Coppola is one of those directors who's tried his hand at everything, never really settling down. He's so in love with the cinema, so curious, that he's never truly satisfied to return to the same subject matter twice. In fact, outside of the Godfather films, he's never really revisited a genre. So Apocalypse Now is, at once, a definition of what he did, and nowhere near a definition of what he did. It doesn't contain any of Coppola's usual stylistic touches because he really has no formula or pattern for how he makes his films, and that's why it is his signature film.
The film is, supposedly, based on the novel Heart of Darkness, but to be completely honest, there are really only a few key parallels, some similar scenes. The movie itself is an entity all its own. Benjamin J. Willard, played by Martin Sheen, is our lead, a special operatives agent, an assassin, who is slowly going stir crazy awaiting his next assignment.
He only wants to get back in the field, while he's still strong, and sane, enough to fight. He's not patriotic, he simply has nothing else to live for and can't take another day imprisoned in this room. We start with helicopters flying overhead, and Benjamin Willard going slowly insane.
The famous shot from the opening scene is of course Sheen punching the mirror. This was not in the script. A lot of things weren't. Coppola nearly lost his mind in real life making this film, and in fact, the documentary on the making of the movie is, in many ways, less predictable and just as fascinating as the film itself. Unfortunately, we only have time to actually review the movie.
The movie is loaded from end to end with unforgettable scenes and incredible characters. Before we even get into the main cast, we have Cockroach, who appears for a single scene in the film during a fight over a key bridge in Vietnam. He sleeps through the battle while the others defend, but when a lone V. C. Sits amongst his friends bodies in the dark, shouting insults, Cockroach is awoken, he fires a grenade into the air which arcs perfectly and silences the V. C. Immediately, and then Cockroach goes back to bed. Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore is one of the greatest one-scene characters ever, ordering his men to surf while mortar fire hits the waves.
You could remove any of these characters still tell the story, these are not major characters, but, they provide more color and personality to the film than the entire cast of most films. The real heart of the film is Colonel Kurtz, as played by Marlon Brando. He defines the nihilistic dread that casts itself over the entirety of the movie.
The movie is a success on literally every level. At times it can be quite endearing, when you see the love and camaraderie between the men on Captain Willard's boat. It's often funny, and Coppola has even described it as a comedy. It's exciting, with "Ride of the Valkyries" being amongst the greatest action scenes of all time. But Kurtz's nihilism is what overwhelms the film in the end.
Coppola always cites Rumble Fish as his own favorite amongst his films, but fans will duke it out between Apocalypse Now and The Godfather Part 2. Of course, it's always up to the individual viewer, but without a doubt, this film is certainly his most ambitious, his most unpredictable, and his most insane movie.
The film is, supposedly, based on the novel Heart of Darkness, but to be completely honest, there are really only a few key parallels, some similar scenes. The movie itself is an entity all its own. Benjamin J. Willard, played by Martin Sheen, is our lead, a special operatives agent, an assassin, who is slowly going stir crazy awaiting his next assignment.
He only wants to get back in the field, while he's still strong, and sane, enough to fight. He's not patriotic, he simply has nothing else to live for and can't take another day imprisoned in this room. We start with helicopters flying overhead, and Benjamin Willard going slowly insane.
The famous shot from the opening scene is of course Sheen punching the mirror. This was not in the script. A lot of things weren't. Coppola nearly lost his mind in real life making this film, and in fact, the documentary on the making of the movie is, in many ways, less predictable and just as fascinating as the film itself. Unfortunately, we only have time to actually review the movie.
The movie is loaded from end to end with unforgettable scenes and incredible characters. Before we even get into the main cast, we have Cockroach, who appears for a single scene in the film during a fight over a key bridge in Vietnam. He sleeps through the battle while the others defend, but when a lone V. C. Sits amongst his friends bodies in the dark, shouting insults, Cockroach is awoken, he fires a grenade into the air which arcs perfectly and silences the V. C. Immediately, and then Cockroach goes back to bed. Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore is one of the greatest one-scene characters ever, ordering his men to surf while mortar fire hits the waves.
You could remove any of these characters still tell the story, these are not major characters, but, they provide more color and personality to the film than the entire cast of most films. The real heart of the film is Colonel Kurtz, as played by Marlon Brando. He defines the nihilistic dread that casts itself over the entirety of the movie.
The movie is a success on literally every level. At times it can be quite endearing, when you see the love and camaraderie between the men on Captain Willard's boat. It's often funny, and Coppola has even described it as a comedy. It's exciting, with "Ride of the Valkyries" being amongst the greatest action scenes of all time. But Kurtz's nihilism is what overwhelms the film in the end.
Coppola always cites Rumble Fish as his own favorite amongst his films, but fans will duke it out between Apocalypse Now and The Godfather Part 2. Of course, it's always up to the individual viewer, but without a doubt, this film is certainly his most ambitious, his most unpredictable, and his most insane movie.
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