Herzog’s Aguirre, the Wrath of God Re-Released inโค Stunning 4K,โข Illuminating a Brutal ancient expedition
Werner Herzog’s 1972 masterpiece, โฃ Aguirre, the Wrath of โคgod, has been restored adn re-released in 4K Ultra HDโ and Blu-rayโ byโ the BFI, bringing renewed attention to the harrowing โขtrue story that โฃinspired the film: the โค1560โค Spanish expedition down the Amazon River in search of El Dorado. While Herzog crafts an otherworldly allegory of empire and madness, the film’s power stems from its โฃgrounding in a historicalโค event marked by colonialโ violence, starvation, โขand ultimately, the disintegration of a conquistadorโ force.
Theโ expedition, โฃled by Gonzalo Pizarro, aimed to locate the legendary city of gold, โคbut quickly devolved into โคa desperate struggle for survival. Driven by dwindling supplies and mounting dissent, Pizarro’s men, numbering roughly 340, faced disease, hostile indigenous populations, and the unforgiving jungle. Facing mutiny,โฃ Pizarro appointed the relatively unknown Francisco de โขAguirre as โcommander of a smaller contingent to continueโ the search. Aguirre’s โขsubsequent actions – abandoning the main force โand embarkingโฃ on a โreckless, self-reliant journey – mirror โthe film’s depiction of a descent into obsession andโ tyranny.
Historical accounts,โ primarily documented in the writingsโค of Gasparโข deโฃ Carvajal, a Dominican friar who accompanied the expedition, revealโ Aguirre’s increasingly erratic behavior. Carvajal’s relaciรณn de las tierras deโ la Florida details Aguirre’s brutal treatmentโฃ of the indigenous peopel encountered along the โriver, his insubordination towards Pizarro, and the growing fear among his โmen. Aguirre, believing himself destined for greatness, reportedly ordered the murder of several of his own men suspectedโข of plotting against him.
Herzog’s film,starring Klaus Kinski in a legendary performance,doesn’t attempt a strictly factual recreation. Instead,it uses โthe historical framework to โคexplore themes of โambition,isolation,and the destructive nature of power. The film’s depiction of Aguirre’sโฃ detachment from reality, his increasingly โคgrandioseโ pronouncements, and the โfatalistic journey downriver are amplifiedโ forโฃ dramatic effect. Though, the core of โAguirre’s character – a ruthless, power-hungry conquistador willing to sacrifice everything for his own ambitions – is rooted in the historical record.
The re-release of Aguirre, the Wrath of God coincides with โฃaโ broader re-evaluation of colonial history and its lasting impact. Films โlike Zama (2017) and The Settlers (2023) similarlyโ confront the โขbrutality โคand moral failings of the Spanish colonial โฃproject. Yet, Herzog’s film remains unique in its psychological intensity and its ability to transformโค a specific historical event into aโ worldwide parable about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the corrosive effects of empire.
Aguirre, the Wrath of God isโ now available on BFI 4K UHD and Blu-ray.