Burden of Dreams (1982) by Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog is young, yet already quintessential Herzog. He's telling the behind-the-scenes story before behind-the-scenes was even a thing. In doing so, he captures the rare reality of filmmaking as an extremely challenging process. The documentary itself might actually be better than the film. Let me explain.

The story gives us a look at a culture and region rarely seen by Western audiences at the time. Conflict arrives immediately. The natives are aware of Herzog's presence, and rumors are flying about him being a destroyer, smuggler, and imperialist. Right from the start, they are under pressure, and it doesn't look good for the film. The production is forced to shut down and move.

In Act Two, Herzog relocates the production 1,500 miles away and hires Mick Jagger. After six weeks of filming, the lead actor became sick and could not return. Then Jagger drops out. It is here that the character of Herzog, the hero of the documentary, is born.

"If I quit now, I'm a man without dreams. I will live or die on the completion of this film."

These are the makings of greatness.

Production restarted in 1980.

The film is shot on the edge of the Amazon floodwaters. Where things really start to get interesting is when you realize they are actually going to pull a boat over a hill in the jungle. Not with miniatures. Not with special effects. They are physically going to do it.

The conflicts continue to mount to seemingly insurmountable odds. Herzog is battling the logistics of filming in a remote and undeveloped part of the world. Food is a constant challenge. Actors are getting sick with malaria and other jungle illnesses and want to abandon ship. Crew members are dropping out. At the same time, he is trying to accomplish something virtually impossible by pulling a massive boat over a hill.

He is also battling the seasons. The rainy season ends. Rivers begin to drop. The entire production is in danger of collapsing.

Then the boat gets stuck and things again seems doomed.

The documentary takes an interesting shift at this point. It begins to turn its eyes toward the natives from the Amazon. A conflict between tribes with arrows that nearly killed two actors appears to have sobered Herzog from his obsession. For the first time, he seems to lose some of the optimism and spirit that carried him through the earlier parts of the production.

I found it fascinating when the documentary began to zoom out into the realm of management. Herzog has to consider countless factors to keep the peace and keep people, and maintain high morale over such a long period of time. Sports. Hobbies. Entertainment. Even sexual companions and prostitutes were brought into the area. All are considered ways to keep morale up and the cameras rolling. 

As a recommendation from the local priest, Herzog segregates the native Amazon workers and actors' quarters from the foreign crew. Allowing the natives to live their way and the non-native cast and crew to avoid conflict or unwanted influence. It is an interesting choice and one that today might be viewed as controversial. Still, it offers insight into the realities of managing a production under extreme circumstances.

Despite Herzog's efforts, the jungle keeps winning. Mud. Delays. Tension in the village. The harsh reality of the Amazon is never-ending.

As we reach a close, the boat has to go over the hill, a reality that is proving almost impossible. The ground is raw and undeveloped. The tools are rudimentary. And most importantly, the lives of the crew and actors are at risk. Some of the locals fear people will die. Watching it unfold, I understood why. Even knowing the outcome, there were moments when I was genuinely nervous.

By the end, doubt has crept in, and Herzog goes dark. He speaks of suffering, death, and what he sees as the unfinished creation of God when referring to the Amazon. He no longer sees harmony in nature, and he clearly isn't happy. The romantic obsession of his dream that may have existed at the beginning of the project has faded.

In a closing interview, he confesses his discontent. People have suffered. Some have died. The production has taken its toll, and he promises he will never be satisfied. He seems willing to carry the burden of this experience for the rest of his life.

It's a profoundly insightful ending and one of the reasons Burden of Dreams stands as one of the most fascinating documentaries ever made about filmmaking.

Rating: 9/10