AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD (1972) - Movie Review

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[@92ninersboy]

Wonderful review of a truly great film. Years ago I was pleasantly shocked when I encountered Klaus Kinski coming out of a hardware store in San Rafael Ca. (he lived in northern California in his last years). I approached him and, despite his reputation, we had a fascinating conversation of about 15 minutes. It didn't hurt that I knew many of his films and had admired his work for years. He was on his best behavior and he told me that at that time Herzog and he were trying to pull off their long time dream to shoot a film in the Himalayas (unfortunately, it never came to be). He told me that he felt the key to his creative relationship with Herzog was that they both loved hardship - they were drawn to suffering and that the Himalayas, like the jungle, was a liberating environment for them. It was hard to see him as the demonic figure of his reputation, he smiled a lot, but there were a couple of times when I saw hatred flash in his eyes when we were discussing "Nosferatu" - he despised what the American distributors had done. With his shock of canary yellow hair and gargoyle features he definitely burned his image into ones mind, whether on or off the screen.

[@metallewd3472]

What a story. Well done.

[@TTM9691]

Thanks for sharing that!

[@Tolstoy111]

Kinski was a monster who molested his daughters.

[@Danny-ql2it]

Aspiring filmmakers and artists in general should learn from films like aguirre, how you could make something that's so rich and full of ideas and originality yet so simple on a technical level.

[@deepfocuslens]

Absolutely.

[@camilap.1638]

I admire the fact that Harzog is so fearless, you don’t find that in a lot of people. It’s pretty cool.

[@christopherpaul7588]

I absolutely love this movie! I love the shots of them walking down the steep mountainside. The Andes mountains are so intense and beautiful. They're like another character in the film!

[@Misericorde9]

Kinski’s character was a man who could survive anything but himself.

[@ryanpotter9152]

deep

[@alexanderoctavios6285]

I love this

[@JoeCasanovax]

Yes! Love this film. It’s phenomenal. Those shots of everyone walking over the mountains at the start are breathtaking. And Kinski is terrifying

[@ThisIsWideAngle]

Mountains are breathtaking and Kinski was terrifying. Two eternal truths.

[@ColombianThunder]

Absolutely love the final shot in this movie with the camera circling the monkey infested raft. Just some awesome visual metaphors going on.

[@thomaswilke6312]

I think herzog also directed fitzcaraldo which is an excellent movie

[@HBICTiff]

Thank you so much for doing this and everything that you do. I personally LOVE this film, but I feel that it never gets the recognition it deserves. Yours is one of the only reviews for it on KZbin. I’m trying to say is I appreciate you reviewing some of the much-better films in History rather than what is new and popular. Hats off for you! ❤️🎬

[@KeithPSable]

This is one of my favourite films. I was lucky enough to first see it on a large, art-house cinema screen at the age of 12. Later, at university, I wrote a term paper analysis of it, referencing Heart of Darkness (by J. Conrad) & the rise of German fascism (by A. Hitler). Unfortunately, most of the review cinemas are gone so I've not seen it in 15 years. Watching a cut down version of a film like this on a monitor is disappointing; sad almost. However, your excellent critique & the films relevance to the current political climate has encouraged me to revisit it. Many thanks.

[@adamt1564]

Thank you for your nuanced, insightful review. Aguirre is one of the most hypnotic films I've ever seen. Herzog finds the most stunning visuals and pares the action to the utterly essential. The artistic process, plot, and themes are all circling reach other, warily, and this makes the film unforgettable.

[@TheLazyReviewer]

If there is one film that perfectly describes the madness behind the artist known as Werner Herzog is Aguirre, The Wrath of God. His films are so inmerssive and the way he captures the theme of obsession is alarming in its accuracy. This is Herzog's masterpiece but Fitzcarraldo is Herzog's most meta film in the way its captures the nature of obsession with one's vision both onscreen and offscreen

[@Zeitgeist6]

They're showing it in theatres again here in The Netherlands. In September it's showing near me and I hope to get tickets. This is a fantastic film.

