Apocalypse Now

[Plain Old Tele]

Discuss.

[Jake Gittes]

Monumental cinema. Coppola's greatest achievement and probably one of the four or five greatest films I've ever seen. Was in awe from the first minute to the last. Oh, and Vittorio Storaro is a God among cinematographers.

[The Movie Man]

Monumental cinema. Coppola's greatest achievement and probably one of the four or five greatest films I've ever seen. Was in awe from the first minute to the last. Oh, and Vittorio Storaro is a God among cinematographers.

 

You ever see the Documentory on it. Supposed to be Very Good/Interesting.

[Plain Old Tele]

"Hearts of Darkness" is the name of the documentary, and it's tremendous. About the movie itself, it's amazing, brilliant, and flawed all wrapped up in one package.

[The Movie Man]

"Hearts of Darkness" is the name of the documentary, and it's tremendous. About the movie itself, it's amazing, brilliant, and flawed all wrapped up in one package.

 

> I have to see it again, as this is what I thought also > would like to see it as a better film watcher. >>>>> About the movie itself, it's amazing, brilliant, and flawed all wrapped up in one package.

[IndustriousAngel]

It's a monster of a film. The pacing is uneven but many of the scenes are truly unforgettable. The scale of outdoor shooting was a feat nearly unparalleled in film history. And once Willard reaches the temple, the film reaches at the same time a brutal intensity and nearly drug-like dream quality.

[Jack Nevada]

I dont like the last 45 or so minutes with Marlon Brando's ramblings and the animal slaughter, but the rest... man. Its a hell of a movie, I have to say. Apocalypse Now hits you like a punch in the gut. Its a spectacle on a huge scale, but its also often very tense and disturbing. Shows the insanity of the war brilliantly. I started to feel like I was going crazy while watching this movie! 

 

 

5/5

Edited March 14, 2013 by Jack Nevada

[acab]

One of the best films ever made. Brilliant, atmospheric and unforgetable. Everything is impressive but the final 30 minutes when Brando appears is something truly unforgetable. A film with so many layers and interpretations. Coppola during the 70's had the best streak ever starting with The Godfather up until Apocalypse Now!

 

The horror, the horror...

One of the best lines and deliveries ever.

[mattmav45]

Probably my favorite film of all-time.

 

The first 10 minutes are merely a sign and introduction of the madness and impending surreal experience.  It's one of those movies that's so unique and powerful that you never forget the first time you saw it......just about as perfect as cinema can be.  

 

A

Edited March 14, 2013 by mattmav45

[Jack Nevada]

My jaw was literally open for most of the movie. Its absolutely stunning, especially that helicopter scene. And the night scene with the fireworks, that was amazing too

[baumer]

First of all let's get my beef out of the way. I know this is a really stupid reason to give a movie only 9.5 out of ten instead of the 10 that it deserves, but Marlon Brando bugs me. In this movie, he was on screen for no more than fifteen minutes. He was paid an exhorbitant amount of money and he was nothing but a problem on the set. He was constantly too high to do his lines by heart, he was so fat and out of shape that Coppola had to do his scenes in a different shade of light just to make him look plausible as a soldier. His attitude alone put the film over-budget and behind schedule and that bothers me. When one person thinks he is bigger than the collective whole, it takes away from the experience of watching the film. It was impossible for me to watch Brando on screen and not cringe. He was a disgrace to acting and to his profession and I am glad that he is no longer around Hollywood. Having said all that, I will now get to what is good about Apocalypse Now. And that is everything else.This is certainly one of the best films ever made and it is so because of how dark it is and how realistic it feels. Martin Sheen is so brilliant that it is scary. And of course who can forget Robert Duval's performance. But what makes this film over the top and the classic that it is, is Coppola's attention to detail. The helicopters flying in the background, the explosions over the horizon, the unseen enemy lurking imminently in the darkness. This is the first war movie that I had seen that made me think I knew what the horrors of war were really about. With everything this movie stands for, it is a shame that it lost best director that year and it is really a tragedy that Kramer vs. Kramer beat it out for best picture. What a terrific film

