Aguirre: The Wrath of God Aguirre: The Wrath of God
1972 ‘Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes’ Directed by Werner Herzog
Synopsis
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
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Another behemoth that has sauntered and abstained from being plucked in my watchlist for all too long, I had come under the impression that this would be a three hour+ epic before starting, my aversion to watching it over the years beginning to tell lies to intimidate myself of it further. Only my fourth fictional film from Herzog, having seen Fitzcarraldo recently I had an inkling of what I was in for, expectations were at an all-time high. With a crew of eight people Herzog ventures into the depths of nature to unveil human nature, greed, desperation and all the flaws within. Impromptu shooting and framing at its very best, just like Fitzcarraldo, it just marvelously flows with the touch…
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This is one of those movies that I can't really fault, but at the same I can't really connect with. The cinematography is extravagant, flourishing and impressionistic, and the much lauded musical score is heavenly, eerie and ominous. The long opening shot is a marvel and not only sets the mood, but also shows how man is ultimately dwarfed by nature that is beyond their understanding. Werner Herzog's cinema verite style proves very effective as Aguirre and his conquistadors search for the ancient city of gold, and his dedication to the project is very admirable, especially since he was only 28 years old at the time of filming. He had to deal with insane and gun wielding actors (Kinski), large…
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Amazing. There is something extremely real and authentic about it. You can feel the struggle everyone went through to make this film and I get the sense that not all scenes are acted. Some stuff just happened and they let the camera roll. Speaking of the camera, the cinematography was breathtaking. At times still, serene and at times almost and early shaky-cam. Probably, in part, due to the low budget but still.
Klaus Kinski is of course fantastic. He has an awesome screen presence, and you can feel the madness behind his eyes and in the jungle generally.
Aguirre also reminded me a hell of a lot of Apocalypse Now. The way they're sailing down the river and descending into madness.
The ending is what makes this film amazing. Monkeys, man, monkeys. "This arrow is not real."... -
Herzog's most ambitious and greatest achievement and a film with such raw authenticity to it you start to wonder whether this was actually filmed in the 16th century. Every single step through the unforgiving landscape of the south american jungle is exhausting and every minute the audience descends further into the soul of a morally corrupt madman driven by the thirst for wealth and fame.
The venture into one of nature's greatest fortresses is nightmarish and disturbingly visceral. The effort that went into this film is immense and it shows, because never before has man's struggle with nature been depicted more authentic, more realistic than in this masterpiece of cinema.
While the german dubbing may result in slight confusion due to the lip sync being off it never distracts from the raw beauty and the poetic imagery of the film.
Absolutely outstanding on so many levels, Herzog's tale of insanity and misfortune is one of the greatest films ever made.
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Another fine example of a film that is both revered and adored but had somehow now escaped my gaze, yet choosing to abandon the weight of expectation and coming to this without any knowledge of plot or theme I marched willingly ahead.
The use of 1.33:1 always puts me at unease, but once the caravan of Spaniards making their way down a serpentine mountain trail filled the frame I was silenced with awe and willing to place my trust in Mr. Herzog. As is if this wasn't enough to get my attention, the haunting score by Popol Vuh married the exsquisite visuals in a holy matrimony.
Klaus Kinski is often regarded as Herzog's muse, and as his blue eyed gaze…
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This is one of the most unique and haunting films I have ever seen, and it is a true Herzog experience. It's images and the maniacal performance from Klaus Kinski are forever burned into my brain. There are many infamous tales about the production of this movie and of the riotous relationship between Herzog and Kinski, but there is no doubting that they bring out the absolute best in each other.
A group of soldiers lead an expedition in search of the told riches of El Dorado, but we have an immediate sense that this is a path that can only lead to darkness. Told with his trademark meditative pace, this is one of the absolute finest Herzog films I…
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As impressive as it is impenetrable, Aguirre is every bit as bonkers for a film where the lead actor shot off the fingertip of an extra. Klaus Kinski (the very same gun-wielding lead) is mesmerising as the insane captain leading his crew into literal and proverbial hell, and Herzog's stark cinematography only serves to heighten the pervading sense of madness. Difficult to connect with but impossible to look away.
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This is one of those movies that I can't really fault, but at the same I can't really connect with. The cinematography is extravagant, flourishing and impressionistic, and the much lauded musical score is heavenly, eerie and ominous. The long opening shot is a marvel and not only sets the mood, but also shows how man is ultimately dwarfed by nature that is beyond their understanding. Werner Herzog's cinema verite style proves very effective as Aguirre and his conquistadors search for the ancient city of gold, and his dedication to the project is very admirable, especially since he was only 28 years old at the time of filming. He had to deal with insane and gun wielding actors (Kinski), large…
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Ever since I knew from the existence of this film, I wanted to see it. It tells the story about a 16th century conquistador called Aguire who is on a expedition in search of the famous El Dorado.
This film perfectly seems to represent the surreal atmosphere of the jungle (I cannot say that I know how the jungle feels, smells and tastes like, but Herzog makes it all feel so pure and realistic that it gets to me right away). The long, beautiful shots show a country that holds a lot of secrets. In the audio-commentary, Herzog reveals the struggle the crew had to undergo to complete this project. They had to improvise and survive while filming. Klaus Kinski's…
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this man hates nature
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Obviously awesome, becoming sensational by stubbornly remaining prosaic, with real mud, grime, weariness, and hunger substituting beautifully for action and special effects. But I’d be lying if I said this got to me emotionally, as it clearly did for Ebert and others; for me, it works best as a spectacular intellectual exercise, exploring our capacity for self-deception when in search of power and glory.
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One of the films that always comes up in my top 5 - no matter when you ask me or what my mood... I'm always up for watching Aguirre again.
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Part of my Around the World in May-ty Days series
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Horses are really large. They weigh 1,100-1,300 pounds according to Wikipedia. (That's 500-600 kilos for you Non-Americans.) They can kill you if they want to, and sometimes if they don't want to: a horse is really dangerous when it's frightened.
So when Klaus Kinski as the title character in Aguirre: The Wrath of God yells at horse to get out of his way-while on a raft mind you-you have to admire the insanity that takes.
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The film follows Aguirre on his quest for El Dorado, but more importantly power. Nothing will get in his way and he will push against the entire world if he has to.
The…
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Aguirre: The Wrath of God is one of those films where the production story seems to overshadow that of the film itself. Werner Herzog’s third film, and the one that marks his international breakthrough, is remembered as one of the most tumultuous film shoots in cinema history. Thankfully, the film is every bit as fascinating and mysterious as the nature of its production.
The inimitable Herzog, then aged 30, shepherded a cast and crew of 450 off to Machu Picchu, largely without a plan or prayer. Herzog knew he wanted to track the fateful course of historic adventurer Lope de Aguirre, a man whose conquests he had read about in a children’s book and felt ripe for dramatic reinvention, but…
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Masterpiece of stolen props