[@youssefhmz6876]

Herzog develops some of his usual themes in this film, and does so with poignancy and cinematography nothing short of beauty. The film is about power, madness, religion, oppression, nature, and culture, but certainly does not stop there. This is film as high art. Brilliantly executed, multi-faceted, moving, and as ambiguous as real life so often is. This is also one of the great actor Klaus Kinski's most profound and appealing roles. Though Kinski was later typecast in mad, or at least eccentric, roles, as Aguirre he is able to show his range very effectively - because the character varies from a cold, brooding, Machiavellian rationalism to an obsessive sociopathic suicidalism. The rest of the cast rises to the challenge and acts right at Kinski's level, making this film one of the best actors/production team collaborations I have ever seen. This film is definitely not for everybody, it is a long, slow sip of delicious and yet bitter wine which the typical movie-goer will only appreciate when 'in the mood' for something which requires thought and energy to watch. It is also one of my favorite films of all time.

[@dejabu24]

I watch this movie many times one of my all time fav movie ever , the music is amazing and they shot the movie in that jungle enough to turn the actors crazy too

[@gregmattson2238]

yeah, above all directors, Herzog really stands out in his ability to transport me to the past. The further he goes back, the better. Any hint of modernity is stripped from his characters' worldview, and he does not sugarcoat the world they inhabit. I think that Aguirre in particular features nature just as much a character anything else - it kicks, bites and screams as it fights against the desires of the conquistadors to subdue it, and the ending to me is just as much nature's victory as it is aguirre's defeat as he retreats from it into his own delusions. Other period pieces of him are great, including woyzeck and cobra verde. and my favorite meditation of his on the modern world - stroszeck - with his other great actor discovery, bruno s.

[@jeffryhammel3035]

Great, great comment!

[@rafaelramirez1507]

Tremendously brightful informative summary by you ... thank you so much Miss ✌🏼

[@rafaelramirez1507]

By the way if you ever seen the 1973 flick "The Wickerman" , I would love a summary from you , cuz you sure know your stuff 🌟 👍👍

[@hoibsh21]

Terrific review. If you draw a portrait of Klaus Kinski, I'll definitely buy it!

[@meesalikeu]

i really have nothing to add you totally nailed it as usual. this is one of the most hypnotic movies ever made it really sucks you into that world. love herzog do more of his. funny enough a herzog movie is the only one that ever made me cry. it was little dieter learns to fly when dieter pulled open the floorboards to show us the food he had stored so he wouldnever go hungry again after years as a pow - i just immediately burst into tears.

[@williamrobinson7435]

I too think this is a truly great film. Popol Vuh are amazing, and the immersive effect of the skilled close filming gives us the impression of such reality. Notice how the loud bird call makes almost a 'sound design' leitmotiv for Aguirre in the early part of the film.

[@thatfilmguy232]

There’s such a rawness and power to this film. The atmosphere is exactly how you described, so psychedelic yet clear. When the man gets decapitated and his head starts talking gets me every time. Herzog’s film Heart of Glass strikes similarly, the cast was said to all be under hypnosis!

[@gabbyhyman1246]

Fantastic! I love your cultural bandwidth. 😂 The Vietnam subtext is shattering for those of us that lived it. Straight out of Conrad! It's one of my faves, too. Only one moment felt false: the countdown to the beheading. Even in a psychedelic framework (magical realism?), it seems across the line.

[@sagarsaxena6318]

"Apocalypse Now" seems a lighter version of "Aguirre",the latter just has that added magic that the former lacks. I say this knowing full well that "Apocalypse Now" is a great movie too.

[@vanhoywilliam2439]

Here's my recommendation, for what it's worth: listen to Werner Herzog's DVD commentary on several films -- Aguirre, Strozek, Rescue Dawn, Kasper Hauser, Nosferatu, Fitzcarraldo -- as well as viewing Herzog's documentary on Klaus Kinski, My Best Fiend. Aguirre, the Wrath of God is my favorite film of all time and I'm glad Deep Focus has reviewed it...!

[@skybebop2870]

Have you thought about reviewing Satyajit Ray films? I will love to know your perspective on the apu trilogy as well as The Big city.

[@aeugnewtype]

Excellent review of a legendary film. Herzog in general is one of the best of all time, and this movie is just one of the many testaments to it.

[@user-dx1jb4zq9e]

At the end of the film, we learn that Aguirre planned to sleep with his daughter to produce an heir. That's a pretty uncomfortable detail if you're familiar with Pola Kinski's accusations against Klaus in real life.

[@kodiekulp]

An ex of mine rented this film from the library . So I had no idea what it was. She turned it on one night as we were laying around in bed. By the end of the film we were both sitting up with our jaws open. What a incredible film. I also giggle when you see the monkeys jump off the boat and just swimming to the other side of the river. And the one monkey he holds literally poops all over him lol

[@newsungsails3651]

Yes! I love Herzog. Stroszek is David Lynch’s favorite film. I love Kaspar Hauser and Heart of Glass a lot. Based on your reviews, I imagine you would like the latter. Thanks for the great videos

[@christopherpaul7588]

I loved Stroszek too!

