Aguirre, the Wrath of God — Aguirre, the Wrath of God ( Blu Ray/ UHD)

Aguirre, the Wrath of God was the fifth film from German writer/ director Werner Herzog. The early 1970s film blended the genres of adventure, psychological drama,  and arthouse period drama in an inventive/ impactful manner. The 16th-century set film is captured in a on-the-cuff documentary manner- it regards a Spanish expedition over the mountains of Peru and down the Amazon river in search of the fictitious city of gold. The picture features a career-defining lead performance from an unpredictable German actor, Klaus Kinski, as the ruthless and unbalanced leader of the expedition. Here from the BFI is a new reissue of this classic film, as either a UHD or Blu-ray disc, taking in a new 4k scan, and a selection of new/ archive extras, including another feature-length film, and a selection of shorts from Herzog.

I would imagine/ hope that Werner Herzog will need little or no introduction, as he stands as one of the world's most respected and daring filmmakers.  Since the 1960’s he’s helmed thirty-three features and counting- his work covers both fictional, based on fact and all-out documentaries. He’s a film-maker who likes to take risks, both in the film's themes, creation,  and selection of actors. Though he started making films in the early 60s Aguirre, the Wrath of God( aka Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes) was his first hit, and has gone on to be seen as one of the greatest films of all time.

The film was short in Peru, with both the crew and actors taking more than a few risks, as it was filmed on a small budget, with the rivers high. The film opens with one greatest/awe-inspiring shots in cinema- as we drift through a foggy haze down onto the side of Huayna Picchu mountain, where we see a group of forty or so people( in armour/ period dress), and their animals descend the precarious steps down the wild river below.

Initially, the expedition isn’t led by the slightly hunched/ walking like a crab Aguirre( Kinski), but by subtle manipulation and intimidation, he worms his way to the top. His performance is truly stunning- he shifts from being controlling & coercive, though to megalomaniac & pompous, to unhinged & downright demented.

Surrounding Kiski is a great cast, and of course, the lush but unpredictable jungle environment and river. Both the film's story & dialogue are often sparse, but this helps create a dream-like, slowly turning into a surreal nightmare atmosphere. This is all enhanced by the hypnotic and droning ambient score by Popol Vuh.

I still recall seeing Aguirre, the Wrath of God thirty-plus years ago, it was one of the first world/ arthouse films I’d seen, and it really made an impact on me. With both its epic on-the-cuff filming, the moody arthouse tone, and of course, the film's charting of a slow but sure trip into the heart of human darkness.  The film still retains its power, and in a way, more so, with its shot use, the subtly stylised- but inspired acting, and score feel even more impactful today. And don’t let the term ‘Arthouse’ put you off, as the film has a fair standard, just over one and a half minutes runtime, and while there are dreamy/ arthouse touches, these never become too overwhelming, with the story developing with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Moving on to this new BFI release, and we get presented with a new 4k scan of the film- this is nice and crisp, with a good balance of shade & tone throughout. In all, there are three versions of the film on the disc: German with 1.0 mono, German with 5.1 surround sound, and English 1.0 mono advanced.

For the on-disc extras, we get a good selection of things. Though most of these are archive, the only completely new thing is A Raft of Troubles: Herzog, Kinski and the Art of Darkness( 18.53) , which finds historian Nic Wassell considering truth, fiction, myth, spectacle of the film, both behind the camera, and in front. He talks about how the film reinvented the adventure genre with its very palpable sense of danger, moving on to discuss whether the film was in some way influenced by WW2, and discussing how much of the tension between the actor/ director was real. It’s a well put-together/ interesting featurette.

Otherwise, on the archive side, we have a 2024 intro to the film by well-known British film critic Mark Kermode(3.02).  And the following Herzog films: The Unprecedented Defence of the Fortress Deutschkreuz ( 16 mins):  a 1967 symbolic drama in which four young men prepare to face an imagined enemy. Last Words (13 mins): a 1968 film regarding the last man to leave a former leper colony. Precautions Against Fanatics (11 mins):  a 1969 satire about horse-racing enthusiasts, and Fata Morgana (77 mins): a hallucinatory  1971 film exploring mirages and the Mayan creation myth.  We get a commentary track on Aguirre from Herzog, and a commentary from actor/filmmaker Crispin Glover on Fata Morgana. There’s an original trailer and an image gallery.

The first pressing of the film takes in an Illustrated booklet featuring new writing on the film by Geoff Andrew, together with archival essays by Laurie Johnson, Kim Heaney, and Richard Combs, notes on the special features and credits.

The term greatest film of all time is bandied about often, but I’d say Aguirre, the Wrath of God may well be just that, taking into account the scope, risk-taking, impactful shot use, and inspired lead performance. It’s great to see this BFI release appearing, so the film can go on to impact another generation of film fans. Really, I couldn’t give it anything but a straight 5 out 5!