Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)

In the 16th century, the ruthless and insane Don Lope de Aguirre leads a Spanish expedition in search of El Dorado.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Klaus Kinski, Ruy Guerra, Helena Rojo

4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Klaus Kinski	...	Don Lope de Aguirre
Helena Rojo	...	Inez de Atienza
Del Negro	...	Brother Gaspar de Carvajal
Ruy Guerra	...	Don Pedro de Ursua
Peter Berling	...	Don Fernando de Guzman
Cecilia Rivera	...	Flores
Daniel Ades	...	Perucho
Edward Roland	...	Okello
Alexandra Cheves	...	(as Alejandro Chavez)
Armando Polanah	...	Armando
Daniel Farfán
Julio E. Martínez	...	(as Julio Martinez)
Alejandro Repullés	...	Gonzalo Pizarro
Indianern der Kooperative Lauramarca

Storyline

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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Plot Keywords:

el dorado | conquistador | megalomaniac | 1560s | spanish | 

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Taglines:

On this river, God never finished his creation.

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Genres:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

West Germany Peru Mexico

Language:

English Quechua Spanish German

Release Date:

3 April 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Filming Locations:

Huayna Picchu, Peru

Box Office

Budget:

$370,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Hessischer Rundfunk (HR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was Cecilia Rivera's only film role.

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Goofs

Peruvian Indians play a song called Valicha composed in the 20th Century.

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Quotes

Don Fernando de Guzman: All the land to our left and all the land to our right now belongs to us. I solemnly and formally take possession of all this land. Our country is already six times larger than Spain, and every day we drift makes it bigger.
Don Lope de Aguirre: Have you seen any solid ground that would support your weight?

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Alternate Versions

The original released version is spoken in German. The actors spoke a variety of languages on set (including English), and the lines had to be re-recorded in post-production in the final language. Because of this, the dubbed English version is preferred by some.

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Connections

Referenced in Tony Manero (2008)

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Soundtracks

Aguirre, Der Zorn Gottes (Lacrime Di Re)
Written by Florian Fricke
Performed by Popol Vuh
Published by Edition Intro Meisel
Courtesy of Gammarock Music

User Reviews

Thematically Profound, Visually Stunning

Filmed not far from Machu Picchu, the legendary lost city of the Incas in the mountains of Peru, the opening images of this film are breathtaking in their natural grandeur and visual scale. A long cavalcade of 16th century Spanish soldiers slowly winds its way, serpentine like, down a steep mountain face. It's one of the most impressive and awe-inspiring openings in film history.

The soldiers are searching for El Dorado, the fabled Andean city of gold. The caravan includes the story's main character, Aguirre (Klaus Kinski), a greedy, ambitious soldier who will stop at nothing in his quest for riches and power. Also included is Inez, a young, well-meaning woman who wears blue velvet and white lace. Representing the Spanish Crown, she rides in a wheeless carriage, described in the movie as the "sedan-chair", a flimsy, enclosed wooden box toted by other soldiers. The carriage, painted blue and red, is so out of place in this rugged wilderness, it's the first clue that the entire mission is a fool's errand, based on romantic dreams and delusions. Against the backdrop of towering mountains and dense jungle, the sedan-chair and Inez' regal looking clothes make Spanish royalty look impotent.

Eventually, only a small convoy of soldiers, along with Inez and her sedan-chair proceed, as El Dorado becomes ever more elusive. Down the Amazon River the little band of adventurers traverse, encountering one problem after another. Aguirre, having long since taken command, leads them on, ever in search of that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Throughout the film, Aguirre rarely smiles. He displays a strange body language, sometimes leaning sideways or backwards, his thoughtful, stern face with reactions that are slow and deliberate. His behavior suggests other Messianic "leaders", like Jim Jones, who led his flock of followers to their doom in 1978 in the jungles of Guyana.

"Aguirre, The Wrath Of God" is a story of adventure, a story about the mystery of the unknown. It's a story about dreams and fantasies of greed. It's a very physical film. Every single scene, without exception, was filmed outdoors.

It's a non-Hollywood type film, too. There are no sets, and some of the plot and dialogue are improvised, enhancing spontaneity and grim realism. It's a film not unlike "Deliverance" (1972).

"Aguirre, The Wrath Of God" is one of the most visually striking film I have ever seen. And the underlying theme of mankind's arrogance, against an implacable Nature, is starkly apparent. The film is visionary, profound. It will leave many viewers changed, enriched, perhaps even a little wiser.