Fitzcarraldo

The main character is obsessed with opera. He has conceived the idea of building a theater in the heart of the Peruvian jungle and inviting Caruso himself there. To fulfill his plan, Fitzcarraldo embarks on a risky expedition.

«Fitzcarraldo» is Herzog's true manifesto, starting from the plot to the incredible filming process, during which all participants were exposed to serious danger. The director called himself a «conquistador of the senseless»: essentially, the main character is his own prototype. Thus, it was crucially important for Herzog that the scene where the Indians carry a steamship over a mountain be filmed without the use of special effects, so the ship in it is real and weighs 328 tons.