Ten Best Movies Based On Amazon Rainforest

Amazon Rainforest or Amazon Jungle is one of the darkest, scariest and mysterious forest in the world. You must have heard a lot about Amazon forest here and there or you might had your own real time experience in the Amazon forest. But trust me making movies in those dark rainforest is not the easiest job around. It requires uncompromisable effort from cinematography and director to shoot each scene with precise lighting, realistic and natural way. These movies has got adventurous, thrilling and breathtaking scenes. Let's see some of the best Amazon rainforest movies of all time.

1. The Mission (1986) 

  ***Underrated, Thoughtful And An Amazing Cinematic Experience***

"Hontar: We must work in the world, your eminence. The world is thus.
Altamirano: No, Senor Hontar. Thus have we made the world... thus have I made it."

"Mendoza: Though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth and love is kind. Love envieth not. Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. But now abideth faith, hope, love... these three. But the greatest of these is love. "

"The Mission" is a movie about 18th century Spanish Jesuits try to protect a remote South American Indian tribe in danger of falling under the rule of pro-slavery Portugal. It is a treat to see both Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro deliver some of their best acting. Also of interest is seeing the early acting careers of both Liam Neeson & Aiodan Quinn.

Visually the film is perfect, with some of the greatest cinematography ever viewed on screen, combining majestic jungle scenery with religious imagery and style. Ennio Morricone's musical score is another highlight, incorporating exultant vocals and pensive, moving segments in an effective mixture. I certainly recommend this movie as a great drama that presents interesting questions in a formally pleasing way.

2. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972)

  ***Fascinating, Desperately Disturbing And Surreal Film***

"Don Lope de Aguirre: I am the great traitor. There must be no other. Anyone who even thinks about deserting this mission will be cut up into 198 pieces. Those pieces will be stamped on until what is left can be used only to paint walls. Whoever takes one grain of corn or one drop of water... more than his ration, will be locked up for 155 years. If I, Aguirre, want the birds to drop dead from the trees... then the birds will drop dead from the trees. I am the wrath of god. The earth I pass will see me and tremble. But whoever follows me and the river, will win untold riches. But whoever deserts."

Director Werner Herzog has always been interested in telling stories about men with obsessions, especially if those obsessions lead to madness. So it's no surprise that he was engaged by "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" story is about a group of Spanish conquistadors in 1560 trekking through the Peruvian jungle in search of El Dorado, legendary city of gold, and one man in particular, Aguirre, who stages a mutiny and continues to lead the remaining troupe on an increasingly insane and futile journey when all logic and reason compels them to turn back.

The film is based on real incident. The direction is absolutely wonderful, and despite the amount of tenacity which would normally cripple a film's production, Herzog's and Kinski's volatile relationship managed to bring the best out of both men. Kinski is extraordinary as Aguirre, there's not enough justice in words to describe his performance.

3. Fitzcarraldo (1982)

***A Visual Feast And Technical Magnificence From Werner Herzog*** 

"Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald - 'Fitzcarraldo': I want my opera house! I want the opera house! This church remains closed until this town has its opera house. I want my opera house! I want my opera house! I want my opera house!"

"Fitzcarraldo" Klaus Kinski plays an opera lover who is determined to build an opera house in the middle of the Amazon rain forest. In order to achieve his dream, though, he must first make a fortune in the area's biggest industry: rubber. The scheme he conjures up involves sailing a boat down one branch of the Amazon, carrying it over a mountain, and sailing up the other side. This feat comprises a large bulk of the film, and was shot without the aid of any special effects.

It is a great introduction to Werner Herzog and as a film about humanity, triumph over the land, as well as the spirituality of the people who are part of that land. Herzog assembled a film with many emblematic visual features, presumably for the purposes of enhancing the aesthetics. Klaus Kinski is wonderful in this film cannot be overstated.

4. The Emerald Forest (1985)

  ***An Amazing Adventure And Realistic Performance ***

"Werner: Can you smell it? The oxygen? 40% of the world's oxygen is produced here in the Amazon.

Bill Markham: Come on, Eurbay, oxygen doesn't smell. It's... the rot, the decay.

Werner: Also the blossoms."

Tommy is taken from his family by an Amazon tribe called "The Invisible Ones" and father Bill spends ten years searching for him. After finding a few leads, he has an encounter with a dangerous cannibal tribe called "The Fierce Ones" and actually stumbles on his son as he tries to flee for his life.

It's a beautiful, somewhat touching tale of a child's abduction by aboriginals, and a diligent ten year search for the missing son by his father. The rain forest location photography is stunning, and the story actually believable for awhile. The cinematography, involving story, no profanity and just plain good adventure all make this movie an entertaining one. An extremely original and captivating film. A jungle adventure not to be missed.

