Shiori Strauss

Film History
05/13/2014

Screening Report for Apocalypse Now

The Godfathers own Francis Ford Coppola originally released Apocalypse Now in 1979. Not
only did it have a great well-known director, but starred actors such as Martin Sheen,
Marlon Brando and Robert Duvall. The film was inspired by a novel by Joseph Conrad,
Heart of Darkness, about a European, Kurtz, who ended up in the Congo and established
himself like a god. In the movie, Willard (Martin Sheen) is on a mission to kill the changed
man, (Marlon Brando), and during his journey he tries to understand how a man with such
a great reputation, turned mad. Well respected, film critic, Roger Ebert, a man whos seen
too many movies to count, said that it is the best Vietnam movie and one of the greatest
films of all time.

The making of Apocalypse Now was hell for everyone on the set. There is even a
documentary that came out in 1991, called Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse
that has clips and details about Francis Ford Coppolas struggle with everything on set, the
nature, actors, budget, etc. According to Death By Films Paul Edwards, it has gone down in
history as the most chaotic, hellish nightmare of a production that there has ever been.
Apparently, Coppola wanted Steve McQueen instead of Martin Sheen for Willards Role. In
fact, Martin Sheen was one actor who really struggled, going through a personal alcoholic
breakdown. One day on set, he got roaring drunk and asked to be filmed. He got extremely
aggressive, attacked Coppola, punched mirrors- and it was all on tape. Some of that footage
is in the hotel room scene. The whole cast was a drunken mess; Coppola had an epileptic
seizure, soon after Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack. The infamous parties definitely
didnt help them act professional on set.

Although the movie took 68 weeks to film, when it was originally supposed to be 6 weeks,
Coppolas film was a huge success. The fact that the movie making experience was so
complicated, draining, and terrible, makes it all that much better that it was so successful.
The bedroom scene was an epic one, it makes sense that he was actually because he looks
it. They might have been drunk and high on set, but the cast killed it in action and the credit
goes to the director, because he put those scenes together and made it work.
http://www.deathbyfilms.com/hell-on-earth-the-making-of-apocalypse-now

This might be a bit off topic but the Vietnam War movie, a crazy cast, epic pool parties, and
budget problems Tropic Thunder? I have seen Tropic Thunder many times, and I never
knew that it was developed to satirize Francis Ford Coppolas intense movie making
struggle. Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen, the director and writers, did a good
job in taking a hellish nightmare and using it to make us laugh.

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