Subscribe to watch - 14-day free trial, then £6.99 a month
Fitzcarraldo
One of Werner Herzog's most acclaimed and audacious films, Fitzcarraldo tells the incredible story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an opera-loving fortune hunter who dreams of bringing opera to the heart of the Peruvian jungle.
Director: Werner Herzog
Overview
One of Werner Herzog's most acclaimed and audacious films, Fitzcarraldo tells the incredible story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (played by Herzog regular Klaus Kinski), an opera-loving fortune hunter who dreams of bringing opera (specifically Caruso) to a remote trading post on the heart of the Peruvian jungle.
With the help of the beautiful madam Molly (Claudia Cardinale), his loyal crew, and an indigenous tribe, Fitzcarraldo journeys up the rivers of the Amazon hauling his steamship, the Molly Aida, over a mountain in order to access the riches of hitherto unexploited rubber territory. Evocative of the troubled circumstance of its own production, Fitzcarraldo is both a confessional self-portrait of Herzog the adventuring artist and a grandiose paean to those who dare to live out their wildest dreams.
Related
Taxi Zum Klo Taxi Zum Klo
Comedy 1981 90 mins Director: Frank Ripploh
Taxi zum Klo is a refreshingly guilt-free gay movie from West Germany about a promiscuous teacher, played by director Frank Ripploh.
Red Island Red Island
Drama 2023 117 mins Director: Robin Campillo
French writer-director Robin Campillo offers a searching exploration of memory and politics, in this boldly conceived story of boyhood in 1970s Madagascar.
Police Story Police Story
Martial arts 1985 101 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan's mind-blowing, high-octane extravaganza of death-defying stunts and action comedy.
Jesus' Son Jesus' Son
Drama 1999 108 mins Director: Alison Maclean
Billy Crudup stars as a young drifter who gets hooked on heroin in this star-studded story of addiction, recovery and redemption.
The New Boy The New Boy
Drama 2023 96 mins Director: Warwick Thornton
Cate Blanchett is mesmerising as a feverish nun, in Warwick Thorntonβs striking tale of spiritual worlds colliding in 1940s Australia.
Point Break Point Break
Action and Adventure 1991 122 mins Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Kathryn Bigelowβs pulse-pounding action thriller and heady bromance, with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze.
All Consuming Love All Consuming Love
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2011 9 mins Director: Louis Hudson
Kevin Eldon voices this oddball, award-winning animated short about a tiny middle-aged man who lives inside a stray cat.
The Battle of Algiers The Battle of Algiers
Drama 1966 121 mins Director: Gillo Pontecorvo
Gillo Pontecorvoβs masterpiece about the last years of French colonial rule in Algeria, seen from the perspective of both the revolutionaries and the French authorities.
Caravaggio Caravaggio
Biopic 1986 93 mins Director: Derek Jarman
Derek Jarmanβs unique biopic of the 17th century Italian artist Michelangelo da Caravaggio is a powerful meditation on sexuality, criminality and art.
Daisies Daisies
Comedy 1966 73 mins Director: VΔra ChytilovΓ‘
Two self-confessed hedonists wreak wanton havoc in VΔra ChytilovΓ‘'s visually spectacular neo-dadaist farce.
Island of the Hungry Ghosts Island of the Hungry Ghosts
Documentary 2018 98 mins Director: Gabrielle Brady
A therapist helps traumatised refugees detained on a remote island where powerful natural and tribal rituals prevail, in this extraordinary mix of fact and fiction.
Heathers Heathers
Comedy 1989 103 mins Director: Michael Lehmann
Winona Ryder and Christian Slater star in the endlessly quotable cult black comedy that subverted expectations of teen movies forever.
Nosferatu the Vampyre Nosferatu the Vampyre
Horror 1979 107 mins Director: Werner Herzog
English language version of Herzogβs stimulating take on the Dracula story starring Klaus Kinski, with echoes of Murnauβs 1922 Nosferatu.
Aguirre, Wrath of God Aguirre, Wrath of God
Historical drama 1972 94 mins Director: Werner Herzog
This early masterpiece from Werner Herzog stars Klaus Kinski as a power-crazed explorer in sixteenth-century South America who leads a band of conquistadors through the Amazon in search of El Dorado.
Woyzeck Woyzeck
Drama 1979 80 mins Director: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzogβs adaptation of Georg BΓΌchnerβs play about a tormented soldier, filmed mere days after the completion of Nosferatu the Vampyre.
Cobra Verde Cobra Verde
Drama 1987 110 mins Director: Werner Herzog
Klaus Kinski and Werner Herzogβs final collaboration is a typically wild and adventurous story of a bandit who trains an army of women to topple a slave-trading king
Cobra Verde Cobra Verde
Drama 1987 110 mins Director: Werner Herzog
Klaus Kinski and Werner Herzogβs final collaboration is a typically wild and adventurous story of a bandit who trains an army of women to topple a slave-trading king
Heart of Glass Heart of Glass
Comedy 1976 94 mins Director: Werner Herzog
An 18th-century Bavarian community falls apart when the local glassmaker dies, in Werner Herzog's mesmerising drama for which he famously directed his actors under hypnosis.
Land of Silence and Darkness Land of Silence and Darkness
Documentary 1971 85 mins Director: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzogβs profound and deeply moving documentary about the experiences of a community of deaf-blind people.
The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
Biopic 1974 109 mins Director: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzogβs poetic account of the historical character who captivated 19th-century Nuremberg after emerging from isolation after 16 years in a cellar.
The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner
Documentary 1975 46 mins Director: Werner Herzog
Werner Herzogβs moving portrait of a record-breaking ski jumper.
Nosferatu the Vampyre Nosferatu the Vampyre
Horror 1979 107 mins Director: Werner Herzog
English language version of Herzogβs stimulating take on the Dracula story starring Klaus Kinski, with echoes of Murnauβs 1922 Nosferatu.
Aguirre, Wrath of God Aguirre, Wrath of God
Historical drama 1972 94 mins Director: Werner Herzog
This early masterpiece from Werner Herzog stars Klaus Kinski as a power-crazed explorer in sixteenth-century South America who leads a band of conquistadors through the Amazon in search of El Dorado.
Taxi Zum Klo Taxi Zum Klo
Comedy 1981 90 mins Director: Frank Ripploh
Taxi zum Klo is a refreshingly guilt-free gay movie from West Germany about a promiscuous teacher, played by director Frank Ripploh.
Hyena Hyena
Crime 2015 112 mins Director: Gerard Johnson
In this stylish, dark crime thriller, a policemanβs complex web of underworld relationships is threatened by an internal affairs investigator.
The Origin of Evil The Origin of Evil
Thriller 2022 123 mins Director: SΓ©bastien Marnier
Laure Calamy stars in this devious, involving French thriller by SΓ©bastien Marnier, playing an outsider tangled in a web of upper-class family malice.
Red Island Red Island
Drama 2023 117 mins Director: Robin Campillo
French writer-director Robin Campillo offers a searching exploration of memory and politics, in this boldly conceived story of boyhood in 1970s Madagascar.
Police Story Police Story
Martial arts 1985 101 mins Director: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan's mind-blowing, high-octane extravaganza of death-defying stunts and action comedy.
Hapkido Hapkido
Action and Adventure 1972 98 mins Director: Huang Feng
Two martial arts schools battle it out in Huang Fengβs action classic (aka Lady Kung Fu), starring long term collaborator and combat master, Angela Mao.