APOCALYPSE NOW
(1979, Omni Zoetrope, 153 min.)
directed, produced, written (with John Milius) by Francis Ford Coppola, based loosely on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness; narration by Michael Herr; cinematography by Vittorio Storaro; production design by Dean Tavoularis; sound design by Walter Murch; music by Carmine (and Francis) Coppola; with Martin Sheen (Capt. Willard), Marlon Brando (Colonel Kurtz), Robert Duvall (Lt. Colonel Kilgore), Frederic Forrest (Chef), Albert Hall (Chief), Sam Bottoms (Lance), Larry Fishburne (Clean), Dennis Hopper (Photo‑Journalist), G.D. Spradlin (General), Harrison Ford (Colonel);
filmed on location in the Philli pines, March 1976-May 1977.
Please jot down answers to all the questions. You do NOT need to do longer answers. You DO need to answer in complete sentences
1. Describe the film's opening. How does it set us up for the rest of the film?
2. One of the most memorable things about the film is the narration, written by Michael Herr and spoken by Martin Sheen. What role does the narration play in the film as a whole, and what are some of your favorite moments?
3. Think about the scene in which Willard is briefed on his mission. What impression does the General make on you? Do events bear out what he has to say about Kurtz?
4. The two central characters in the film are of course Kurtz and Willard, though we do not see Kurtz until near the end. Look at the way their characters are developed. How do we learn about them, about their backgrounds? Do we learn more and more about them as the film progresses?
5. This is a voyage of discovery for Willard, and he realizes that from the very beginning. What does he learn--about the war, about himself, about humanity in general?
6. All the war scenes have an ironic craziness about them, though the earlier war scenes seem somewhat less nightmarish than the later ones. How is this atmosphere created? Think of the cinematography, sound, setting, as well as the story itself.
7. One of the common developments in the War Film is to have men from different backgrounds pulling together for the common goal. How does Apocalypse Now, and the patrol boat in particular, work both within and against this tradition?
8. Apocalypse Now is a blend of Realist and Expressionistic (Formalist) scenes. Which scenes come to mind when you think of the two styles?
9. How does the setting (the Jungle, the River) contribute to the overall mood of the film? (this link is a large general glossary for literary terms. You should find this useful in the future)
10. Coppola has referred to Apocalypse Now as a "film opera." He is referring in part to its Expressionistic style, but he is mainly referring to the complex use of sound in the film. It is a blend of different kinds of musical and sound effects: both diegetic (part of the story) and discursive (added to the soundtrack). Identify scenes in which the use of sound is especially effective.
11. At the time it came out, many critics loved the first part of the film, but felt that it rambled off into never‑never land towards the end, so that the film came off as an overblown, failed masterpiece. They are certainly correct that the film moves into another dimension as Willard approaches Kurtz, but the question is, do you find the latter style justified? Or simply pretentious? Either way, support your judgment.
12. Much of the flavor of the last part of the film comes from the source, Conrad's Heart of Darkness. In fact, the film's most famous line, Kurtz's "The horror; the horror," comes is a line in the novel. What is "the horror"? What has happened to Kurtz in his montagnard kingdom?
13. What do you think of the ending? Is it appropriate? Does the plot work out as it should?
14. It is of course hard to watch this film and not think about our current political situation, particularly given the way that Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan seem intertwined in the public mind. To what extent are the lessons of Apocalypse Now relevant to us today?
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