Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes is a 1972 German film written and directed by Werner Herzog. Klaus Kinski stars in the title role.
The story follows the travels of Lope de Aguirre, who leads a group of conquistadores down the Amazon River in South America in search of a lost city of gold (El Dorado).
The film opens with a haunting combination of sound and image (a Herzog trademark - see Fitzcarraldo and The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser). Employing a sparse story and dialogue and utilising the mesmeric presence of Kinski, the film creates a compelling vision of madness and folly, counterpointed by the lush but unforgiving Amazonian jungle.
The soundtrack is composed and performed by Popol Vuh , a German progressive/ethno band, that also contributed to other Herzog films.
Herzog has acknowledged that the story line is a work of his imagination, notwithstanding the fact that several of the film's lead characters - such as Aguirre and Francisco Pizarro - were historical figures.
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Last updated: 07-27-2005 18:43:53