[@jeffryhammel3035]

Thank you! I really want to see your other reviews. I've only seen 4 Herzog flicks; but everyone had me smiling and shaking my head at man's terrible ego in an indifferent World; wether it be the monkeys at the end of "Wrath" or a 100 ton ship on top of a mountain. Keep it up, please!

[@mikeknowles5848]

I love the story of Herzog's reaction when Kinski went berserk, shot off a crew-member's finger, then went on strike (leaving everyone stranded in the fucking jungle). Herzog told him he would either finish the film or Herzog would shoot him then kill himself. Thus the two madmen came to an understanding.

[@mikeknowles5848]

That reminds me, what did you think of The Great Silence?

[@ThisIsWideAngle]

I think that happened while shooting Fitzceraldo.

[@maxdelome1145]

One of my favorite things about aguirre is that he's kinda just a personification/hyperbole of the entire expedition and egomaniacal colonizer spirit in general. There was a little bit of aguirre in all the men on that expediton, which comes out in scenes like when they kill the native for throwing down the bible. I like to think that aguirre was some kind of curse on those spaniards, dragging them through with their ambitions far after they became disillusioned, and even after they all lay dead around him.

[@lyricsfromsweden]

I've always gravitated towards Aguirre much more than Herzog's other films but have never really been able to articulate why. Thank you, from now on I'll just point people towards this video.

[@benkylo8015]

Aguirre is a masterpiece. It's one of the best "crazy director" films of the seventies!!

[@conradstryker3607]

I'd never made the connection between this and Apocalypse Now. Sounds like a hell of a double feature.

[@yurib7067]

Hi I just wanted to express my gratitude for your spectacular review. I enjoyed it profusely. Good day.

[@lanna8380]

I am very pleased that you are recommending a Herzog film. I am one of his long time fan since the 80s. I had a little chat with him once and watched while he was shooting one of his film, Rescue Dawn with Christian Bale. Sweet man. I must be in minority but I still believe that his best films were his German works prior to his collaboration with + Klaus Kinski. They were very raw and the most inventive. They had poor distribution then (even now after his success with Aguirre). I just watched his latest documentary, Fireball on Amazon. I like it a lot as well as his Japanese film earlier this year, Family Romance, which he was a cameraman himself with a very small crew. He produced it with the money from his acting job in Star Wars: The Mandolian. Imagine that in one year (2020) he released 2 films. He works so fast like Fassbinder and Hong Sang Soo.

[@92ninersboy]

I think Herzog's early works are wonderful, as in "Land of Silence And Darkness", "Signs of Life" or the outrageous "Even Dwarfs Start Small". These are haunting and powerful, poetic films. The later chemistry he had with Kinski, particularly in "Aguirre" and "Nosferatu", was unique and they made for one of the great teams in movie history. Some people like to put down the theory of auteur filmmaking, but Herzog is a prime example of an auteur director - his movies are truly an expression of his individuality - his own universe.

[@lanna8380]

@@92ninersboy "Land of Silence And Darkness", "Signs of Life" and "Even Dwarfs Start Small". Those were exatcly the works I was thinking of. Plus "Fata Morgana", an experimenal / docu (which along with the other three you mentioned) sort of changed my life 30 years ago. Big Thanks for mentioning those titles here. "Fata Morgana" was sort of a precedent of Lessons of Darkness and The Wild Blue Yonder as well but Fata Morgana was more abstract. Nosfeartu, I really like, I have a movie poster somewhere in my house. His American dramatic film produced by David Lynch, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done with Michael Shannon was quite funny. I have just watched his (latest?) doc on Bruce Chatwin. It is good as well. The trouble is I know very little of Chatwin (he wrote Cobra Verde) although I have some books of his for years but never really read it. After all I said above, I have to say though that I am more of Wim Wenders, Fassbinder fanclub.

