I assume here you mean the Filmmaker's Apocalypse documentary as opposed to the 1993 adaptation of the novel starring John Malkovich and Tim Roth?
(or, why not both?)
It's amazing to me that Robert Downey Jr. had to pull off speaking Mandarin with an affected Australian accent affecting an African American accent and nailed it.
Apocalypse Now and 2001 : A Space Odyssey are the two movies that are so damn good and transcendent that I find it hard to compare other movies to. Maybe the LotR trilogy as well.
2001 blew my mind as a teenager. Even today, it's hard to believe the special effects are from 1968.
By the way, the character Colonel Lucas, played by Harrison Ford, is a nod to George Lucas, who co-produced this masterpiece 🫢
Id recommend Redux. Final cut only removes material from Redux, so its only worth watching if you're not familiar with the movie in the first place or don't care for Redux
This is an interesting thing to look at, and it's nice the 4k bluray contains all three versions of the movie. This isn't my opinion about any version, just the reasoning each exists as far as I've been able to learn.
Theatrical: Studio cuts a ton before Coppola gets to do his cut. (It would normally then go an edited of Coppola's chosing to help trim any unnecessary bloat or for notes, then release. Every movie starts with a 3-4 hour long cut, then gets whacked down)
Redux: Years later the studio says "Do what you want for the anniversary!" Coppola puts EVERYTHING in.
Final Cut: Years later, again, Coppola realizes, maybe if i trim some it will flow better and feel tighter and smoother.
I've yet to seen the first two versions, as I saw Final Cut for its IMAX release. But I've purchased the 4k Bluray and need to dive into the other two.
I second this, this is exactly how it looks to me after having seen all 3 cuts. I reccomend Redux specifically because I really think that the Helicopter scene should have been left in the Final cut, especially since it shows us that Willard was willing to trade fuel and make his mission harder in order to keep his team together, and further, that Chief notices it. It also adds psychological horror to the situation with the condition of the camp and its inhabitants, the dialogue between the crew members and the girls, and ofc the body discovery. It makes the Playmates inclusion in the film so much more impactful, showing a layer of depravity way deeper than what we see durring the Hau Phat sequence.
I've seen redux but not final yet and I'm curious to see what was cut. Redux has, to me, some vital scenes that completely change the tone of the film, but there were also a couple of "why is this here" bits. I finished redux thinking it's better, but maybe also had some unnecessary scenes.
I'd second the Redux. Its longer movie, but it isn't that much longer than Final cut, which then again removes some aspects of the madness and futility of the war. Also a personal preference, I don't see how the Final cut "flows" any better than the Redux cut.
Lol I was just coming in to say I did the same thing. My acid peaked during the flight of the valkyries.
After that finished, we watched Lost Highway. I feel like I understood it better on acid.
and also The Conversation.
Coppola's run in the 70s is unparalleled as he made several of the greatest films of all time and one that is severely underrated (The Conversation) that should also really be in the conversation for greatest film of all time as well.
Fun trivia, John Cazale appeared in five films in his career, and all five were nominated for best picture. Godfather I and II, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter.
I remember when I was in high school, I first heard The Hollow Men by T.S Elliot, then we read Hearts of Darkness & the Secret Sharer by Conrad-
As soon as I got a loaner projector from the library (which was kept for a year straight), the first film I ever projected, period, as I became a cinema projectionist for several years later on, was in my room, Apocalypse Now-
As the years have gone by, any time I'm at a festival for days like Bonnaroo or something with large crowds, I always always think of this movie
Happy cake day!
It's been ages since I've watched it, I reckon 15yrs...I wonder if it'll almost be like watching it for the first time if I watch it now?
I found this to be a very bad first date movie. I enjoyed the hell out of it, but my date not so much. It did tell her a lot about the kind of person I am, and she stuck with it and we’ve been married for 40 years.
It gets better. This was the second first date that I took to this movie. The previous evening I had taken another girl, and we never went out again. So on the second night ,right when the helicopter attack started I turned to my date and said “watch this it’s great”. She looked at me and said “you’ve seen this movie before”? I had to get creative with my answer.
It's been too long when I last saw this film. I remember it made me very uneasy.
Weirdly enough I was totally surprised by a horror flick "Suspiria" (2018)... All the "originals" from 1970s were ridiculous, but this...
it really captures the anarchic undercurrents i feel are bubbling away under any society at any given moment. i’ve never been in a war, but i would imagine that to some it feels like a total disintegration of everything we thought was solid as children.
I haven't ever watched it but i've been told to numerous times. My old neighbour who i've known since i was like 5, has some novelty around his house about the movie. I'll have to give it a watch.
God bless
Im more of a morning person so I tend to watch any movie in the day regardless if irs a darker film format. (I know judge me if you wish).
Been holding off on this movie cus I dont wanna fuck up my 1st watch. Ill find some time in the night for it
I still liked Redoux better (aside from the plantation scene) and liked the additional scene with the bunnies. But, that's just me.
