Rent Apocalypse Now (1979)

Quality - Apocalypse Now review by DH

A quality film, cast, and Blu Ray transfer (stunning quality). A long film, but never boring. This type of film would not be made nowadays, but it is not all pretentious.

True Masterpiece - Apocalypse Now review by GI

Apocalypse Now remains one of the finest motion pictures I've ever seen. It provides an experience that is rare in film watching, a sense that you are watching something very special and a film that is much much more than what is on the surface. Set during the Vietnam War this is not really a war film although it has combat scenes, for example the helicopter attack on a small village which has reached iconic status in cinema annals, this is a a story that skirts along the edges of fantasy and mysticism questioning along the way humanity's need for war and conflict and the role of a man's soul. Based on Joseph Conrad's novella 'Heart of Darkness', which is set in Africa and not a war story, this is a story of a journey and concerns burned out special forces Captain Willard (Martin Sheen). Desperate for a mission he is sent on a small river patrol boat, with the four man crew, up a river through hostile territory illegally into Cambodia where he has to find and assassinate the rogue American Army Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). The journey is hazardous in ways unexpected as the men involved have to deal with their inner demons as well as the enemy and the land. There are basically three distinct cuts of this film available, the original Theatrical release, a fuller cut called the Redux version in which all scenes removed for the former cut were reinserted and the Final Cut. It is this last one that is the one to watch. Director Francis Ford Coppola carefully re-edited the film into this cut and in doing so created the film he always intended. It is truly remarkable. As the boat journeys deeper up the river the film takes on elements of a surreal, fantastical story culminating in arriving at Kurtz' 'kingdom'. Coppola's use of light and shadow, colour and mood shakes you into not really knowing what sort of film you're watching. As a consequence it's highly rewarding as it challenges you to understand the themes going on here. In so many ways this is a masterpiece and leaves a deep impression. It's exciting, haunting, enigmatic and quite beautiful. The cast are impeccable. Sheen carries the film, it's his best performance and he's aided by Harrison Ford (in a small role), Albert Hall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Bottoms and a young Laurence Fishburne. But the stand outs are Robert Duvall as the crazy Colonel Kilgore, who leads the attack helicopters, with his love of Wagner, surfing and the smell of napalm; and Marlon Brando as Kurtz, a mesmerising performance and one that you'll not forget - "the horror, the horror". A cinematic masterpiece unequalled since it was first made. A film to savour time and time again and, if it affects you like it has me, a film you'll want to see again and again. It is truly a work of art.

Classic movie - the best Viet Nam movie ever! - Apocalypse Now review by PV

This is a LONG film - so make time for it, ensure you won't be disturbed, turn of the lights and press play.

Completely immersive experience - and the plantation scene added towards the end gives some much-needed historical background. People forget it was the FRENCH who had Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos as colonies, and arguably all the problems in the region which led to the Viet Nam war were caused by their brutal rule and utter intransigence in refusing these countries independence in the 1950s. Britain willingly gave up its empire; France refused and caused the Viet Nam war.

This is supposedly based on Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, but only in its theme of a boat going up a river into the dark interior of a continent. And you can't copyright an idea!

Well worth watching.

A stunning 4K remaster, but "The Final Cut" still slightly too long overall - Apocalypse Now review by TB

I had never seen any cut of Apocalypse Now, although I had heard it spoken of in reverence as one of the best films ever made. As so many older films are being remastered for 4K and the results are usually stunning, I decided to hold out for Apocalypse Now as well.

Despite my mixed views about the film itself, the remastering is far and away the best thing about it. It is perfect and flawless. Whereas on the blurb it usually says something along the lines of "Every shot has been expertly restored," with the 4K remaster, it genuinely looks it. The colours are amazing, and the sound crystal clear. The 4K disk also contains "The Final Cut," which Francis Ford Coppola says during the introduction was a completely new cut and his preferred one, a bit shorter than the Redux, but longer than the theatrical. To me though, even this Final Cut is too long. After the incredible action-packed scenes as Martin Sheen's character is transported into Vietnam, the film then loses a lot of momentum which it never really recovers.

It was still enjoyable and absolutely is a classic, but for me, as much as usually extended/director's cuts are often better than the originals, in this case even the Final Cut pushed my viewing patience. But still a recommend watch.

The Horror of War - Apocalypse Now review by CP Customer

A case study of the ‘surfing scene’ out of Apocalypse Now (1979), directed by the political liberal and dove Francis Ford Coppola, illustrates the ways in which the Vietnam War can be depicted through stylised ‘message films’. Captain Kilgore (Robert Duvall) of the Air Cavalry attacks a Vietcong held village while playing Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” on the loud speakers of his helicopter. Once on the ground, Kilgore strips of his shirt and scarf and prepares to go surfing with explosions and gunshots all around. As fighter jets bomb the forest behind the Vietcong village, Kilgore says happily “I love the smell of napalm in the morning….smells like victory.” Applying exaggeration and artistic fantasy, Coppola creates an insane nightmare of brutality and horror – his metaphor for the phenomenon of warfare and individual understanding of the Vietnam War.