 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sunday, September 7th
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
| Movie Forums :: User Reviews :: Aguirre, the Wrath of God |
|
Posted on 7/20/04
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
NOTE: this review was originally posted on our movie forums. Click here to see it in its original context: Aguirre, the Wrath of God.
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
|
|
| Rating... |
|
Once I settled into the pace of this film, I found it fascinating. Director Werner Herzog has created historical fiction (a favorite genre of mine) about a real man named Don Lope de Aguirre, who wrote a real letter to the king of Spain, informing him that he and his company were no longer the king's subjects. The rest of this film is conjecture on the part of Herzog, mixed liberally with local elements found during the filming - a retarded flute player, a tiny tree-sloth, an unforseen flood that carried away the rafts of the film crew... All of these were added to the film, with the effect that we almost get the feel of watching a documentary. Add to that the fact that lead actor Klaus Kinski shared a drive and a madness to rival his character, and you have a brilliant performance that borders on Fear Factor-esque reality.
The value of this film is its audacity, both in the portrayal of unswerving drive, and the reality of the filmmaking. Aguirre's madness and his drive are so interwoven that the psyche of the character is an impenetrable shell of audaciousness. He appropriates leadership of an expedition through mutiny and applies all available resources to his personal quest for power and fame. This is mirrored in Herzog's methods: filmed with one stolen camera on a budget of $360,000, Aguirre, the Wrath of God is a project that a more seasoned (read: saner) director would hardly dare. It is, in fact, a filmic record of an actual expedition; 400+ people spent 6 weeks cruising down the Amazon on rafts for the shoot.
The tales of Herzog's film and Aguirre's expeditions diverge at their ends, however: Aquirre never finds the City of Gold, but this film established Herzog as an internationally acclaimed filmmaker. I recommend watching once for the story in the film, and then a re-watch with the commentary, for the story of it.
» Latest Reviews
» Latest User Reviews
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