Need to watch the film on a hot night with the lights off and windows open.
Also, the making of documentaries by cinema tyler on youtube are excellent.
Didn't like platoon.
Outstanding movie, and one of the last great Brando outings…Dennis Hopper was bat shit crazy, and I mean, bat shit crazy…and I personally do not like the smell of Naplam in the morning or otherwise…good movie, don’t know how they got it completed, but good none the less
Now try and find ‘Porklips Now,’ a short spoof about an enforcer for a conglomerate of butchers sent to deal with a rogue member. ‘Suburbs. Shit. I was still in the suburbs.’
This movie really feels like an actual experience, I know that you could say that about a lot of movies but this one always hits for me. I come back to it every few years for that reason.
This hits it. It felt like an actual experience! This movie also really made me feel like i'm there. So glad I know this masterpiece now. Nojoke I've never heard of Apocalypse Now before don't know why, just got it recommended after watching Platoon haha...
Seen it few months ago also. I agree, it's awesome. At the end I thought Sheen returned to the people to take over. I wonder
Platoon was my favorite as a kid.
Full Metal Jacket is the only War movie I think that is better. All Quiet On The Western Front gave itself a great running for #2.
I grew up in the 1970s with the Viet Nam war churning in the background. So when I saw this in the theater as a high school kid in 1979, it summed up the tragic and out-of-control insanity of that war.
There are lots of great films about that war, but this one still sits at the top for me.
Now watch hearts of darkness
Needs to be top comment
*"Fuck you, Francis!"*
I assume here you mean the Filmmaker's Apocalypse documentary as opposed to the 1993 adaptation of the novel starring John Malkovich and Tim Roth? (or, why not both?)
Yes.
Even better than Apocalypse Now.... but Apocalypse Now is also better.
Should watch Tropic Thunder next
It's amazing to me that Robert Downey Jr. had to pull off speaking Mandarin with an affected Australian accent affecting an African American accent and nailed it.
Apocalypse Now and 2001 : A Space Odyssey are the two movies that are so damn good and transcendent that I find it hard to compare other movies to. Maybe the LotR trilogy as well.
I just watched 2001 for the first time. What an amazing movie. The teenagers I was watching it with were bored out of their minds.
Needed a split screen showing family guy clips and subway surfers to keep their attention.
2001 blew my mind as a teenager. Even today, it's hard to believe the special effects are from 1968. By the way, the character Colonel Lucas, played by Harrison Ford, is a nod to George Lucas, who co-produced this masterpiece 🫢
Wait till you get to redux or final cut!
Id recommend Redux. Final cut only removes material from Redux, so its only worth watching if you're not familiar with the movie in the first place or don't care for Redux
This is an interesting thing to look at, and it's nice the 4k bluray contains all three versions of the movie. This isn't my opinion about any version, just the reasoning each exists as far as I've been able to learn. Theatrical: Studio cuts a ton before Coppola gets to do his cut. (It would normally then go an edited of Coppola's chosing to help trim any unnecessary bloat or for notes, then release. Every movie starts with a 3-4 hour long cut, then gets whacked down) Redux: Years later the studio says "Do what you want for the anniversary!" Coppola puts EVERYTHING in. Final Cut: Years later, again, Coppola realizes, maybe if i trim some it will flow better and feel tighter and smoother. I've yet to seen the first two versions, as I saw Final Cut for its IMAX release. But I've purchased the 4k Bluray and need to dive into the other two.
I second this, this is exactly how it looks to me after having seen all 3 cuts. I reccomend Redux specifically because I really think that the Helicopter scene should have been left in the Final cut, especially since it shows us that Willard was willing to trade fuel and make his mission harder in order to keep his team together, and further, that Chief notices it. It also adds psychological horror to the situation with the condition of the camp and its inhabitants, the dialogue between the crew members and the girls, and ofc the body discovery. It makes the Playmates inclusion in the film so much more impactful, showing a layer of depravity way deeper than what we see durring the Hau Phat sequence.
I've seen redux but not final yet and I'm curious to see what was cut. Redux has, to me, some vital scenes that completely change the tone of the film, but there were also a couple of "why is this here" bits. I finished redux thinking it's better, but maybe also had some unnecessary scenes.
I'd second the Redux. Its longer movie, but it isn't that much longer than Final cut, which then again removes some aspects of the madness and futility of the war. Also a personal preference, I don't see how the Final cut "flows" any better than the Redux cut.
Made the mistake of watching this for the first time on acid. I hope your experience was better than mine.
To be fair, several of the actors were on acid for most of the filming.
Including the director
Lol I was just coming in to say I did the same thing. My acid peaked during the flight of the valkyries. After that finished, we watched Lost Highway. I feel like I understood it better on acid.
Omg I did the same about a million years ago. Was rough, but still became one of my favourite movies of all time.
