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Apocalypse NowRating:
Release Date: 15 August, 1979 Retail Price: $29.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (16 total) |
Apocalypse Now Reviews
The horror ... the horror ...
To call Francis Ford Coppola's APOCALYPSE NOW one of the greatest films ever made is a major understatement. It's filmmaking perfection - brilliant, powerful, and beautiful. From the chilling opening - helicopters flying through the Vietnamese jungle, setting it aflame, while The Doors' "The End" plays - to the now-classic closing ("The horror ... the horror ..."), it's an unforgettable journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart. It's unquestionably the greatest and most horrifying film made about the Vietnam War; it may be the best war movie ever. Some could even argue that APOCALYPSE NOW is the greatest film of all time.
The plot is ingenious. During the seemingly endless Vietnam War, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), a former CIA agent, is given a voluntary mission; as he's been searching for work, he gladly accepts. His mission: float up the Nung River in a Navy boat and terminate (with extreme prejudice) Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a once-brilliant man who has gone insane and set himself up as a God and the leader of a Vietnamese tribe. As Willard sails further and further up the river, his surroundings and the violence become more and more terrible until he finally reaches the heart of darkness.
Though APOCALYPSE NOW was, in fact, loosely based on Joseph Conrad's novel HEART OF DARKNESS, it is truly Francis Ford Coppola's movie. The story behind the film is legendary; it was turned into an equally-legendary documentary entitled HEARTS OF DARKNESS: A FILMMAKER'S APOCALYPSE. From the start the film was plagued by production problems, to the point where Coppola threatened to commit suicide six or seven times. Marlon Brando showed up on the set without having read Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS or the Coppola/John Milius screenplay, demanding a large sum of money, and severely overweight. Filming ran for an incredible 16 months, and editing lasted for roughly two years. Paramount Pictures nicknamed the film "Apocalypse When?". Audiences, critics, studios, and Coppola himself thought that the film would wind up as a disaster, a horrible film that would signal the end of everyone involved. Needless to say, they were horribly wrong.
The film is a masterpiece. More than a film, it's a reflection on humanity and the evil within. Never has the Vietnam War looked so horrifyingly inhumane. Coppola really makes the point that Vietnam was not so much a war as it was a massacre. The most terrifying scene of all involves the slaying of a group of innocent Vietnamese fishermen. Soldier Chef (Frederic Forrest) reluctantly searches the boat for any weapons; the tension is built up while Chef searches as his commander shouts at him and he shouts back furiously. A Vietnamese woman suddenly runs towards him shouting, and a young American soldier (14-year-old Laurence Fishburne) guns down not only her, but every one else on the boat. As it turns out, the woman was running for her dog. All those innocent human beings were murdered because the woman wanted to protect her puppy. And it gets worse - Chef points out that the woman is still alive. As he begins hauling her on the ship, Willard walks over and shoots her in the heart. "I told you not to stop the damn ship," he says.
As far as filmmaking goes, APOCALYPSE NOW is perfection. There's excellent acting from all involved; Robert Duvall is especially great as an eccentric commander who likes to surf and, in one of the most memorable scenes in cinema history, blasts Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries" while attacking enemy villages. A skinny, bespectacled Harrison Ford has a brief appearance, and Dennis Hopper - in another wonderful role, this time as a photojournalist - pops up toward the end. The score is fittingly eerie and mechanical, a synthesized horror composed by Coppola and his father, Carmine Coppola. Vittorio Storaro's cinematography is nothing short of spectacular. APOCALYPSE NOW also features what may be the greatest lighting in film history, particularly toward the end of the film.
Still, despite all this cinematic greatness, APOCALYPSE NOW is more an experience than a film. It's a chilling, brilliant voyage from start to finish. "Never get off the boat," a character states at one point in the film. For we, the audience, APOCALYPSE NOW is the boat, and once we do take the inevitable step off, we will never be the same.
Magnificent Film In Any Form... '....The Complete Dossier' Due Out In August 06
In 1979's "Apocalypse Now", Francis Ford Coppola presented us with a mesmerizing, stunning look at the horrors of Viet Nam. It was a film that looked at the hearts and minds of the soldiers and the effects of the brutalities.The film received 8 nominations by Oscar, including Best Picture, Director, and a supporting actor nod for Robert("I love the smell of Napalm in the morning")Duvall. It took home well deserved Oscars for Cinematography(Vittorio Storaro) and Sound.
It stars Martin Sheen as Lt. Willard, who beset with his own emotional problems is sent on a dangerous mission to "terminate" the esteemed Col. Kurtz, played brillantly by Marlon Brando, who has now been driven insane by "The Horror" of it all. Willard is escorted into the wilds of Cambodia by a boat crew including a young Laurence Fishburne and Frederick Forrest. You will also find Dennis Hopper, Harrison Ford, and Sam Bottoms in this incredible cast.
As magnificent as this film is, there is yet another edition("Redux")that more than 20 years later is reedited by Director Coppola,with the addition of previously deleted scenes.There is an additional 49 minutes in the Redux edition. A scene where the boat crew takes time out for a sexual rendevous with the playboy bunnies,an added scene of the time spent on a French Plantation, the funeral for "Mr. Clean", and more time with the insane Colonel Kurtz, are among the extra footage.(for more details on those scenes, see my review of the Redux edition of 2/24/03). I personally felt the added material brought a new light into the frame of mind of the soldiers, and closure to some other scenes.
Still can't decide between the original and the Redux? This film is a treasure in any form. It's a piece of cinematic history that's probably worth getting both editions if you want. Check out the newest edition being released "Apocalypse Now - The Complete Dossier". According to the product site,it is a 'dual feature', it will be released on 8/16/06, may be pre-ordered, and as of now, is a really good deal.
"Never Get Out of The Boat"....Lt. Willard....thanks and enjoy..Laurie
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