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Summary: Review of
Review: As wonderful as it is to have a chance to see a restored print of one of the most beautifully photographed films ever made in a theater (not to mention the wonderful sound design, possibly the best in the history of sound in the cinema), it's too bad that it isn't a release of the original cut, which is superior. The original cut was great because, outside of the perfection of its cinematography and sound (Vittorio Storaro and Walter Murch are geniuses), it worked so well as an allegorical journey straight into the center of the insanity of war. "Redux" really harms the affectiveness of this. I didn't feel that any of the new scenes helped the film and a few really hurt it. Overall, "Redux" is slower, more pretentious, and less focused. Still, additions aside, the movie is still filled with amazing moments and it's hard to complain about the chance to see it all in a theater. But if you're gonna buy a DVD, stick with the original.
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Summary: Tour de Force
Review: This movie is encapsulated in the narrated line, "If that's how Kilgore fought the war, I began to wonder what they really had against Kurtz." Willard hates lies. Kurtz hates lies. However, this is the wrong war to be in if one hates the stench of lies. This theme runs through the movie, but whether this is what Coppola and Milius were trying to get across is left to conjecture.If you liked the narration, written by Michael Herr, read his book "Dispatches." It reads much the same as Willard sounds in the movie.
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Summary: some films require six stars.
Review: This is my favorite film of all time. Posing as an action/adventure war movie set in Viet Nam (the first one set, I believe, in this particular war), it becomes an illustrative analysis of the most fundamental values and assumptions in Western culture today. I do not know whether it succeeds as a war film - it is not a genre I am familiar with, and I have also never managed to watch Apocalypse as a war movie. It certainly has some "cool" war stuff in it, from the good old battle scene of the storming of the beach to the rock and roll excesses and absurdities that characterised the war in Southeast Asia. But this is far more than a war movie. Based on a long short story that is not about war so much as commercial imperialism, it takes its place in the same "clash of cultures" environment and allows plenty of room for long, clear looks at the value laden assumptions of Western Civilisation. This is a movie, not about "Good versus Evil," but about "Good versus Evil" versus "Something Else." In the absence of a a good phrase for "Something Else," I will just say that it is more the recognition that what we pretend to call good and evil walk hand in hand in every persons soul, indeed in every person whether they have a "soul" or not. It is about the conflict between myopic Judeo-Christian values confronting a value system far older, and perhaps even more widespread, which simply places its values in a different place. This conflict is wrought deeply in the character of the passionately "insane" Col. Walter Kurtz, written on the fly for and played with mind boggling intensity and stubbornness by Marlon Brando. He has gone "up the river," and despite his marginally approved technical brilliance as a soldier, in the process of coming to understand that there is no possible morality in war (perhaps besides self preservation) he steps outside the inherited moralities of the West and becomes... a god. A god by choice, by acclamation, and by an insane leap of ego - one which any of us are fully capable of making, it must be remembered. In my favorite, of few I have ever liked, use of voice-over narration, Martin Sheen's character Capt. Willard translates this epic of the soul for us. He is already on the razor's edge himself, but still retains the sensibility of the Western observer, enough so that he can walk back and forth across the fuzzy line and bring us his reports, in our language, of what he sees over there on the other side. And what he sees, what he hears and learns in trying to understand Col. Kurtz, he will never forget. His mission to "terminate the Colonel's command" goes through subtle changes, as his role as "pawn-assassin" for the brass back in Saigon mutates into the role of "pawn-ritual slaughterer," doing what is utterly Kurtz' will and desperate need - to free Kurtz from the agony of living with a value system he has not lived to be prepared for. In my opinion, every frame and every moment of this film is perfect. The drama is balanced with humor, the terror with warmth, the sentimentality with horror. The up-close details contrast beautifully with the big picture, the very big picture we are awash in. This is from a film which was an utter disaster in the making, constantly being written and rewritten as it was filmed, the roles and souls of the main characters taking on a life of their own. The film itself, as any great work of art will do, took control of itself and demanded that its mere human interpreters go where it required. The result speaks for itself, and luckily the principals all survived the process. If this was the only memorable film Mr. Coppola ever made, it alone would place him in the pantheon of great directors. It is a marvelous capstone to the young rebel Brando's waning career, and I don't know what else Sheen ever did, but this film alone is all he ever needed to do to earn and keep my respect. It of course makes a great, if rather long, double feature with the grunt's eye view of the war, Platoon, starring Marty's kid Charlie. copyright 2001 Huw Powell
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Summary: One of the top ten movies of all time!!!
Review: This movie was derived from a book titled Heart of Darkness. I read that book, and while intriguing, it can never have the same impact like this mesmorizing film. The book could never have all the colors and sights of the movie. Specific examples are when they uses flares and other weapons and when they go to certain places on their journey. The bridge towards the end is a perfect example. I havn't even mentioned te music yet. The great thing about this is that it was filmed before all that computer generated garbage. It is all real so it looks better, you might not know why if you didn't know that, but it just seems more real and it looks fantastic. The music enhances the mood to such a degree that you are terrified of what you are witnessing. What other movie can you say that about? Everything is perfect from the characters to the casting to the... well everything. A lot of people were unsatisfied with the ending. Don't listen to them. The ending is very suitable and downright brilliant. If you don't understand it the first time, go back and watch it again. There is something to be said there. The thing I found most amazing about the DVD is the color and video. I have never seen such a huge improvement of a movie just by cleaning it up and making it sharper. Do yourself a favor and purchase the DVD not the VHS. The sound is well done as well. The academy must have not understood this movie or something. It should have been best picture of 1979. Kramer vs. Kramer was a very good movie, but Apocalypse Now is one of the best all time. It was robbed.