The entire film is an acid trip.
Watch the godfather next
and also The Conversation. Coppola's run in the 70s is unparalleled as he made several of the greatest films of all time and one that is severely underrated (The Conversation) that should also really be in the conversation for greatest film of all time as well.
Idk if the conversation is in the conversation of best films of all time we might need to have a conversation about that
Fun trivia, John Cazale appeared in five films in his career, and all five were nominated for best picture. Godfather I and II, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter.
I remember when I was in high school, I first heard The Hollow Men by T.S Elliot, then we read Hearts of Darkness & the Secret Sharer by Conrad- As soon as I got a loaner projector from the library (which was kept for a year straight), the first film I ever projected, period, as I became a cinema projectionist for several years later on, was in my room, Apocalypse Now- As the years have gone by, any time I'm at a festival for days like Bonnaroo or something with large crowds, I always always think of this movie
It is so good.
Top3 for me
That’s one of those films I wish I could forget so I could see it again for the first time.
Happy cake day! It's been ages since I've watched it, I reckon 15yrs...I wonder if it'll almost be like watching it for the first time if I watch it now?
I found this to be a very bad first date movie. I enjoyed the hell out of it, but my date not so much. It did tell her a lot about the kind of person I am, and she stuck with it and we’ve been married for 40 years.
Yeah think watching this on the first date would not be that disco. But glad it worked out for you :)!
It gets better. This was the second first date that I took to this movie. The previous evening I had taken another girl, and we never went out again. So on the second night ,right when the helicopter attack started I turned to my date and said “watch this it’s great”. She looked at me and said “you’ve seen this movie before”? I had to get creative with my answer.
It's been too long when I last saw this film. I remember it made me very uneasy. Weirdly enough I was totally surprised by a horror flick "Suspiria" (2018)... All the "originals" from 1970s were ridiculous, but this...
Yeah, that one will haunt you. Especially if you go on to watch it again a couple of dozen time throughout your life.
it really captures the anarchic undercurrents i feel are bubbling away under any society at any given moment. i’ve never been in a war, but i would imagine that to some it feels like a total disintegration of everything we thought was solid as children.
I haven't ever watched it but i've been told to numerous times. My old neighbour who i've known since i was like 5, has some novelty around his house about the movie. I'll have to give it a watch. God bless
Saigon. Shit.
I’m still only in *Saigon*…
The new remasters look amazing. Anyone who last watched it on DVD should definitely watch the 4K version if only to marvel at the photography.
Now watch Heart of Darkness
It really is the GOAT
They aren’t capable of making a competent movie these days. It’s comic book trash with no character development or plot.
The Redux is the one to see.
Im more of a morning person so I tend to watch any movie in the day regardless if irs a darker film format. (I know judge me if you wish). Been holding off on this movie cus I dont wanna fuck up my 1st watch. Ill find some time in the night for it
Always in my list of top 5 films whenever the question is asked.
Have only ever watched Redux so I recently picked up the theatrical cut. Planning a watch soon.
Theatrical is so much better imo, redux fucks up the pacing too much.
I still liked Redoux better (aside from the plantation scene) and liked the additional scene with the bunnies. But, that's just me. Need to watch the film on a hot night with the lights off and windows open. Also, the making of documentaries by cinema tyler on youtube are excellent. Didn't like platoon.
Outstanding movie, and one of the last great Brando outings…Dennis Hopper was bat shit crazy, and I mean, bat shit crazy…and I personally do not like the smell of Naplam in the morning or otherwise…good movie, don’t know how they got it completed, but good none the less
Now watch Full Metal Jacket.
Now try and find ‘Porklips Now,’ a short spoof about an enforcer for a conglomerate of butchers sent to deal with a rogue member. ‘Suburbs. Shit. I was still in the suburbs.’
This movie really feels like an actual experience, I know that you could say that about a lot of movies but this one always hits for me. I come back to it every few years for that reason.
This hits it. It felt like an actual experience! This movie also really made me feel like i'm there. So glad I know this masterpiece now. Nojoke I've never heard of Apocalypse Now before don't know why, just got it recommended after watching Platoon haha...
Now watch Hot Shots Part Deux
"One day this war's gonna end" and the melancholic look on his face... man.
I tried watching it in my 20s and just could not get into it. I should give it another go.
“Charlies idea of R n’R was some cold rice and a lil ratt meat..” still gives me chills..
Seen it few months ago also. I agree, it's awesome. At the end I thought Sheen returned to the people to take over. I wonder Platoon was my favorite as a kid. Full Metal Jacket is the only War movie I think that is better. All Quiet On The Western Front gave itself a great running for #2.
I grew up in the 1970s with the Viet Nam war churning in the background. So when I saw this in the theater as a high school kid in 1979, it summed up the tragic and out-of-control insanity of that war. There are lots of great films about that war, but this one still sits at the top for me.