As well atmospheric music from Herzog regulars Popol Vuh, there is also a lot of operatic and traditional music here - used in the movie to reflect the protagonist's love of opera.

Fitzcarraldo tells the fascinating true story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, a wealthy opera-obsessed Irishman who wanted to build an opera in the jungle and bring out Enrico Caruso to sing there. To raise the huge amount of money needed for his task, he figured out how to ship rubber over a previously insurmountable piece of land by hauling an enormous river boat (in pieces) across a small mountain with aid from the local indians. He made a fortune from it.

The making of Fitzcarraldo is as fascinating as Fitzgerald's real life tale. Director Werner Herzog insisted that every aspect of the film be created for real. That meant that to film Fitzcarraldo's steamship being dragged over the mountain, Herzog actually had the cast haul a 320 ton steamboat up a mountain. Strange, as Fitzgerald didn't even do it like that.

Packaging & Liner Notes
2-fold Digipack. Booklet with no actual notes relating to Fitzcarraldo. Strange.