“One of the great haunting visions of the cinema…What Herzog sees in the story, I think, is what he finds in many of his films: Men haunted by a vision of great achievement, who commit the sin of pride by daring to reach for it, and are crushed by an implacable universe.” – Roger Ebert

In the mid-16th century, after annihilating the Incan empire, Pizarro leads his army of conquistadors over the Andes into the heart of the most savage environment on earth in search of the fabled city of gold, El Dorado. As the soldiers battle starvation, Indians, the forces of nature, and each other, Don Lope de Aguirre (Klaus Kinski), “The Wrath of God,” is consumed with visions of conquering all of South America and revolts, leading his own army down a treacherous river on a doomed quest into oblivion. Featuring a seething, controlled-chaos turn from legendary madman Klaus Kinski and set to a soul-stirring score by Krautrock band Popol Vuh, this masterpiece from director Werner Herzog is an unforgettable portrait of madness and power.

LOST IN THE ARTHOUSE is a monthly series that takes you to hidden corners of filmdom far from the glitz and glamor of Hollywood. From must-see classics to obscurities waiting to be discovered, these films stand at cinema’s bleeding edge.

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