Apocalypse Now Redux
Filed Under: Film, Reviews | Article Tags : DVD review
By: The Dweeb
March 2002
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Following the lead of Hollywood heavyweights George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola decided to “remake” one of his greatest cinematic achievements ever. As with the previous directors results, he should have left well enough alone. Apocalypse Now is and always will be one of the most defining films of the Viet Nam generation. A hellish look at one of America’s darkest hours, it became an instant classic film. This new reincarnation, or reinterpretation if you will, pales in comparison to the original cut. To me, this was another excuse for Francis to rake in a little more money since his career has been rather lacking of late.
Apocalypse Now is a brilliant and chilling film following the journey of Captain Willard’s journey up the Golong River in Viet Nam to assassinate a renegade Colonel. Along the way, he goes through hell as the war and insanity rage all around him, and in the end, one wonders if he too has succumbed to the jungle as well.
This is Martin Sheen’s defining role, his best performance ever I think. As the ‘PBR Streetgang’ winds their way up the river, his mind starts to unravel the deeper he gets into the mind of Colonel Kurtz. “Everyone gets everything he wants. I wanted a mission, and for my sins, they gave me one. Brought it up to me like room service. It was a real choice mission, and when it was over, I never wanted another.” His narration is haunting and cold, Willard is only a shadow of who he used to be. His life has been broken, his life has become the mission.The nightmare journey this film takes us on, is ironically paralleling the nightmare the filmmakers went through to make it. The production was plagued with financial problems, was way overdue on schedule and even Francis and Martin ended with health problems along the way. The scene in the beginning, where Willard breaks the mirror is real and was unscripted. Francis just kept the cameras rolling, and becomes one of the most powerful scenes in the film.
Even though the character of Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) is not seen until the end, the weight of his character flows throughout the film. Every stop along the way, from the 1St Calvary air assault to the last American outpost on the river, his presence grows ever ominous. Even though we don’t see much of Kurtz, who is constantly lurking in the shadows, Brando’s portrayal is mesmerizing. His constant jabber about the war is enough to hypnotize Willard and draw him into his web and eventually poison his mind. By the end, has one insane military officer been replaced by another?
Now this version of the film is a remake of sorts. Coppola has gone back into the archives and added some scenes that were not in the original cut. I’m sorry, but these extras do not add to the film, they actually detract from it. I thought the scene at the French Plantation and the abandoned camp with the Playboy bunnies brought the whole film to a screeching halt. There wasn’t much of a point to these, and did nothing to develop the story further. There are also additional scenes with Kurtz where he reads a magazine article to Willard while he is in some box. Seeing Kurtz in the daylight ruins the mystery of the character, it just didn’t seem right. So Coppola has taken a true classic film and made it mediocre with these additions. Can’t they leave well enough alone? It would be like touching up the Mona Lisa, it’s just not the same anymore.
The transfer for this edition is excellent. There is no film grain and the sound mix was redone, making for an enhanced aural experience. The accompanying soundtrack is great, it fits this movie like a glove. Unfortunately they did not include any extras on this disc. This movie screams for extras! Why don’t they just make a box set with both versions and then include the documentary “Hearts of Darkness”? That’s what I’m looking for. Out of all movies that get a definitive edition, why doesn’t this one? Oh the horror, the horror.
Reviewer’s Opinion: RENT IT!!
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