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 allegedly based on Heart of Darkness, the novel, but outside of a few key parallels, the two are very different stories, albeit sharing a similar nihilistic tone and a few moments. We follow Martin Sheen as the alcoholic Captain Ben J. Willard, a secret operative who has grown more and more psychotic in his time away from the action.
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 simply loaded with unforgettable characters. Without even discussing the main cast, we have Cockroach, a youth from Harlem capable of sleeping through the most intense battle, waking up to launch a perfectly arced grenade at an enemy hiding in the shadows, eliminate him, and go back to sleep. We have Dennis Hopper as a maniacal photo journalist, and Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, a mix of samurai, Patton and surfer dude, sending his men out to hit the waves amidst napalm detonating against the beach.
This isn't even getting into the main cast, these characters appear for one scene and then disappear from the film forever. Marlon Brando as Colonel Kurtz doesn't even appear until the very end, but his presence, his mere existence, casts a shadow that commands the entirety of the film, despite his limited screen time, or perhaps, mythologized by his non-presence.
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. - 40725
The film is allegedly based on Heart of Darkness, the novel, but outside of a few key parallels, the two are very different stories, albeit sharing a similar nihilistic tone and a few moments. We follow Martin Sheen as the alcoholic Captain Ben J. Willard, a secret operative who has grown more and more psychotic in his time away from the action.
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 simply loaded with unforgettable characters. Without even discussing the main cast, we have Cockroach, a youth from Harlem capable of sleeping through the most intense battle, waking up to launch a perfectly arced grenade at an enemy hiding in the shadows, eliminate him, and go back to sleep. We have Dennis Hopper as a maniacal photo journalist, and Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, a mix of samurai, Patton and surfer dude, sending his men out to hit the waves amidst napalm detonating against the beach.
This isn't even getting into the main cast, these characters appear for one scene and then disappear from the film forever. Marlon Brando as Colonel Kurtz doesn't even appear until the very end, but his presence, his mere existence, casts a shadow that commands the entirety of the film, despite his limited screen time, or perhaps, mythologized by his non-presence.
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. - 40725
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In the political world, Shepard is king - enjoying unprecedented highs in his job approval rating. cheap movies Some used a bottle or other smooth objects as well. The image therefore will maintain the correct aspect ratio but also fill the whole screen.
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