Aguirre: The Wrath of God

 
Agguire the Wrath of God popped onto my radar while reading a list of the best independent movies of all time. This German made cult-classic follows the exploits of a large army of Conquistadors as they traipse through the jungles of South America, looking for El Dorado the lost city of gold.

After much catastrophe and hardship, the conquistadors decide that the jungle is too unforgiving, and that they should turn back. This leads to a revolt and subsequently the rise of a soldier named Aguirre, played by notorious German actor Klaus Kinski. It does not take long to realize that Aguirre is missing a few puzzle pieces upstairs and that many bad things are going to happen.

The cinematography of this film is nothing short of stunning, and the acting (although entirely in German), is superb.

Werner Herzog directed this bizarre and glorious film, and he is as equally known as a fantastic filmmaker as well as a lunatic. Apparently on the set, the two egomaniacs (Klaus and Herzog) clashed daily, before and after each scene.

But, as we learned from movies like The Shining, where another lunatic (Kubrick) brought his actors to the brink of mutiny and emotional collapse. Sometimes, the insanity behind the scenes makes for incredible and realistic performances, particularly in the horror/drama genres.

Aguirre is a tense look at 16th century life as shown in a ragtag group of conquistadors. The feeling of dread and overtones of death are strongly represented throughout the film. The movie holds up to this day, and is considered a work of art in the cinematic world. I would put this one on the top of your list, it is a film that leaves you haunted by Aguirre's cold madness.

8/10