Aguirre, the Wrath of God

After years of missed opportunities, I finally caught this film at the Castro Theatre the other day. What a marvel. The spare story concerns the historical figure Lope de Aguirre, as he leads a group of conquistadors down the Orinoco River in South America in search of the fabled El Dorado. Now that I set myself here to write about the picture, I find myself at a loss for words.

What little I can say.... The film was shot in 1972, but its truly remote location and period costumes make it timeless. Honestly, if I didn't know better, I wouldn't have been surprised if it was made only a year ago.... Also, the picture has a raw immediacy - I was frequently aware of the genuine dangers faced by cast and crew as they careened down rapids on log rafts or hiked along mountainous trails less than two feet wide. How no one died during the production amazes me.

One cannot write about Aguirre... without mentioning the volatile relationship between director Werner Herzog and star Klaus Kinski. From our good friends at Wikipedia:

From the beginning of the production, Herzog and Kinski argued about the proper manner to portray Aguirre. Kinski wanted to play a "wild, ranting madman", but Herzog wanted something "quieter, more menacing". In order to get the performance he desired, before each shot Herzog would deliberately infuriate Kinski. After waiting for the volatile actor's inevitable tantrum to "burn itself out", Herzog would then roll the camera.

On one occasion, irritated by the noise from a hut where cast and crew were playing cards, the explosive Kinski fired three shots at it, blowing the top joint off one extra's finger. Subsequently, Kinski started leaving the jungle location (over Herzog's refusal to fire a sound assistant), only changing his mind after Herzog threatened to shoot first Kinski and then himself. The latter incident has given rise to the legend that Herzog made Kinski act for him at gunpoint. However, Herzog has repeatedly debunked the claim during interviews, explaining he only verbally threatened Kinski in the heat of the moment, in a desperate attempt to keep him from leaving the set.

In truth, the film is closer to a poem than a story. It has clearly influenced such films as Apocalypse Now, The Thin Red Line, and The New World. If you find yourself a fan of any of these pictures, I highly recommend Aguirre, the Wrath of God.