Let's see what happens ;)

The transition from the helicopters to ceiling fan is one of the best transitions ever

Martin Sheen actually punched the mirror and cut his hand was bleeding and they continued to shoot… epic filmmaking

"We train young men to drop fire on their enemies, but their commanders scold them for writing 'fuck' on their airplanes because it's obscene."

Remember ... old school classic special effects. Has raw real, hand made feel, like many of the classic films of the past. Real helicopters, jets, tanks, real locations, actual explosions ... NO digital CGI, no green screen, or dizzying excessive quick edits/cuts.

I've never seen a woman who appreciates this movie this much. I think I'm in love. :)

the scenes with Harrison Ford were filmed in 1976, in total they spent 16 months (overcoming many difficulties) shooting the movie finishing in August 1977. First release was for the Cannes Film Festival in May 1979, worldwide later that year.

You know all these older actors, I’m impressed.

The key to understanding this movie is that the opening sequence clearly establishes that Martin Sheen is insane. But you forget that, because he spends the rest of the movie around people who are progressively even more and more insane, so that he seems more and more normal.

The water buffalo was real.

I think 100% of reactors recognize Harrison Ford, but maybe only 20% recognize Laurence Fishburne. 🤣

“IT’S ROBERT DUVALL!” 😂😂😂

Young lady! You've earned yourself a subscribe with your reaction and grasp of this movie! My father was a Vietnam Vet. This was one of his favorite movies. I've seen it so many times that I couldn't begin to count. If I ever came across a woman that reacted and grasped this movie in the way that you have, she'd find me down on one knee by the ending credits. I want you to put your man on here, so that I can tell him just how lucky he is.

The GOAT of movies. So gorgeous. A masterpiece of filmmaking. They will never make movies like this again.

I was at the premiere of this film back in 1979. WOW is the exact words I used at the end of the film. The audience was in shocked silence. In those day the public could buy tickets to premieres and I went to some of the biggest ones. I was with 10 friends and we stared at each other. The first thing I did was find out where Coppola was and made a beeline to him. The place was in total silence as people left. I was able to walk into the row in front of him and stopped to face him. I leaned over and put out my hand and said "Thank you for one of the greatest movies I've ever seen!" He took my hand in what seemed like relief and smiled up at me and said "Thank You." For some reason that seemed to give the crowd the okay to talk again and as they went by him and say various versions of "great movie". It is still one of my favorite films in all versions (yes, there are different versions -but this is still the best). You have given one of the best reactions I've ever seen to a movie. I love that you know who everyone is and how movies are made. Thanks for a great afternoon spent reliving my journey into Coppola's Heart Of Darkness.

When editing the opening sequence, editor Walter Murch was listening to the Doors’ “The End”, and he realized it actually fit the scene!

The movie is far deeper than the majority of people realize, it taps into primal myth. In many ancient cultures, the king was believed to be responsible for the fertility and prosperity of the land. When his power waned, he had to be replaced through ritual sacrifice, so that the land would not grow ill along with the old king, but be reborn in blood by the hand of the new one. The concept in general is not unknown to even our western cultures, even when the sacrifice was a thing long forgotten. "You and the land are one. Drink." --Perceval to King Arthur. The movie is about the death of the old order and the potential for rebirth. Willard, importantly, does not follow in Kurtz' footsteps. This myth is discussed at length in The Golden Bough, a book Kurtz owns.

It was a water buffalo and it was real. The animal was part of the compensation paid to the locals who appeared in the film, and the way they killed it by ritual sacrifice was how they did it. He just filmed it after seeing how they did it the first time off camera.

Coppola's wife Eleanor Coppola co-directed the documentary "Heart of Darkness" (1991) which was the making of Apocalypse Now. I highly recommend it, because what everyone went through making the movie. I won't give anything away but it was just as intense as the movie.

R. Lee Ermey is also in Apocalypse Now, as one of the Calvary chopper pilots.

"They were going to make me a Major for this...and I wasn't even in their fucking army anymore"

Beef, it’s what’s for dinner, real buffalo real slaughter, real celebration by these people 😂✌️🇺🇸

Great reaction! It is almost criminal that it didn’t win Best Picture that year (lost out to Kramer vs, Kramer 😝), and that Martin Sheen didn’t even get nominated for his performance. Fun fact: in the original theatre release (which I saw 3 times), Willard does call in the air strike at the end and as the credits roll you see explosions that bookend with the opening of the film. When the movie went to video, Coppola changed his mind on how it should end, thinking that Willard would have had enough of killing.

I can't hear "The Ride of the Valkeries" without hearing, "kill da wabbit, kill da wabbit." In Elmer Fudd's voice. Over and over.

