Apocalypse Now
This film, from 1979 was directed by Francis Ford Coppula and starred Martin Sheen (Capt. Willard) and Marlon Brando (Col. Kurtz). The film takes place during the 1970's in the middle of the Vietnam War. Coppula was rewarded for his hard work by winning the Academy Award for cinematography. The story is based on the novel "Hearts of Darkness", by Joseph Conrad. The book and film depicts Capt. Willard in the middle of the Vietnam searching for Col. Kurtz, who has gone mad and started his own private war. Apocalypse Now uses its scenes to show three types of horror including psychological, gore, and surprise. Psychological horror plays with human rationalization. Gore shows a stunning or violent action. Surprise horror is instilling fear by catching the viewer off guard. Each type of horror appeals to different parts of human fear and requires different methods to pull it off properly.
Psychological horror is the fear of a believable, reasonable force. It outs a mirror in front of the viewer and asks him what he would in the situation. Many scenes in the film utilize this form of horror, but none more clearly than the river boat scene where Willard and his crew emerges from a heavy mist to see a large group of villagers facing them in their own boats. An uncertain grayness covers the screen and suddenly shifts to a vivid image of a group on the river that is staring forward, penetratingly grabs the attention of the viewer. The tension between the two groups is made apparent as the two opposing forces stare at each other. If one side makes any move the other is sure to as well and would mean deaths for both. The viewer is now put into the situation where they must ask themselves if they could handle the tensi...
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This film is such an important masterpiece in truly understanding just how gruesome and fear filled the Vietnam War was. Apocalypse Now is a film for not only people who lived during the War but also anyone who has ever wondered just what it would be like to be in one. The film uses horror to portray its point of how each second you were in Vietnam you were faced with death and terror. Coppola's use of camera angels, visual effects, and horror make this film one for the ages. It would be in anyone's best decision to take time and view this film with an appreciation of how good a job Coppola has done with his ability to impart desired emotions on his viewers. The film is brutal and chaotic at the same time, but it still is able to reach its audience in any decade with a form of reality and realness that only a film of this magnitude could acheive.
In its best moments, the movie is a strong, anti-war documentary. It has truly moving moments of bereaved loved ones, mangled bodies in the streets, incredulous soldiers in Iraq, angry Iraqis and innocent teenagers being manipulated into enlisting. In this way, the movie presents a version of the war on Iraq that isn't shown much in the media. It improves our understanding of the war by giving it a human face.
Kurtz in both works is surprising very similar; in Apocalypse Now Walt Kurtz is a Colonel in the United States Army. Kurtz is a highly recognized and admired military officer, "Walt Kurtz was one of the most outstanding officers this country has ever produced. He was a brilliant and outstanding in every way…” and has a very successful career in the army (Coppola 1979). The Kurtz in Heart of Darkness is a successful business man, politician, and explorer. This Kurtz wears the mask of many faces but all the characters that mention Kurtz treat him like a god. It’s these traits that cultivate curiosity within Marlow and Captain Willard. Ma...
At the beginning, the two works have plentiful the same “story” (Dorall 303). Heart of Darkness tells a story about Marlow, a young captain. He reserves a commission to research Kurtz. Kurtz is an ivory trader, who works for a Belgian trading company and loses in the Congo jungles. Apocalypse Now’s background is Vietnam War. An American captain Willard gets a mission
Based on Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness written in the late- Victorian era, Apocalypse Now! gives a modern interpretation of the novella. Francis Ford Coppola’s film takes place in Vietnam War where he examines America’s foreign policies in the 1960’s. Conrad, on the other hand, recreates the effects of British colonialism in Africa. Both protagonists, Willard from Apocalypse Now! and Marlow from Heart of Darkness, travel upstream along the massive trees that hug the banks on a mission to find Kurtz. As they travel further into the heart of darkness, they forget about the rules and regulations of society, and experience the absurdities of evil and savage nature of the jungle and war. The similarities and contrasts between Willard and Marlow are worth further examination to see their transitions as characters, responses to foreign land, and causes and effects of meeting Kurtz.
Apocalypse Now is a very vivid and sometimes disturbing film centered on the Vietnam War. Because it was based on Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, it is possible to draw some parallels between the two. Both can be interpreted as metaphors for a journey through the inner self, and each has its own singular message to convey. Apocalypse Now very perspicuously depicts the fact that men have hearts of darkness, and it explores the evils of war. At the same time, however, it seemingly glorifies some aspects. The anti-war sequences were often brutal and portrayed destruction as a result of the human condition. The film Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, can be interpreted both as pro-war and anti-war in its intent, although the latter is a more valid interpretation.
