Werner Herzog's Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (Aguirre, Der Zorn Gottes) is one of the films that instantly left a lasting impression on me from the first time I watched it.
The film tells the story of Spanish conquistador Don Lope de Aguirre (played brilliantly by Klaus Kinski) and his expedition in the search of the golden city of El Dorado in the Peruvian jungle.
From the very first shot the film establishes an impending visual presence, in which every scene contains visual importance in the way it depicts the action. To me, this film looks like someone took a time machine, traveled back to the 1500's and filmed Aguirre's crew through the jungle. It almost feels like a documentary due to the very realistic performances, and the fact that the actors themselves (and the film crew) are really in the jungle. No FX or green screens here.
Shot with a small budget, the making of Aguirre is one of the most difficult in film history. With the cast and crew having to face the adversities of the jungle much like the characters in the film do.
Klaus Kinski as usual gives a performance that has to be seen to be believed. The man is fearsome, violent, and absolutely captivating, which makes the character of Aguirre all the more memorable. A definitive must-watch for any film lover. While not an entirely accessible film to more casual viewers, Aguirre is not just a film, it's an experience.
The film tells the story of Spanish conquistador Don Lope de Aguirre (played brilliantly by Klaus Kinski) and his expedition in the search of the golden city of El Dorado in the Peruvian jungle.
From the very first shot the film establishes an impending visual presence, in which every scene contains visual importance in the way it depicts the action. To me, this film looks like someone took a time machine, traveled back to the 1500's and filmed Aguirre's crew through the jungle. It almost feels like a documentary due to the very realistic performances, and the fact that the actors themselves (and the film crew) are really in the jungle. No FX or green screens here.
Shot with a small budget, the making of Aguirre is one of the most difficult in film history. With the cast and crew having to face the adversities of the jungle much like the characters in the film do.
Klaus Kinski as usual gives a performance that has to be seen to be believed. The man is fearsome, violent, and absolutely captivating, which makes the character of Aguirre all the more memorable. A definitive must-watch for any film lover. While not an entirely accessible film to more casual viewers, Aguirre is not just a film, it's an experience.