The scene with the buffalo was real. The local tribe who were acting as extras for the movie were sacrificing it for a religious ritual, and they let Coppola film it. The story about the VC chopping off the Vietnamese kids' inncoulated arms was real too. I used to talk to a Vietnam vet online who saw it with his own eyes. He had PTSD so he hadn't watched any Vietnam War films for obvious reasons. When he told the story, and people told him that Kurtz tells it in Apocalypse Now, he did some digging and discovered that a guy from his old unit was a technical advisor on the film.

"Apocalypse Now" is a 1979 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which is loosely based on the novella "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. The film is set during the Vietnam War, while the novella is set in the Congo Free State during the late 19th century. The movie and the book share themes of the darkness within human nature and the effects of imperialism and war. Here's a comparison and analysis of how "Apocalypse Now" draws from "Heart of Darkness": "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad Plot Summary: Protagonist: Charles Marlow, a sailor, is hired by a Belgian trading company to travel up the Congo River to find Kurtz, an ivory trader who has gone rogue. Journey: Marlow travels deeper into the African jungle, encountering brutal colonial exploitation and witnessing the darkness within humanity. Kurtz: Kurtz is revered by the natives as a god-like figure but has succumbed to madness and moral corruption. Marlow eventually finds Kurtz, who is ill and nearing death. Kurtz’s final words, “The horror! The horror!” reflect his realization of the atrocities and moral degradation he has experienced and perpetrated. "Apocalypse Now" (1979) Plot Summary: Protagonist: Captain Benjamin Willard, a disillusioned soldier, is assigned to assassinate Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, a rogue officer who has set himself up as a demigod among a local tribe in Cambodia. Journey: Willard travels up the Nung River, witnessing the chaos and horrors of the Vietnam War. The journey exposes the madness and moral ambiguity of the conflict. Kurtz: Colonel Kurtz is portrayed as a once-idealistic soldier who has gone insane. He commands a private army and engages in brutal, ritualistic practices. Willard confronts Kurtz, who, like in the novella, has become a symbol of the darkness within humanity. Kurtz’s final words, “The horror... the horror...” mirror those of Conrad’s Kurtz, encapsulating the central theme of human depravity. Themes and Analysis 1. Darkness Within Humanity: Both works explore the darkness that resides within humans, especially when removed from the constraints of civilization. In "Heart of Darkness," the jungle symbolizes the unknown and the subconscious, where civilized men can revert to primal instincts. In "Apocalypse Now," the chaos of the Vietnam War acts as a backdrop where moral boundaries are blurred, and the true nature of individuals is revealed. 2. Imperialism and Colonialism: "Heart of Darkness" critiques European colonialism and its dehumanizing effects on both the colonizers and the colonized. "Apocalypse Now" translates this critique to the context of American intervention in Vietnam, highlighting the absurdity and brutality of war. 3. Madness: Kurtz’s descent into madness is central to both works. His madness is a result of his realization of the inherent evil within humanity and the futility of his endeavors. Both Marlow and Willard undergo personal transformations as they grapple with the reality of Kurtz’s madness and the horrors they witness. Adaptation Differences 1. Setting: The novella is set in the Congo during the height of European colonialism. The film is set during the Vietnam War, reflecting contemporary issues of the 1970s. 2. Protagonist’s Role: Marlow is a somewhat passive observer, while Willard is an active participant, tasked with assassinating Kurtz. 3. Narrative Style: "Heart of Darkness" is a frame narrative, with Marlow recounting his story to friends aboard a boat on the Thames. "Apocalypse Now" uses a more straightforward narrative, focusing on Willard’s mission. 4. Themes: While the core themes remain the same, "Apocalypse Now" also delves into the specific context of the Vietnam War, questioning American intervention and military strategy. Conclusion "Apocalypse Now" successfully translates the essence of Joseph Conrad’s "Heart of Darkness" to a new setting and era. By doing so, it preserves the exploration of human nature, madness, and the critique of imperialism, while also addressing the unique horrors of the Vietnam War. The film stands as a powerful adaptation, bringing the timeless themes of the novella to a contemporary audience.

"My film is not a movie. It's not about Vietnam. It is Vietnam. It's what it was really like it was crazy. And the way we made this film is very much like the way the Americans were in Vietnam. We were in the jungle. There were too many of us. We had access to too much money. Too much equipment. And little by little we went insane." -Francis Ford Coppola 1979 at the Cannes Film Festival during the premiere of Apocalypse Now

Its actually the greatest antiwar film because it shows the psychological cost, consequences, and damage war can cause. Loved your reaction to this and i think its better you saw it later in your life having such a great knowledge of cinema, the industry' and all it entailes. Watch the documentary on how it was made to discover the events that Martin Sheen endured making it, including the scene of him cutting himself, having an actual psychological and emotional breakdown while Copolla let the camera continue rolling to capture this honest and beautiful moment of him coming to terms with his own personal reckoning of his life. Its the most incredible scene ever filmed.

