What is a
film?
Is it the mere visual presentation of action
caught on tape? Is it a masterfully brought to
life script? Is film acting that engrosses the
audience so completely that one completely
forgets that acting is even going on? Is a film
the nirvana one experiences when writing,
directing, cinematography, the written word and
production design all blossom into one beautiful
flower?
What is a film?
If you've already answered this question, then
"Apocalypse Now" may not be an experience for
you. "Apocalypse Now" transcends the written
page, the actors contained within, and even the
direction of Coppola himself by elevating itself
upon the inherent confines of traditional
moviegoing and by elevating itself above the
concept of genre. It would be easy, quite easy,
to dismiss "Apocalypse Now" as a "war movie"
with its expressively simplistic theme that "war
is hell." To make such a dismissal would be a
grave mistake, and I believe an inaccurate one.
Despite all of his flaws as a writer and
director, Francis Ford Coppola is, perhaps, one
of American cinema's greatest visionaries.
"Apocalypse Now" is a film of vision that
doesn't so much teach us anything we didn't
already know...it has no deep, underlying
meaning and no sense of pro-war or anti-war
morality. Instead, "Apocalypse Now" becomes a
film about man's war within himself and with
each other. The vision that Coppola brings to
life onscreen is a vision of war as poetry and
as of life. It is a vision that is at once
frightening yet seductive, offensive and yet
intriguing. "Apocalypse Now" is painful to
watch, and yet more painful to ignore.
"Apocalypse Now" is Coppola's re-interpretation
of Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," an
interpretation that invites criticism, judgment
and apprehension. "Apocalypse Now", a film with
great histrionics, somehow never feels
pretentious because of the great humanity
contained within the characters presented here
as neither good or bad but simply existent.
"Apocalypse Now" so perfectly mixes the personal
and global demons of war that to define the film
is to restrict the experience of viewing it.
Robert Duvall, as Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore,
leads one of the greatest military scenes ever
captured on film in a way in which the recent
"Jarhead" failed repeatedly. In this scene, the
audience becomes fully enveloped in the
experience of war from the mind-altering sadness
to the claustrophobic fear to the near orgasmic
release of military triumph. Duvall is simply
hypnotic in a role that requires him to be both
disciplined yet crazed, passionate yet oddly
disloyal.
The same is true of Martin Sheen, whose scenes
exhibit moments of great peace and resolution
surrounded by senseless and spontaneous rage and
paranoia. Similar experiences are offered
throughout the film by nearly the entire cast
including Marlon Brando, Fredric Forrest and
Larry Fishburne.
"Apocalypse Now" works brilliantly because,
despite Coppola's tendency towards excess, he
believes passionately in these characters and
their stories.
The film works not because it has a brilliant
script. Quite honestly, it doesn't.
The film works not because of Coppola's stellar
direction. Quite honestly, it isn't.
The film works not even because of the brilliant
performances of the cast though, quite honestly,
they are quite brilliant.
Instead, the film works because Coppola trusted
the vision enough to allow the cast, crew and
audience to fully experience the vision. Coppola
gave birth to the vision, but then released it
into the hands of those whom he had entrusted
with its development.
"Apocalypse Now" is not just a film. It is an
experience. It is the experience of war, both
internal and external. It is the experience of
sadness and grief and rage and exhilaration.
"Apocalypse Now" both celebrates life and
destroys it.
"Apocalypse Now" is the kind of film that makes
me thank God I fell in love with cinema at an
early age, started writing and became a critic.
It's the kind of film that makes me forget I'm a
critic when I am watching it because I'm simply
consumed by the experience of watching the film.
"Apocalypse Now" is not a perfect film. It is,
however, a perfect film experience.
©
Written by Richard
Propes
TC Candler's Comment
I've never
fully grasped this film like most others.
I have only seen it twice. Neither time
did I enjoy it... I was utterly bored and
emotionally uninvolved. I will keep trying
because obviously I am missing something.
I would like to sit down with a true lover of
this film and listen to them explain their
feelings while we watch.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
N/A
