Aguirre, The Wrath of God
In the uncompromising locale of the Amazon rainforest, Werner Herzog explores the theme of man versus nature in his stunning 1972 film, Aguirre: The Wrath of God. Like his other great tribute to the jungle, Fitzcarraldo, this is a story about impossible dreams – about men searching gold and glory amidst the all-consuming horror of the wilderness. But unlike Fitzcarraldo, there is no allusion to triumph, no operatic inspiration to elevate his characters to some higher, civilised purpose. There is only the slow, dark and inexorable slide into despair, as an ill-equipped band of conquistadors – aptly headed by the tempestuous and wonderfully cracked Klaus Kinski – descend the Amazon’s labyrinthine tributaries in search of a non-existent El Dorado. Imbued with a sweeping aestheticism that makes powerful use of the landscape, Aguirre is a slow-paced, brooding film that truly captures what Herzog calls ‘the symphony of murder’ that resounds through the rainforest.
Fri, Oct 9, 2009
Cinema