FILM CHALLENGE: 150) Aguirre: The Wrath Of God

150) Aguirre: The Wrath Of God

Director: Werner Herzog

Year: 1972

Plot Summary: A few decades after the destruction of the Inca empire, a Spanish expedition leaves the mountains of Peru and goes down the Amazon river in search of gold and wealth. Soon, they come across great difficulties and Don Aguirres, a ruthless man who cares only about riches, becomes their leader. But will his quest lead them to "the golden city", or to certain destruction?

One of the most essential and influential works of world cinema, Aguirre: The Wrath Of God, Werner Herzog's first collaboration with Klaus Kinski, is an acclaimed movie that would later go on to influence the likes of Terrence Malick in his debut release Badlands and Francis Ford Coppola in his classic war drama Apocalypse Now.

The comparisons between the films aren't hard to find with Aguirre boasting the raw beauty of Badlands right from the very first opening shot. With only a low budget of $370,000, the appearance of Herzog's movie is stripped down in every sense of the word, using only hand held cameras, natural lighting and natural sound. This naturalism of the Peruvian rain forest gives the film a poetic and lyrical realism that is unique to find in cinema.

Moreover, this low-budget required the small crew and cast to recreate the conquistadors' journey down the Amazon on which the narrative is based. They travelled on hand-built rafts, climb over mountains and cut their way through the jungle, giving it an unhinged, edgy and authentic quality. There is a constant sense, therefore, that although it is scripted anything could happen.

This very real danger that surrounds the actors certainly enhances all their performances, giving them a weight of realism that couldn't be achieved otherwise. Especially good is the aforementioned Kinski whose wide-eyed and demonic presence is at its very best here, offering us a glimpse into the main character's decent into madness. This descent makes us much of the narrative's loosely plotted story and, like a fatal car crash at the side of the road, is something so fascinating you can't draw you attention away from it while equally being uncomfortable and disturbing.

Werner Herzog, once again, explores his usual theme of one human's psyche in the face of extreme conditions here, but the raw, brave and unique approach that he takes in doing so is one that should rightly be praised. The most awe-inspiring piece of his fictional work and an absolute must see.

4/5

By Daniel Sarath with 3 comments