While Odysseus is motivated by his desire for home, Aguirre, as portrayed unforgettably by Klaus Kinski, is spurred on his voyage by dreams of wealth and conquest. Kinski plays the titular conquistador whose search for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold, brings him instead into the heart of madness. Travelling deeper into Peru, Aguirre and his band, including his daughter Flores (Cecilia Rivera), face obstacles including treacherous river currents, the indigenous people, and their own internecine conflicts that lead Aguirre to mutiny rather than retreat, resulting in a fate depicted in an astonishing final scene.

Notes by Kevin Coyne.

Screening as part of the IFI’s Odysseys season throughout July.

Tickets for 70mm screenings of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey on sale now!