fm2001 final essay 2

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080014347FM2001Prof. Andrew DormanWord Count: 2,06522/11/2011

Aguirre: The Wrath of God and For A Few Dollars More

Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, film theorists promoted the auteur theory of cinema

which argued that a film reflected the directors personal perspective, as if they were the primary auteur.1

In Cinema and Nation, author Robert MacKenzie argues that film analysis has since seen a dramatic

shift from auteur theory to an emphasis on the specificity of relevant cultural, social, and historical

contexts.2As film theorist Jill Nelmes argues, films do not exist in a vacuum: they are conceived,

produced, distributed and consumed within specific economic and social contexts.3Thus, post-war new

wave European film genressuch as New German Cinema and the Spaghetti Westerncan be

viewed as a reflection of the socio-cultural, political, and economic pressures of post-war/post-fascist

Europe. Consequently, although Werner HerzogsAguirre: The Wrath of God(1972) and Sergio Leones

For A Few Dollars More (1965) have two very different narratives and styles; both films are the result of

nationalistic movements in post-war Europe so as to comprehend and cope with the tumultuous political

and economic situations of the mid-twentieth century.

In 1962, the Oberhausen manifesto proclaimed the rise of younger; more modern; and

politically radical directors to Western German cinema.4 Including directors like Rainer Werner

Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, and Wim Wenders;5 New German Cinema was a nationalist movement

which sought to distance contemporary West German cinema from the ideologically tainted films of the

Nazi eratogether with an unremarkable [cinematic] output during the 1950s.6 Although NGC films are

incredibly diverse in styles and subject matter, they all share several features in common. Firstly, their

1 Nelmes,Introduction, Pg. 252 Mackenzie, Cinema and Nation, Pg. 13 Nelmes,Introduction, Pg. 254 Davidson,Deterritorializing, Pg. 25 Knight,New German Cinema, Pg. 16 Knight,New German Cinema, Pg. 1

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directors are from a single generationborn at the beginning of the Second World War and growing up

in a divided West/East Germany. 7 Secondly, funding by governmental organizations in West Germany

allowed for a greater extent of experimentation in narration and cinematography. Finally, the supremacy

of Hollywood on the global film market meant that German filmmakers had to use themes that would

appeal directly to German audiences.8 In Werner HerzogsAguirre: The Wrath of God(1972), for

example, Aguirre (Kinski) is a ruthless and insane sixteenth century Spanish explorer searching for El

Dorado in the Peruvian jungle. Although of Spanish origin, Aguirre is portrayed with all the stereotypical

traits of German-as-fascist.9As John Davidson argues inDeterritorializing in New German Cinema,

Aguirre is charismatic, megalomaniacal, possessed of an unfathomably mad depth of soul, and

completely convinced of the importance of his mission.10 For a German audience in the 1970s, Aguirres

conquest in South America would be analogous to German Imperialism in the nineteenth and twentieth

centuries; the relationship between Aguirres madness and the greed of western imperialism being a main

focus of Herzogs narrative. The role of God and religion also plays an important theme, with the priest

telling Ursuas wife that you know my child, for the good of our Lord the Church was always on the side

of the strong. Here, Herzog is highlighting the hypocrisy of religion and the way in which many

manipulate scripture for their own means.

Like German cinema, Italian cinema in the post-war period underwent dramatic changes in

response to a more restless national mood and dire economic circumstances. Italian directors like

Federico Fellini and Roberto Rossellini pioneered Italian Neo-Realisma style of film set amongst the

poor and working classes; filmed on location; frequently using nonprofessional actors.11 Like NGC,

7 Knight,New German Cinema, Pg. 28 Knight,New German Cinema, Pg. 29 Davidson,Deterritorializing, Pg. 2210 Davidson,Deterritorializing, Pg. 2211 Cumbow, Once Upon a Time, Pg. 22

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Italian Neo-Realist films mostly dealt with the difficult economic conditions and moral ambiguity of post-

war Europe as exemplified in Vittorio De SicasBicycle Thieves. Simultaneously, directors such as