In Apocalypse Now, Coppola also examines the location comprehensively, due to its vital element to the story. Coppola’s decision to shoot the film in the Philippines, as it resembles Vietnam the most, leaves an immensely engaging effect to the film. The location of ...
While there are differences between Francis Ford Coppola’s film, Apocalypse Now!, and Joseph Conrad novel, The Heart of Darkness, Kurtz and his influence on the main character remain very similar. Both the movie and novel depict a protagonist’s struggle to travel upstream in a ship in search of a man named Kurtz. While doing so, Marlow (The Heart of Darkness)/Willard (Apocalypse Now!) become progressively fascinated with Kurtz. Kurtz is claimed to have a profound influence on his followers and is becoming a huge influence on Marlow/Willard as well.
The roles of Captain Willard, Kurtz, and Robert Duvall were exaggerated to look a little comical, but they pitched the dialogue perfectly and represented their character boldly on the screen. The print of the Apocalypse Now Redux is a new Technicolor color-dye which looks like sunlight off the water and the camera lens makes the river look silent and gives the river a beautiful scenic view. Francis Coppola quoted at the Cannes Film Festival “My Film is not a movie”. My movie is not about Vietnam.
Viewers can hear the panic and terror of those on scene as one of the whale’s trainers is mercilessly mutilated and drowned before a live audience. At this point, the show has just barely started, and Cowperthwaite has not only captured the hearts of the audience, he has slyly instilled in them a subtly loathing for whoever is at fault to cause such pain. This is not the only place where he tugs at the heartstrings of his viewers. Spread throughout the entire film. There are stories of lost friends, and tragic tales of the kidnapping of the young killer whales. The effect of these stories are increased by the expressions and tears of the people telling the tales of grief and
Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now is the 1979 epic Vietnam War film based on the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. However the word ‘based’ as to be called into question as the two differ quite dramatically. The periods in which the two stories are about are completely different, within 70 years of each other, as is the setting and the circumstances. However, through the ideas of savagery and madness character, plot, and the themes which both pieces seem to convey the two stories are very similar and it is clear that Coppola was heavily influenced by Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
Movies hold a significant importance in our society. And just like many other important items in society, they are based off of books. Movies such as Forrest Gump, Jaws, and Jurassic Park share their fortunes and titles with books. Adding on to this, Apocalypse Now is no different. Although it does share its title exactly with a book, the movie is heavily based on Heart of Darkness, a classic story written by Joseph Conrad. These two works share many powerful scenes, along with the effects of the untamed wilderness and violence has on a man. One of the most notable scenes in both works is when the river crew arrives at the camp set up by Kurtz. Although not every single detail is matched, the overall feelings, sensations, and visualizations
The next day, I had learned to deal with the violence a little more than the previous day. I watched almost all of it, having to turn away only occasionally. The emotions that the violence expressed held me taut; it no longer turned me away from the screen, but drew me in, showing me further the horrible nature of war. Even though director Oliver Stone may have exaggerated situations in the war, he presented Vietnam like no one before. War is not shown as an event worthy of glory or praise, we are no longer shown as a brave force of victims.
Apocalypse Now is a film about madness. In this film, Willard, played by Charlie Sheen, is sent through madness, reminiscent of Dantes' journey through hell. His mission is to kill Kurtz, who’s gone insane according to military intelligence. Kurtz has gone on his own, starting his own society in Cambodia, where his troops and the local tribes worship him as a god. Kurtz has committed murder by waging his own ferocious, independent war against Vietnamese intelligence agents with his own native Montagnard army across the border in an ancient Cambodian temple deep in the jungle. General Corman explains the confused insanity of the war: "In this war, things get confused out there, power, ideals, the old morality, and practical military necessity." The colonel has become a self-appointed, worshipped godlike leader/dictator of a renegade native tribe. General Corman describes Kurtz's temptation to be deified: "Because there's a conflict in every human heart between the rational and the irrational, between the good and the evil. The good does not always triumph. Sometimes the dark side overcomes what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature. Therein, man has got a breaking point. You and I have. Walter Kurtz has reached his. And very obviously, he has gone insane." Kurtz’s motivation behind his actions is his need to feel godlike, to act without judgment.
The implicit warning of the film is that without emotions to feel, and words to express those feelings, our world would be a very bleak and inhospitable one. It goes on to deal with the dilemma of mindlessly following the imposed
Francis Coppola’s movie Apocalypse Now was inspired by the world famous Joseph Conrad novel Heart of Darkness. A comparison and contrast can be made between the two. Both have similar themes but entirely different settings. Heart of Darkness takes place on the Congo River in the Heart of Africa, while Apocalypse Now is set in Vietnam.