Aguirre, The Wrath of God

Werner Herzog's 1972 breakthrough film is an astounding vision of imperialism run amok in the primitive, savage Eden of 16th-century Peru. Klaus Kinski stars as Don Lope de Aguirre, a mad Spanish conquistador searching for the mythical golden city of El Dorado. Shot entirely on location in the jungles of South America, the imagery is astonishing: dense vegetation layered in mist and fog, broken by a glittering train of armored soldiers and their slaves, the latter bearing thrones carrying improbably dressed and coiffed noble women along trails carved into steep mountains. Herzog's vision truly comes alive in Kinski's feral, furious evocation of a lunatic soldier overcome with delusions of godhood. In fact, the scene of a raving Aguirre reigning over a kingdom of spider monkeys floating downstream on a raft remains one of the greatest images of madness ever captured in cinema. Herzog and Kinski had a volatile relationship but collaborated on some fascinating productions, beginning with this landmark classic (also available on Blu-ray in Shout! Factory's massive Herzog boxed set). Extras include audio commentaries, and a stills gallery. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (S. Axmaker)