Sergio Leone had begun to pioneer the Spaghetti Westernan Italian adaptation of the classic

American western. Most often set in post-Civil War America, Spaghetti Westerns were allegorical to the

socio-political and economic conditions in mid-twentieth century Italy. Like Italian Neo-Realists films,

these low-budget Italian westerns were shot on locationmainly in Spain.12In Sergio LeonesFor A Few

Dollars More, two bounty hunters named Col. Mortimer (Van Cleef) and Manco (Eastwood) team up to

capture an escaped convict known as El Indio. In classic American Westerns, the narrative structure

follows a traditional formula:

narrative possibilities [are] generated by three central roles: the townspeople (agents of

civilization); savages or outlaws who threaten the first group; and heroes, men who share certain

characteristics of the second group but who act ultimately on behalf of the representatives of

civilization.13

InFor A Few Dollars More, however, director Sergio Leone consciously alters the conventions

of the traditional genre in order to create a degree of moral ambiguity. 14While a characters persona

corresponds to their personal appearance in traditional western films like George Stevens Shane (1953),

Leone uses stereotypes and western mythology to intentionally mislead his audience. In the beginning

ofFor A Few Dollars More, for example, Leone uses Col. Mortimers black clothing and cold demeanor

to imply that he is a villain; whereas, Manco is portrayed as a traditional western hero. While Mortimer

ruthlessly and expertly kills his bounty in the opening scene, Manco gives his bounty the chance to give

himself up alive. By the end of the film, however, the tables have turnedthe audience realizing

12 Bondanella,Neorealism, Pg. 253-25413 Bondanella,Neorealism, Pg. 25514 Bondanella,Neorealism, Pg. 255

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Mortimer to be a virtuous man; whereas, Manco has repeatedly made morally compromising decisions for

money. Thus, Sergio Leone strips the classic western formula of its absolutism, arguing instead that

individuals are not necessarily black-and-white but morally ambiguous. At the same time, Sergio Leone

incorporates a degree of dark humor into the film regarding the value of lifewith a deadly standoff

turning into a comical boot scuffing as well as a card game for a mans life. 15At the same time, religion

has a dark overtone inFor A Few Dollars Morewith the bounty hunter Mortimer dressed as a preacher

and the villain El Indio delivering a malevolent parable from the lectern of an abandoned church. 16 The

implication being that death is a common occurrence and not revered as it should be or once was.

While inAguirre: The Wrath of GodandFor A Few Dollars More, the main themes are madness,

greed, and moral ambiguity; the formation and creation of new societies in both films is crucial given

the social and political context in which the films were made. In either film, the characters are operating

in anarchywith no real law or government to protect them they must rely on themselves. Such a topic

was extremely relevant in post-war Europe, where countriesespecially Germany and Italywere

seeking to reinvent themselves following the fall of fascism. The significance of life and death is another

important concept in NGC and the Spaghetti Western. Following the death tolls in the Second World

War, the tragedy of death and the value of life were common themes. Consequently, life and death in both

films are treated as insignificantwith the moments leading up to death being emphasized as opposed to

death itself. InAguirre, death occurs mostly offscreen in the film, with the bodies being found full of

poison darts and arrows. InFor A Few Dollars More, the tension prior to death is important, but the

actual death itself receives little attention. Finally, group collaboration to reach the ultimate goal is an

important theme in either film. InFor A Few Dollars More, Manco and Mortimer have to work together

15 Bondanella, Neorealism, Pg. 25716 Bondanella, Neorealism, Pg. 257

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in order to capture El Indiomale bonding being a traditional theme in American westerns. 17In the same

sense, Aguirres inability to properly lead causes the group to fragment and ultimately leads to their

downfall.