[@joehall6559]

just found you today, i have enjoyed this movie, and i looked for someone who could help man under stand it better. i thank you for showing and telling me a lot about the movie ,and the people who made this . one of the best parts for me is AGUIRRE making a DON the new leader, and --what else is a throne but a plank and velvet joan--. . thanks for your thoughts on this movie. i check your others out

[@luisutil9070]

Awesome review... amazing insights

[@joeodonnell5125]

Can't say I would want a remake but William Defoe is perfect choice if it was

[@92ninersboy]

Yes, it would be a fool's mission to try and remake "Aguirre", but Defoe would be one possibility. Of course we might end up with Ben Affleck, with Billie Eilish playing the daughter. And it would be interesting to see how they would virtue signal in a story like this one. It might make for high camp.

[@994pt4]

would love to hear your thoughts on Stroszek some day

[@jaydyer6682]

It’s on KZbin!

[@philipford6183]

The thing is, though, Lope de Aguirre was a complete psychopath, murderously insane before he started the journey (loosely) portrayed in this film. I don't see a 'transformational' experience in Aguirre in this film: he's mad at the start and still mad (but predictably alone) at the end. I know many find the film's low-budget aesthetic charming, but I don't. I'd have much preferred to have seen this story told with a lavish budget. It just couldn't get made today (the last hurrah for that kind of thing was probably Roland Joffé's 'The Mission' - 1986). And I'd have preferred a fully orchestrated score, too. Kinski was perfect casting, though. He's mesmerizing, and effortlessly steals every scene he's in. I fully understand why Herzog was attracted to him as an actor (and a presence). Overall, a good film. 7/10

[@flynnpaul26]

Grizzly Man - is worth seeing

[@justicelovingskunk9910]

Both one of my favourite films and one of my favourite soundtracks.

[@firecrackerheart]

fantastic film and amazing director. surely you've seen fitzcarraldo, no?-another top 100 for me .. .

[@dariohabulin1596]

What is your opinion of Secret in their eyes 2009 version

[@Hemmlock78]

Great Review! 🤩👍

[@AdamFishkin]

When you say you've "seen that look for real", curiosity is now piqued. Who's the craziest person you've ever crossed paths with? (if that's a story you feel at liberty to tell) Weirdly I once passed up a VHS copy of "Aguirre" on account of knowing I wasn't ready for it. The reputation Herzog has, I am saving his stuff for the day when I myself have gone raving mad enough to view (from a certain vantage point) whatever his work contains.

[@tukolo5408]

Just watched it. There is a free copy on you tube.

[@HBICTiff]

There is the original German version on amazon prime that has better quality than the one on youtube.

[@Crocalu]

I can really recommend listening to Ode All'Avidità (Ode to Greed) by Simon Viklund and reading the translated lyrics, it totally fits this theme of being doomed by desire

[@professormoriarty8236]

Meditatative quality reminded me of some parts of Stalker.

[@mrrrl795]

Totally agree. Aguirre is amazing.

[@wellenstrom]

a smart review.

[@JesseHartford]

I really like that movie. Must rewatch.

[@chrisvahey5183]

Did you watch it in English or German?

[@blue-aardvark6119]

You could have made the movie with someone else but Kinski, but why? Kinski doesnt have to act, he simply was like Aguirre. It doesnt make any sense to pay an actor to put in all his skills to play Aguirre perfectly, while you have Aguirre in person there. He was a sociopath, he was megalomaniac, choleric and as it later turned out he sexually abused his daughter, its strange, how in the end every detail about Aguirre turns out to be just like Kinski. Durign the works for Fitzcarraldo the native Indians asked Werner Herzog if they should kill him (he was violent and abused everyone at the set like usual), but Herzog asked them if they could leave that idea because he was in need of him to finish the movie.

[@buncombeshinola2257]

also a favorite of mine, great review! just wanted to point out, any fan of the film MUST watch HERZOG’s dvd commentary. astonishing, revelatory, hilarious, and inspiring. keep up the great work.

[@ConstantineAndreas]

Haha great fuckin movie. I'm maybe a bigger fan of the trailer than the movie, which IMO is awesome too, but the movie still feels like an awesome time machine. Good stuff, DFL. Check out Days of Heaven if you haven't yet. Plot wise it may be flimsy, but I love it as a wonderful time machine too.

[@ConstantineAndreas]

Days of Heaven's BFI trailer. Honestly, these guys make sick trailers haha. So pretty... kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6u9aaOeoJ2sj8U&ab_channel=BFITrailers Love Malick.

[@JoeCasanovax]

@@ConstantineAndreas I saw Days of Heaven at the BFI last month as part of their Morricone season. It was digital but still looked fantastic. You can’t go wrong with Malick.

