Saw this at the beginning of high school, and I could barely remember one bit of it. Holds up.
There’s the obvious comparison to Apocalypse Now, but stylistically this feels more like a precursor to something like On the Silver Globe—less calculated, more rugged. And the wide-angle close-up lensing. Camera as a character, along for the ride. Its general approach is realist (speaking in a visual sense, not regarding historical accuracy), but certain elements elevate the experience beyond a simple simulacrum of failed 16th century conquest. For instance, we linger on faces far longer than is practically needed (thinking right now of one particular shot of the Native musician; even after he finished his song and put down his instrument, we stayed on him for a good 30 seconds). It creates this aura of uncertainty that always has me questioning, “Why do we do these things? To the land, people, ourselves?” Greed and hubris, of course, and it’s probably as simple as that for Aguirre. But I can’t help but think there is some other key to unlocking human behavior buried in here. Maybe in that shot of the abandoned horse… slowly exiting frame as the boat drifts away… I guess that’s the film’s charm.
Admittedly the Popol Vuh soundtrack does a lot of heavy lifting.