Apocalypse Now (1979)

I’m going to start off by saying that this is one of the most psychedelic movies I’ve ever seen. I genuinely felt my soul and body separate as I sunk into my couch, almost as if I became one with the film. I’m not sure if it’s the stunning cinematography, the powerful soundtrack, gorgeous settings, or just the wild adventure that Coppola takes viewers on, but this movie had a literal physical effect on me. On this blog, I’ve never talked about movies having a physical effect on me, because it’s never happened before. I’ll just be honest here, this is one trippy movie. I never expected a film set during the Vietnam War in 1970 to take such a turn, but I’m glad it did. Apocalypse Now is like watching two separate movies. Not only is the film great, the story behind the film is so incredibly interesting that there was a documentary, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991) made showing how Coppola struggled to execute the film. I have not seen the documentary yet but I’ve heard it’s great and it is next on my list! 

Set in Vietnam in 1970, Apocalypse Now starts off with Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) accepting an order to locate and kill Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Colonel Kurtz was a formerly auspicious officer who supposedly lost his mind. Captain Willard must keep this mission completely confidential while he journeys up the Nung River to Cambodia with the crew of a navy river patrol boat to find Kutz. As Willard edges closer and closer to where Kurtz is located, his journey in the heart of darkness becomes incrementally hallucinogenic. 

This movie is an extremely visible experience, one that is not best explained through words but through an actual viewing of the film. Much of this movie’s greatness lies in its academy award winning cinematography that you have to see to believe. The camerawork and editing becomes more and more hypnotizing as the movie progresses, making you question what is reality and what is fiction. Believe me when I tell you this movie is like watching two, it truly boggles my mind to think where the movie started and where the movie ends. While it’s nothing like watching the full movie, see this video below to get a glimpse of the camerawork. 

For movies as visually stimulating as Apocalypse Now, discussing the themes of the movie seems unnecessary, but I think that it’s important to acknowledge the most important themes; insanity and detachment. Colonel Kurtz’s apparent insanity is the reason Captain Willard is sent on this crazy journey, and Captain Willard’s curiosity of what Kurtz’s insanity has come to is what leads us through the film. There are strong elements of suspense woven into the film leading up to the actual introduction of the character of Kurtz. Detachment serves a role in the movie as well. The American soldiers feel detached from reality because of the confusing motives of the American government, it’s hard for them to process the full weight of their actions while on duty. 

For the best possible viewing experience, I recommend turning off all the lights, grabbing a big bowl of popcorn, and having a completely open mind. You have no idea what you’re about to experience, but I guarantee you that it’s going to be nothing short of awesome. This movie is amazing, what I would give to watch it for the first time again.