5.  End of the Spear (2005)

***Moving And Accurate Picture Of The Christian Faith***

"Nate Saint: Do you know how far away the sun is?

Young Steve Saint: 93 million miles.

Nate Saint: Do you know that that's just a fraction of how much I love you?"

"End of the Spear" is the true story of the killing of five young men by a tribe of savage killer Acua Indians in the jungles of Ecuador in 1956. Anthropologists of that day rated the Acua Indians as the most vicious killers known to man. The men were attempting to make friendly contact with the Acuas. Initially, they are successful, however something goes terribly wrong, and the Indians kill each of them.

The film is lively, which is enhanced by the different views from the anthropologists, the missionary families, the waodani and the civilized panama tribe people. It's amusing to see the anthropologists amazed by what they're studying. The cinematography is rich with the green amazon scenery, especially the aerial river shots. Care is taken to avoid focusing on the violence by going off-camera during some of the most violent scenes.

6. Birdwatchers (2008)

***Powerful And Exploration Of Hidden Amazon Culture***

"Osvaldo: I won, you lost!"

"Birdwatchers" portrays about Guarani-Kaiowa community in their native Brazil, Birdwatchers depicts the breakdown between the white settlers and the ever-decreasing tribe. Tired of living in a designated settlement, stoic community leader Nadio decides to take back the land that their ancestors are buried on.

The Brazilian landscape is filmed with a natural beauty, which allows us to understand why the Guarani-Kaiowa worship the land so. A powerful film, and when director Marco Bechis flashes up the charity dedicated to preserving the tribe at the end of the film, it will fill you with guilt that you can live in a world that would fail to recognise their struggle and plight.

7. El Dorado (1988)

  ***A Good Film With Thrilling Climax***

"An voyage formed by Spanish soldiers down the Orinoco and Amazon rivers searching for the fabled city of gold."

"El Dorado" with an voyage under command of Pedro Ursua (Lambert Wilson) with various officers. The travelers who are over-dressed for the heat in their old world clothes and armor must survive the crises of jungle life and human badness . The river , jungle scenery and several dangers dominate the motley characters in the risked journey . But later on , Lope De Aguirre (Omero Antonutti) takes over the explorers.

"El Dorado" kept reminding me of better made films such as "Fitzcarraldo", or even "Aguirre, the Wrath of God", both superior films because of the amazing contribution of Klaus Kinski and Werner Herzog to the genre.

8. Brave New Land (2000)

***Brutal And A Great Screenplay***

"An Untold Story About An Untold Culture."

The Story begins in 1778, a Portuguese cartographer and naturalist, Diogo, takes part in an expedition to the interior of South America. Almost immediately, the Portuguese are shown attacking a party of bathing female Guaicuru natives, raping and then killing them.

"Brave New Land" is both a frequently beautiful and gruesome film created as a tribute to the Guaicuru Indians (portrayed in the film by primarily non-actor natives of the Kadweu tribe). The beauty of the land and of native customs are displayed well, as are the brutality of the Portuguese invaders and the often shocking native rituals. We observe the natives performing ritual bloodletting and learn of their practice of killing all offspring after the firstborn.

9. How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman (1971)

***A Remarkable And Unique Film Experience***

"How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman" brings back to life the world of 16th century Brazil, where Europeans were barely starting to explore the coastline, which was still in pristine state and sparsely populated by various native tribes. French and Portuguese fought each other for territory and for the upper hand on the Brazil wood trade, all the while negotiating with the natives, who also fought each other for whatever reasons.

Brazil is a unique country, with a diverse history and culture. It was one of the first films that tried to relate to the "savages", in light of the audience's identification with the Europeans. Even 30 years later, its relevance continues.

10. Medicine Man (1992)

  ***Adventure, Drama And Romance Excellently Performed***

"Dr. Rae Crane: You send me back on the basis of my gender. That's called sex discrimination. Look, I understand your reservations. I heard about your wife.

Dr. Robert Campbell: My wife? Good God, she left me. I wish you'd follow her example."

"Medicine Man",an ecological drama deals about Dr Robert Campbell(Sean Connery), he's a biochemist working in the Amazon rain forest on a cancer cure medicine. Dr Crane(Lorraine Bracco), a researcher sent by the laboratory sponsoring. Campbell has found a cure but he has been unable to duplicate it . Then they seek desperately the missed flower about being eradicated by civilization. Meanwhile, a Bulldozers sweeping the jungle and time is running out.

The chemistry between Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco was unbelievable, especially considering their differing temperaments, moral attitudes. The movie just does not come together in a satisfying way. It is however an entertaining film and a must see for Connery fanatics.

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