September 26, 2008
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
I just watched the Werner Herzog film last night. The movie is slow and plodding much like the river the conquistadors themselves were fighting against, but you should not let the pacing deter you. Klaus Kinski, who plays Aguirre, alone makes the film worth while.
Plus the film itself has some interesting history:
The camera used to shoot the film was stolen by Herzog from the Munich Film School. Years later, Herzog recalled:
“It was a very simple 35mm camera, one I used on many other films, so I do not consider it a theft. For me, it was truly a necessity. I wanted to make films and needed a camera. I had some sort of natural right to this tool. If you need air to breathe, and you are locked in a room, you have to take a chisel and hammer and break down a wall. It is your absolute right.”
Below is the first ten minutes to wet your palate (I know for a fact you can stream this on netflix):
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7 Responses to “Aguirre, the Wrath of God”
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This is one of my favourite movies, and I actually saw Herzog when he was here in L.A. He showed everyone his bullet wound. We swooned.
I’m not too ashamed to admit the same sort of logic has been used by myself when it came to the pilfering of art supplies from school. Truly a necessity.
Der Kaiser von El Dorado. One of my favorites, too. I could go on and on.
And y’all? For this (and other films you watch in the comfort and privacy of your own home), you really want to buy (or liberate) an LCD projector so you can show movies on the wall. Big. Glowing. All-embracing.
I suspect CEOs use a similar logic to justify their multi-million dollar salaries. “I created this wealth. I deserve it.”
Every theft is private and personal to those who commit it.
I’m stealing that quote.
The scene in which Aguirre cradles his daughter after the arrow pierces her breast — the mad tenderness of it just devastates me.