“Aguirre, the Wrath of God” (1972) – Director/writer Werner Herzog travels to the Amazon to tell the tale of Don Lope de Aguirre (Klaus Kinski) and his quest to find the Lost City of Gold. Set in the 16th century, Aguirre and his Spanish contingent mire in the muck, rain and unforgiving wilderness on their foolish errand. As prospects grow dim, Aguirre becomes increasingly irrational, and Kinski – with his infamously unpredictable persona – might be the perfect actor to play this outrageous explorer. This is a purposely-troubling picture that will deter just about anyone from embarking on a simple hike for a least a week, and Herzog captures two astonishing bookend shots that will sear into your brain forever. “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” is a monumental achievement.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Directed and written by: Werner Herzog
Starring: Klaus Kinski, Ruy Guerra, and Helena Rojo
Runtime: 95 minutes
Rated: Unrated
Image credits: Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Hessischer Rundfunk
