Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972) – Film Review

Director: Werner Herzog
Cast: Klaus Kinski, Ruy Guerra, Helena Rojo
Certificate: PG

By Sarah Morgan

We’ve probably all had colleagues we’ve hated over the years, but while most people would try to avoid them, Werner Herzog decided to embrace his most despised collaborator.

In the space of 15 years he made five films with Klaus Kinski, despite the fact they clearly did not get on (which is something of an understatement); in 1999, the year of the actor’s death, Herzog made a documentary about their relationship entitled My Best Fiend.

“Madness descends”

Their first film together was Aguirre, The Wrath of God, which was released in 1972. If the stories about what happened during location filming in the Amazonian jungle near Machu Picchu are true, then it’s a wonder the project was ever completed, that all involved survived and that Herzog and Kinski ever spoke to each other again. But more of that later.

The plot takes place in the 16th century as a group of conquistadors, led by the unhinged explorer Aguirre (no prizes for guessing who plays him), attempt to locate the legendary golden city of El Dorado.

The quest does not go well. Not only are they attacked by local tribes and supplies run short, leading to starvation, madness descends on the survivors.

It also appears to have descended on the film’s makers. Kinski and Herzog clashed over the actor’s approach to the role; Kinski wanted to deliver an outlandish, raving performance, but Herzog preferred a quieter, more menacing approach. The director won by letting Kinski wear himself out by shouting and screaming, then filming his final, more subdued take.

Kinski also shot at an extra, blowing the tip of his finger off, and threatened to walk off the set. As his behaviour spiralled out of control, the Amazonian crew offered to kill him too.

“No big artistic flourishes”

Nevertheless, in spite of all this trouble (or maybe because of it), Kinski’s delivers arguably a career-best performance thanks to its lack of histrionics.

Herzog’s directorial style is minimal; there are no big artistic flourishes here. Due to the beauty of the jungle, nothing else is needed to enhance it. Instead, he concentrates on offering insights into madness and why humans commit such follies in the name of glory.

The story of the film’s production, which is almost as intriguing as the finished movie, is detailed in some of the special features, while the 4k restoration makes it all look suitably luscious.

Sarah Morgan( Writer )

Sarah Morgan studied film journalism at post-graduate level with the BFI and has been writing about TV and film for PA Media’s newspaper, magazine and new media customers since 1996. She’s also written for a wide range of other publications, both online and in print, including the book Offbeat and Intermission magazine, and is a regular contributor to the Talking Pictures TV podcast. When she isn’t watching movies, she’s collecting and reading vintage crime and horror paperback books or, for her sins, watching her beloved Sheffield Wednesday.

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