For A Few Dollars More andAguirre: The Wrath of Godare both films with relatively simple

plotlines; the focus being placed heavily upon the use of cinematography as opposed to narrative. 18 In

order to accomplish this, Herzog uses a combination of long still landscape shots with guerrilla-style

cinematography to move the camera both alongside and amongst the charactersthe effect leaves the

audience at times feeling like a separate observer and at other times part of the group itself. At the end of

the film, when Aguirre (Kinski) breaks the fourth wall and eerily engages the audience with direct eye

contact, the audience feels as if they are on the raft with him. While Leone uses more framed shots than

Herzog does, the director cuts between multiple close angled shots during fight scenesfocusing on

individual features such as the face, eyes, and the gun hand. The effect is to prolong the tension by

watching them prepare for the violence about to occur. While the actual fight itself is over in seconds,

Leone focuses upon the buildup and accumulating tension of the scene. In terms of mise-en-scene,

Leones costume design and set layout in Spain was considered to be much more authentic then other

westerns of the time.19 InAguirre, the clean dresses and robes the characters wear are meant to further

emphasize the fact that the Spanish explorers are out of place. Interestingly, Klaus Kinski was cast as a

mad man in bothAguirre andFor A Few Dollars Morehaving a reputation for being somewhat mad in

real life. Although both films used mostly unknown actors, Leone used several American actors

(including Eastwood) in order to attract a Western audience.

17 Bondanella, Neorealism, Pg. 26118 Sorlin, National Cinema, Pg. 13019 Nelmes, Introduction, Pg. 63.

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InFor A Few Dollars More, composer Ennio Morricones soundtrack combines traditional

western musical aesthetic like whistling; the mouth bow; and pan flutes with a modern symphony of

strings, percussion, church organs, choir vocals, and brass instruments20 in order to emphasize the wild

and open expanses of the west and simultaneously heighten the tension. In the final duel between Col.

Mortimer and the outlaw El Indio, for example, the director gradually combines the ghostly and

incongruous tune from Mortimers watch with the Spanish guitar, percussion, and finally the trumpet in

order to effectively prolong the intensity of the films climax and contrast the relaxing melody with the

traumatic situation. Use of unusual sounds such as gunfire, richocheting bullets, and traditional

instruments become increasingly important, even central to the narrative itself. 21 Similarly, inAguirre:

The Wrath of God, composer Popul Vuh combine Peruvian pan flutes, electric guitars, oboe, piano, and a

electronic mellotron22to create an authentic yet unsettling atmosphere. Unlike Ennio Morricones

soundtrack, the music in Aguirre contains no crescendos or decrescendosand the general tone of the

soundtrack remains constant. This calm electronic background music describes the nature of the jungle

itself and contrasts the almost random and unexpected violence of the films narrative.

In conclusion,Aguirre: The Wrath of God(1972) andFor A Few Dollars More (1965) are both

results of nationalistic movements in post-war Europe created as to understand and cope with the

tumultuous political and economic situations of the mid to late 20th century. Although the two films have

very different narratives, both films use non-native historical backdrops in order to create an allegorical

situation to what they are currently undergoing. In either film, the plot is very simplistic with the focus

not being on the narrative or characters but on the cinematography.

20 Popul Vuh,Aguirre, 1976.21 Bondanella, Neorealism, Pg. 25622 Popul Vuh,Aguirre, 1976.

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Bibliography:

1) David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson,Film History. An Introduction, 2nd Edition (McGraw-Hill,2003)

2) Julia Knight,New German Cinema: Images of A Generation, Wallflower Press, 2004.3) Jill Nelmes,Introduction to Film Studies, Routledge Press 2007.

4) John E. Davidson,Deterritorializing the New German Cinema, Performing Arts, 1999.5) Thomas Elsaesser, The New German Cinema (Rutgers University Press, 1989)

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6) Eric Rentschler, From New German Cinema to the Post-Wall Cinema of Consensus, in,

Scott MacKenzie & Mette Hjort (eds), Cinema and Nation (London: Routledge, 2000),

7) Peter Bondanella,Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present(New York: Continuum,

1991)8) Robert Cumbow, Once Upon a Time: The Films of Sergio Leone (London: Scarecrow Press,

1987).

9) Pierre Sorlin,Italian National Cinema 1896-1996(London: Routledge, 1996).

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