The Beverly Theater brings Werner Herzog's 1972 masterpiece "Aguirre, The Wrath of God" to its intimate downtown screening room. This haunting historical drama follows a band of Spanish conquistadors descending into madness as they search for the legendary city of El Dorado deep in the Amazon rainforest. Klaus Kinski delivers one of cinema's most intense performances as the increasingly unhinged Lope de Aguirre, a soldier who mutinies against his commander and declares himself the "Wrath of God."
Shot on location in the Peruvian Amazon with a small crew navigating treacherous conditions, the film's production was nearly as perilous as the journey it depicts. Herzog's camera captures the oppressive beauty of the jungle as it swallows the expedition whole, creating an atmosphere of mounting dread that builds to an unforgettable finale on a raft overrun with monkeys. The film's hypnotic score and long, gliding shots down the river have influenced countless filmmakers since its release, cementing its place as one of the great works of New German Cinema.