[@ConstantineAndreas]

@@JoeCasanovax Haha that sounds like a good time. Something I'd love to attend one of these days, just to meet some like-minded individuals if possible.

[@shimahero]

My favorite movie of all time

[@MacCionnaith]

Popol Vuh brought me here😃

[@OkurkaBinLadin]

Subscribed.

[@tjchesney4997]

You've taken over Mark Kermode as my favorite film-critic

[@Cua-tanet]

Great film! He captured the reason Aguirre was such a complex and self destructive figure. Basically a jerk!

[@ColonelFredPuntridge]

It's such a great movie. Herzog also did costumes and settings and stage-directing for a terrific video recording of Wagner's opera LOHENGRIN. Well, here, this is Herzog's directing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpivqaVmfbqdnpIm30s

[@CARTOONIVERSE1]

*Amazing footage!* Aguirre was almost as evil as the *cockroach* who played him. *Kinski raped his daughter Pola from ages 5-19(sometimes violently).* Natasha supports her claims.

[@cooltalktalks4944]

Thank you. I was going through the comments expecting more references to this. Kinski actually said, during his lifetime, that he had molested Natasha and made it sound like he was a free spirit and it is society that his misguided. Natasha denied it ever happened. After his death, when Pola alleged that she was molested, and Natasha stood by her, makes me wonder if maybe Natasha was molested too and doesn’t want that public. Regardless, he’s a douce bag and no amount of talent. makes up for that.

[@RatafakTehPlachta]

movie is stunning, kinskis performance mesmerizing. but i really dont like when people romanticize his character traits. he has had quite a life, almost sounds like he was an adventurer and a bit of a bad boy, but then you read about how he abused his own daughter and physically assaulted people. im not saying that his sociopathy didnt help the performance. but a lot of people excuse his sociopathy because he was such a good actor. and that is not okay

[@ramonek9109]

I watched it in German and the dubbing is so horrible. The actors sound downright bored most of the time. I could never get involved into the film because it always felt like German TV actors dressing up and playing theatre in the jungle. It never felt real. There is a comic relieve scene that just made me roll my eyes (Where one conquistador gets hit by a spear and before dying claims very deadpan: the long spears are getting fashionable). I really wanted to love it because I saw a lot great things in it also but I just could not get into it.

[@GeraldMartinez-hj9bl]

Miss you Mishka!

[@jrlakin370]

Great film 👍

[@twentyten1942]

This movie really is the story of America.

[@thebigzapfer8696]

lol generally passion + not giving a fk = Brilliance

[@deepfocuslens]

Some structure, instinct, and talent needs to be thrown in there too.

[@thebigzapfer8696]

@@deepfocuslens You could also just have Kinski yelling "FASTER!" constantly ;p

[@nikolababic3490]

Do Gummo(1997)

[@portland-182]

33mm?

[@deepfocuslens]

XD meant to say 35. Sorry.

[@portland-182]

@@deepfocuslens Merry Christmas :)

[@user-lt4ru1pk8j]

Yeah, it’s that good

[@zstepohznrebrenhoirer7]

Best movie ever.

[@markleafy2314]

Bravura indeed! 😁

[@kaleidoteque7166]

The real conquistador Aguirre was crazy too.

[@amadeusakreveusmusic3356]

I am always delighted to find a movie I've NEVER heard of. Thanks for expanding my feeble palate 😁.

[@sergiob8873]

Please, review someday Angelopoulos`s movies.

[@bobsbigboy_]

Its bravado*

[@ihmemies6301]

you should review Tarkovsky's films

[@mabusestestament]

You like Tarkovsky?

[@shimahero]

Or maybe bela tarr’s Werckmeister Harmoniak

[@ihmemies6301]

@@mabusestestament he's in my top 5 directors. The sacrifice is my favorite

[@mabusestestament]

@ihmemies That's great to hear 🍻 Have you heard of/ seen movies by the following directors: Konstantin Lopushansky, Aleksey German or, as Timothy de Jaeger already suggests, Bela Tarr?

[@ihmemies6301]

@@mabusestestament i only have heard bela tarr and satantango is very high on my watchlist

[@MadSimple]

Whoa, I thought we were finally getting a Lizzie McGuire Movie review.

[@helix9268]

Mmm mm mm ❤

[@bobsbigboy_]

Ur backdrop, ur location is so ugly. Please get a better location

[@aldriel8274]

Boring annoying cringe nothing happens there. Horrible movie to forget.