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Summary: The Most Terryifing Retelling Of Vietnam
Review: Apocalypse Now, which was based on the Joseph Conrad book Heart Of Darkness, is a dark and disturbing look at Vietnam. Martin Sheen gives a excellent performance as a Vietnam soldier sent to take out Colonel Kurtz. Marlon Brando plays Colonel Kurtz in his most powerful role since The Godfather. The cinematography was brilliant and brought Vietnam to life. But, this film has not that much to do with Vietnam like Platoon or Hamburger Hill. It has more to do with the horrors (The Horror... The Horror.) that changed Colonel Kurtz. The Doors made a excellent remix of The End for Apocalypse Now. I suggest everyone that likes Vietnam movies, Francis Ford Coppola, or someone that was accutally there see the redux or see the DVD.
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Summary: The horror...the horror
Review: It is just that.The very thing that would drive a man insane.This is a good question..You have to agree with Kurtz (brando)This film will hit you right in the face,right where it hurts...whether you want it to or not. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning...That smell,that gasoline smell....It smells like...victory." Robert duvall
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Summary: Only to be surpassed by the integral version
Review: An absolute must - can't wait to have the new uncut "Apocalypse now" DVD. Beautiful. Even better.
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Summary: Not so much a war epic as an art film with an huge budget
Review: On the last day of shooting, Francis Coppola stood before the entire cast and crew and said, "I've never seen so many people so happy to be unemployed." The film itself is true art, an exploration of the thin line that seperates genius from the insane--but the movie is so closely grounded in the system that we are familiar with (i.e. Hollywood), that it's overshadowed, labeled and marketed as a "Vietnam War Epic." Most complaints I hear are about how it drags through the third act. The great, enormous battle sequence with Col. Kilgore at "Charlie's point" is almost totally out of proportion with the rest of the movie--but is so well done that some may find it a bit of a letdown when another stunning action sequence doesn't materialize. I think this is a rather shallow way of looking at it, since the emotional journey is really what this movie centers around, and when Willard is inside the Kurtz compound--those are some the most emotionally intense moments I've ever seen put to film. Apocalypse Now is based loosley upon the Joseph Conrad novella, "Heart of Darkness," which should encourage you to dig a bit deeper into the film to witness the awsome power and scope of the journey Captain Willard takes with his intrepid river boat companions. Francis Coppola and Marlon Brando both lost their minds after making this film. Martin Sheen begged his son Charlie not to do "Platoon" for fear he wouldn't be able to handle the intensity that gave his father a heart attack on the set. Robert Duvall found Jesus. I think it's safe to say that this is one powerful motion picture. As for the DVD, I liked it--though I would have really enjoyed a compilation of this movie and "Hearts of Darkness," the documentary that Coppola's wife shot about all the work that went into the production of this film. Also, the only director commentary was for an extra piece of footage not used in the film. That is somewhat disappointing, but not enough to keep me from giving this movie 5 stars.
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Summary: Why the South Vietnamese lost
Review: I finally understood why South Vietnam was lost when Brando's character related the story of Charlie cutting off the arms of children who had received shots from American corpsmen. This may be considered just a movie but merge this film clip with the pictures of beheaded American Marines published in Hustler magazine and we can get the picture that our Christian ethics have no place in war if we want to win and save our sons lives. It really is a great film*****
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Summary: The DVD goodies are worth it.
Review: This is basically an updated version of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" ISBN: 0486264645 with a lot Francis Ford Coppola thrown in. The location is Viet Nam, and with any update, they thought it would be more relevant than trying to explain the Congo. Toss in some songs from the era (Doors) ASIN: B000002H22 and some classics "Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries" ASIN: B000003F4J and you have a movie. Too bad it is not that easy. I would not worry too much whether this looks like Vietnam or if certain events really take place, as that is not the point of the picture or the intent of the story telling. The feel of the book was conveyed. And I would not worry if it does not match the book story word for word as this is a different media. If you come away with the question "what would I do if it were me?" it worked. Not to distract from the movie review, however I was in Viet Nam (1967-1968) in an armed reconnaissance organization. And the Vietnam I was in did not have the surrealic scenes. We did get to see Bob Hope and Martha Ray "The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938)" ASIN: 6303464718. Before that I always thought it was a bunch of hype. However it did make a difference having them take the time to go there. So I could see something as weird as the bunny scene happening. Besides the movie there are the Scenes of the destruction of the Kurtz compound set. They were required to clean up after the movie was made. Coppola says that these scenes were removed from the end of the movie so people did not think that it was part of the story. However I saw this on TV and they left the scenes in and I did think it was part of the story. An other interpretation of, "Heart of Darkness" was made later. Not quite as moving as Apocalypse Now, but you should see it to compare to the original. Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (1988) ASIN: 6305078599. Adrienne Barbeau is Dr. Kurtz.
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