Director: Werner Herzog
Screenplay: Werner Herzog
Starring: Klaus Kinski, Helena Rojo, Del Negro, Ruy Guerra, Peter Berling, Cecilia Rivera, Dany Ades, Armando Polanah
Country: West Germany
Running Time: 94m
Year: 1972
In Werner Herzog’s extraordinary film, Klaus Kinski plays a 16th century conquistador on an obsessive expedition to find El Dorado. Instead, he will find madness.
A trip up a river with a heart of darkness? Of course, Aguirre, Wrath of God was the proto Apocalypse Now. Like Coppola, Herzog also filmed entirely on location. I think the German master was more suited to the endeavor though. There’s nothing quite like a Werner Herzog film, especially those made with Klaus Kinski. The two geniuses were the closest of friends, despite Kinski being a bit of a handful (understatement).
The storytelling is lean, almost abstract; the narration does the heavy lifting. Combined with Popol Vuh’s score, and Herzog’s eclectic direction, the effect is hallucinating. Akin to pure visual poetry, possibly the closest contemporary film would be Terence Malick’s The Thin Red Line.
Herzog productions, especially with his volatile muse Klaus Kinski, were legendary. While the film and its cast are uniformly excellent, it is Kinski who seems most at home. He may have been a thorn in his friend’s side, but Kinski more than anyone understands Herzog’s timbre. Herzog describes Kinski as fiendish, directing him to move as a spider, or crab. It’s an incredible performance. Kinski had an aura, a physicality in all of his films, but for Herzog, he could be transcendent.
Aguirre, Wrath of God is a fascinating production. The narrative entirely eschews set-pieces; instead, it flows like the very real river the crew travel on, with a palpable sense of danger. Quantifying it is difficult, and also unnecessary. If you haven’t experienced Herzog’s masterpiece of a fever dream, it is essential viewing.
AUDIO
The film has a choice of English or German with subtitles, which poses a puzzle, further complicated by a superb 5.1 German remix. Both are dubbed, similar to Italian film of the era, and Herzog apparently prefers the German track (hence the 5.1 option). However, Klaus Kinski refused to record his lines for the German track, so another actor took his place. Therefore, his own voice is only on the English version.
Previous editions have arguably presented better lip syncing on the German track, but I don’t think a difference is all that noticeable here. Normally I would always support the original language, but considering both are dubs, Kinski is only heard on the English track, and they’re playing Spaniards anyway, I think it’s entirely down to personal preference. Also, it is an efficiently paced film, so you could always watch it again and mix up the options.
VIDEO
The opening scenes are a little soft, but this may be because the credits are still running sporadically for a while. Once the film is properly underway, it is simply beautiful. It feels like Herzog is tearing up the rulebook, but he does so very calmly. The depth of Aguirre, Wrath of God is gently intoxicating.
Textures are incredibly detailed, but it’s the balance of colour and texture that really impresses, especially in skin-tones. Costumes are vibrant; rags, velvets and rusted metal armour. And the jungle river, bright and vibrant.
EXTRAS
If you think the film is hypnotic, just wait until you hear Werner on one of two audio commentaries. He’s fabulous to listen to anyway, but when he talks of his own work, it is almost an extension of that work. Content wise, he gives us a fascinating insight into an extraordinary production.
The BFI normally have to stretch into their own archives to find curious material to match the main feature. Here though, there’s a generous collection of short films, which extends a view of Herzog’s wonderful eccentricities. The Fata Morgana piece stands out and includes the second commentary from the director.
There is also an excellent look at the production, which is nothing like your typical making of, and an introduction by super-fan Mark Kermode.
- Mark Kermode introduces Aguirre, The Wrath of God (2024, 3 mins)
- Feature-length audio commentary with Werner Herzog for both Aguirre, The Wrath of God and Fata Morgana
- A Raft of Troubles: Herzog, Kinski and the Art of Darkness (2025, 19 mins): newly recorded video essay by Nic Wassell on the relationship between Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski
- The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz (1967, 16 mins): symbolic drama about four young men hiding from an imagined enemy
- Last Words (1968, 13 mins): short film about the last man to leave a former leper colony
- Precautions Against Fanatics (1969, 11 mins): short satire about horse-racing enthusiasts
- Fata Morgana (1971, 77 mins): hallucinatory film exploring mirages and the Mayan creation myth
- Original theatrical trailer
- Stills gallery
- Original mono audio (German and English)
- Alternative 5.1 Surround audio (German)
