Not Your Average Historical Drama
Saturday, October 17, 2026, 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Instructor: Jennifer Fleeger, Ph.D., Montclair State University
Of all the films known for their production lore, Fitzcarraldo (1982) is the wildest. Did a Peruvian chief really volunteer to murder Klaus Kinski for Werner Herzog? Did a crew member actually saw off his own foot? And what happened to Mick Jagger?
This seminar chronicles the making of one of cinema’s most fascinating adventure epics while also offering tips for its analysis. We’ll explore Herzog’s career, noting his recurring philosophical questions and his fascination with men living extreme lives. Fitzcarraldo is foremost among these, following a rubber baron who wants to build an opera house in the jungle. The film is famous for its steamship, which both its character and its director insist must be pulled over a mountain. Is the boat a metaphor? What is the meaning of opera? And how closely does the story follow the real-life escapades of Carlos Fitzcarrald?
Our understanding of Fitzcarraldo benefits greatly from examining the centrality of opera to the movies, the connection between nature and cinematic spectacle, and the relationship between realism, magic, and dreams. Fitzcarraldo is a film about contradictions, which is why Roger Ebert called it, “One of the great visions of the cinema, and one of the great follies. One would not have been possible without the other.”
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Manager Jill Malcolm with any questions.
$30 for members, $40 for non-members
Schedule