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So I just watched Apocalypse now thinking it would be a serious war movie.

It kinda felt really over the top and I couldnt see much (if any) of it being serious. Attacking a harbour to surf? Everyone was deranged. Nobody was in command.

One huge thing that bugged me... were the flares meant to represent bullets? No biggy story wise but seemed like an odd choice there.

Was it simply a film made to criticise or did I miss the whole point of it? What was the point of it?

Although the aircav scene, although stupid, was pretty cool.

It was Heart of Darkness retold in Vietnam. Also, drugs.

Now go read the book. It's a pretty short book. If you can get through it in one sitting without falling asleep you're a better man than I.

 Swastakowey wrote:
So I just watched Apocalypse now thinking it would be a serious war movie.

It kinda felt really over the top and I couldnt see much (if any) of it being serious. Attacking a harbour to surf? Everyone was deranged. Nobody was in command.

One huge thing that bugged me... were the flares meant to represent bullets? No biggy story wise but seemed like an odd choice there.

Was it simply a film made to criticise or did I miss the whole point of it? What was the point of it?

Although the aircav scene, although stupid, was pretty cool.

It's social commentary more than an actual dramatization, less Saving Private Ryan/Platoon and more Jarhead (but even more silly).

What Blaxican X said.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Now go read the book. It's a pretty short book. If you can get through it in one sitting without falling asleep you're a better man than I.

Aww c'mon, Heart of Darkness is a classic. Apocalypse Now is a pretty good adaptation of it too.

Insanity of war and whatnot. The guys in charge are all caricatures and the battles are silly. That and the production was wracked with problems, not least Brando trying to take control of everything. The thing's some surreal journey that doesn't attempt to be any sort of a realistic depiction of war (in line with Full Metal Jacket ...just with more drugs).

You have to admit the helicopter beach assault was epic.

"Romeo Fox Trot shall we dance"

Oh the scene with the flares is reference to the spears and arrows which pelted the boat in the novel. The whole thing seemed weird to me till I worked out its context (fat lot of good that does for the audience without it though).

The insanity and surralness is actually what makes it real.
War is mentally destabilising.

While attacking a position to secure a surfing beach may sound wierd and be ahistorical. That type of reasoning is not absent in conflict.

As for the Wagner, it was a subtle political statement. There SS Panzerwaffe sometimes played the same music for the same reasons when they attacked.

The movie did nothing for me. I sat through it once, haven't been back.

Thanks top this thread I had to go and find the AirCav assault sequence again.

YouTube have been squashing uploads of it. Had to go to another site:

http://uk.ign.com/videos/2011/06/02/apocalypse-now-ride-of-the-valkyries

Apocalypse Now is an amazing movie on a number of levels.

1. War as insanity
2. Skewering of Campbell's "Hero's Journey"
3. Deconstruction of the "Noble Savage" trope
4. Study of the Natural Order of things
5. Commentary on Man's Primitive Undertones
6. Theatre of the Absurd

Plus, it has really good performances, cinematography, and directing.

I like it alot. Of course, i also like Dune a lot, so take my opinion for what it is worth. As I get older, I appreciate it more and more.

You don't wait for the enemy to come to you You go after the enemy. Besides they needed to head up that particular river to further their mission. Gave the Cav Commander an excuse to hit Charlie there since Charlie don't surf

 djones520 wrote:
The movie did nothing for me. I sat through it once, haven't been back.

Yea, knowing the source helped me to ünderstand it" a tiny bit better, but I certainly wont be looking back at it. Slept on it last night and yea not worth the 3 hours I spent on it.

On the plus side they version I had kindly got rid of the ending credits.

 Easy E wrote:
Apocalypse Now is an amazing movie on a number of levels.

1. War as insanity
2. Skewering of Campbell's "Hero's Journey"
3. Deconstruction of the "Noble Savage" trope
4. Study of the Natural Order of things
5. Commentary on Man's Primitive Undertones
6. Theatre of the Absurd

Plus, it has really good performances, cinematography, and directing.

I like it alot. Of course, i also like Dune a lot, so take my opinion for what it is worth. As I get older, I appreciate it more and more.

Yeah, in agreement with this.

Its perfect when your daughter brings her new boyfriend to meet the parents
Watch Apocalypse Now
Sharpening a huge combat knife
M4 leaning against the wall within 1'
In ACU's/Multi Cams/MARSCAM
War Paint on
Bugged Eye
Wearing a Boonie that's in dire need of a oil change

First impression you know

I would recommend the documentary on the making of the film, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmakers Apocolypse (1991). Even if one doesn't like the movie the documentary it quite interesting.

In the US it is packaged with the Bluray edition, not sure about other regions or formats.

 Jihadin wrote:
Its perfect when your daughter brings her new boyfriend to meet the parents
Watch Apocalypse Now
Sharpening a huge combat knife
M4 leaning against the wall within 1'
In ACU's/Multi Cams/MARSCAM
War Paint on
Bugged Eye
Wearing a Boonie that's in dire need of a oil change

First impression you know

Way ahead of you young man. Way ahead of you...

 Ahtman wrote:
I would recommend the documentary on the making of the film, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmakers Apocolypse (1991). Even if one doesn't like the movie the documentary it quite interesting.

In the US it is packaged with the Bluray edition, not sure about other regions or formats.

Plus, now go watch Tropic Thunder.

Don't think of Apocalypse Now as a war movie. It's a film that is set in a war, but isn't about the war itself.

 Crazy_Carnifex wrote:

 Ahtman wrote:
I would recommend the documentary on the making of the film, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmakers Apocolypse (1991). Even if one doesn't like the movie the documentary it quite interesting.

In the US it is packaged with the Bluray edition, not sure about other regions or formats.

Plus, now go watch Tropic Thunder.

Well, watch Platoon first, then Tropic Thunder.

 LuciusAR wrote:
Don't think of Apocalypse Now as a war movie. It's a film that is set in a war, but isn't about the war itself.

I disagree somewhat. I think it is about war but also so much more.

 Easy E wrote:

 LuciusAR wrote:
Don't think of Apocalypse Now as a war movie. It's a film that is set in a war, but isn't about the war itself.

I disagree somewhat. I think it is about war but also so much more.

Yeah, I think it's about war, but shown/told in a pretty abstract way. But at the same time, it's not really about war as Lucius says.... IMO its more about the people, and the madness that can set in if some things go horribly wrong.