[Jack Nevada]

First of all let's get my beef out of the way. I know this is a really stupid reason to give a movie only 9.5 out of ten instead of the 10 that it deserves, but Marlon Brando bugs me. In this movie, he was on screen for no more than fifteen minutes. He was paid an exhorbitant amount of money and he was nothing but a problem on the set. He was constantly too high to do his lines by heart, he was so fat and out of shape that Coppola had to do his scenes in a different shade of light just to make him look plausible as a soldier. His attitude alone put the film over-budget and behind schedule and that bothers me. When one person thinks he is bigger than the collective whole, it takes away from the experience of watching the film. It was impossible for me to watch Brando on screen and not cringe. He was a disgrace to acting and to his profession and I am glad that he is no longer around Hollywood. Having said all that, I will now get to what is good about Apocalypse Now. And that is everything else.

I agree, I didn't like Marlon Brando either, in this movie or as a person. I watched the documentary Hearts of Darkness, and there was a behind the scene's clip where Brando was saying some dialogue and suddenly went "And thats all the acting I can do today". Walked off the shot. What an asshole. 

[The Movie Man]

Brando is know for being difficult. Think it was the same way for his small role for a lot of money in Superman.

[Jack Nevada]

I have said this before but they chopped a bunch of oxes to death with machetes while making the end scene, and that is just deplorable, man. I dont know wtf Coppola was thinking about, but I lost respect for him after I heard about that.

[IndustriousAngel]

Brando is know for being difficult.Think it was the same way for his small role for a lot of money in Superman.

Weeeell, there's a bit of a difference. I mean, I can fully understand Brando feeling out-of-place in Superman (or Laurence Olivier in Star Wars), but Apocalypse Now is a different kind of film than either Superman or Star Wars. With shooting conditions the way they were, it takes a real asshole to see itself as the most important part of the team.

(btw, while I can understand them, I still think it's very unprofessional behaviour poking fun at the people who pay you - if they found those roles that much below their dignity then why take them in the first place?!)

[AniNate]

Just saw this movie yesterday. Aside from the confusing ending, I loved it and thought it was better than the Godfather films. The whole films is excellently shot and Martin Sheen makes a very compelling protagonist.

 

A

[Plain Old Tele]

I have said this before but they chopped a bunch of oxes to death with machetes while making the end scene, and that is just deplorable, man. I dont know wtf Coppola was thinking about, but I lost respect for him after I heard about that.

 

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly sure the animals were already scheduled to be slaughtered by the villagers, and Coppola just asked if he could film it. It's fairly sketchy, but it's not like the production decided to do it or brought them in just for that purpose.

[Jack Nevada]

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly sure the animals were already scheduled to be slaughtered by the villagers, and Coppola just asked if he could film it. It's fairly sketchy, but it's not like the production decided to do it or brought them in just for that purpose.

Imdb sez:In the DVD commentary, Francis Ford Coppola downplays his involvement in the controversial slaughter of the water buffalo, saying he "happened to film a ritual" being performed by Ifugao natives. However in the article "Ifugao extras and the making of Apocalypse Now", cast and crew detail how Coppola staged the entire scene, directing the natives to chant and sing while they killed the animal which Coppola provided. Afterwards, Coppola "went overboard and ordered a whole truckload" of animals which he gave to the Ifugao to slaughter on camera. However only one water buffalo slaughter was used in the final cut. ('Flip Magazine 2003, v.2, n.3, pp. 29-33, 90-91')

[Lordmandeep]

First of all the Buffalo were going to be killed anyway...

 

 

This film is grand journey and some scenes just blow you away at how insane and horrofic they are.

 

Hearing the guiatar solo during the bridge battle with all the guys on drugs... You felt like you were on drugs watching it lol.

 

A

[RichWS]

One of the great films of all-time. Watching right now it on IFC. Goddamn these commercials!

Edited March 22, 2013 by RichWS