I had never watched a Werner Herzog so far, so when my husband was out with friends, I decided to check this one out. It’s a desperate film – a fictionalized amalgamation of Spanish expeditions to the New World. The conquistador Pizarro sends off a small group of men to explore ahead, seeking the legendary city of El Dorado. Aguirre is named second in command but holds the real reins of power throughout the film. He schemes and leads a mutiny, installing a puppet “emperor” to claim and rule the empire of El Dorado.

The immediate comparison that came to mind was Apocalypse Now, another film about a long and terrifying journey into madness. Embrace of the Serpent might be a better comparison however, sharing its setting and frank depiction of the brutalities experienced by the indigenous people of the Amazon. The jungle hides many dangers, and no moment feels safe. Ultimately however, the real danger is Aguirre and the madness of conquistadors.

Aguirre, played by the troubled Klaus Kinski, is a menacing presence throughout the film. I loved the long shots focused on his face. After watching the movie, I dove into a Wikipedia rabbit hole and discovered a deeply disturbed man. Apparently he was a terror to his colleagues, and sexually abused his daughters. (Aguirre ends with a crazed, dying Aguirre proclaiming that he will create a “pure” imperial line with his own daughter – did Herzog know?) During the filming of Aguirre, he threatened to quit the movie, leading to Herzog threatening to kill both Kinski and then himself. “Method acting” I guess – the film oozes with threat and tension.

It’s a “slow” film – the camera wants us to see the subtle movements in Aguirre’s face. It wants us to take in the jungle, an abyss which feeds Aguirre’s growing lust for power only to swallow him whole.