extent, Blank and Gosling agree. However, they spend most of their commentary discussing the locales where they shot and the native Indian customs they observed, as well as the perilous danger and health concerns they encountered in Peru. In spite of the occasional complaint, there is an overall sense that these filmmakers admire one another and take pride in their Fitzcarraldo experiences.

The disc also includes 2 deleted scenes that are really just clips from Herzog's 1999 documentary about his troubled relationship with Kinski, My Best Fiend. This material was shot by Blank during the making of Fitzcarraldo but never used. If you haven't seen My Best Fiend, these clips are a beautiful introduction to that film's simultaneous rage and tenderness.

Criterion includes an essay by Paul Arthur which makes the same old (arguably irrelevant) point that Burden of Dreams is superior to Fitzcarraldo. In reality, Burden of Dreams is to Fitzcarraldo what Hearts of Darkness is to Apocalypse Now: a documentary that draws parallels between an epic's director and its protagonist. The fiction films and their documentaries aren't really at odds. In fact, they complement one another.

The biggest surprise, particularly for a single disc release, is the 80 page glossy book of journal excerpts by Les Blank and Gosling. Laid out like a paperback novel, this is a feature that truly enriches the film. While Burden of Dreams only alludes to Blank and Gosling's perspective on Fitzcarraldo, these journals state their perspective explicitly.

We also get a trailer and a stills gallery. However, the true gift of this release is Les Blank's 20 minute documentary Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe. Made a few years before Burden of Dreams, this film is the stuff of legend. Herzog knew filmmaker Errol Morris before Morris completed his debut film, Gates of Heaven. In an effort to inspire Morris, Herzog promised to eat his shoe if Morris ever completed the film. At the premiere of Gates of Heaven, Herzog took the stage and, in front of hundreds of spectators, fulfilled his promise. This is the peculiar, surprising, and even inspirational document of that event.

In another world, Burden of Dreams might have been a terrific supplement on the Fitzcarraldo DVD. In this one, Criterion gives us something even better: a simultaneous tribute to both Herzog and famed documentary filmmaker Les Blank. If you're even moderately interested in either, this is an essential disc. -- Jonathan Doyle