*_«You're an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill.»_*

I had been in training to become an Army Aviator in the 90s. The "cowboy hat" is actually a Stetson worn by members of the 1st Air Cavalry. They were a bunch of swashbucklers back then, stationed out in the middle of nowhere with lots and lots of action. As Sheen's character stated, "they traded their horses for choppers and went tear-assing around 'Nam". A good memoir to read about the Air Cav is "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason. He wrote the book in 1980 about his tour as a helicopter pilot in the Air Cav in Vietnam. I read his book prior to reporting for active duty and it frightened the hell out of me. Harrison Ford, a big aviation enthusiast, at one time tried to have the book made into a screenplay for an eventual film.

Laurence Fishburne earned a supporting role in Apocalypse Now, in which he played Tyrone Miller, a cocky 17-year-old Gunner's Mate 3rd Class from the Bronx, nicknamed Mr. Clean. When production began in March 1976, he was just 14 years old, having lied about his age to get the part.

Kilgore's "You smell that" line became a staple amongst my friends every time one of us farted. Childish, but hilarious, even to this day.

Despite this movie haven’t come out until 1979, Harrison Ford actually did this before he was in Star Wars. His scene was shot in 1976, before he made Star Wars and just made American Graffiti and had a small role in The Conversation. Which is why he looks so young. Apocalypse Now took 16 months to shoot and over a year to get completed which is why it didn’t come out till 79. And ford by that point had made A New Hope which is why audiences were surprised he had such a small part in the film.

I take my hat off to you Coby. I'm a brat kid and my dad did time "incountry'. I did not like this movie when it was released, but the older I've become the more this movie represented what was an insane time. Well, now you've experienced it.

2:20 "This is the end, beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend, the end. Of our elaborate plans, the end. Of everything that stands, the end. No safety or surprise, the end. I'll never look into your eyes, again."

I was waiting to see if you would recognize Lawrence Fishburne, that look was worth the wait. "Has he been in it the whole time?!" fantastic...

It's easy to miss but the poem "The Wasteland" is in Kurtz's quarters. That poem and others were from a literary movement after WW1 that really showed the shift away from the idea of war as a glorious venture to one of senseless slaughter. I have watched a number of people reacting on YT, usually stopping after 1 video. You are really one of the best I have seen because you do have a good grasp of films and references along with intelligence to process what you are watching and it is very rare to see that. I look forward to your reactions to movies.

an oscar for best cinematography and best sound,was nominated for best picture,director,supporting actor for duvall ect,.8 nominations in all .i love this film and martin sheens beautiful big SEIKO 6105 diver watch,named now as the WILLARD after sheens character.

"Hate war, love this movie!" Right on, Coby! Again, it's so great when a reactor knows movies and is just filling in titles they haven't seen....Coby recognizing all the actors was priceless.

"Upside Down and fifty Years Ago" would be a good title for a book.

Fun fact: Lawrence Fishburne was 14 win production started. So he was playing a character 3 years older than he actually was. The hand injury Sheen suffers in the hotel scene was real. He wasn't acting drunk, he was really drunk, and punching the mirror wasn't scripted or a breakaway prop. It was a real mirror and he really cut his hand when he punched it. Coppola decided to run with it, and the result is what you see. Finally, I totally approve of your choice in pants for this reaction.

The Laurence Fishburne realization 🏆🏆🏆

You're one tough chick, Coby, I'm glad you made it through to the end. That movie leaves you feeling scarred for days afterwards.

When he says “ some day this war is gonna end”. The look on his face his so sad. Freaking amazing

I was waiting for you to recongnize Lawrence Fishburne Coby. The reaction on your face, hilarious.

This is a once in a life time movie, amount the hundreds of movies I'm seen, few reach this level of artwork

Saw this as a kid in 79 on a military base. I was a 15 yr old kid, but surrounded by a large number of men who had served in Viet Nam in one way or another. Amazingly quiet leaving the theater. I don't recall ANYONE talking at all.

A friend of mine was in this movie . He told me I was like ya right!! When Robert Duvall was throwing death cards on the dead body's my friend was sitting on the stone wall the the director told him to stay there for the next scene Dovall pats him on the shoulder and says cheer up son.. I'll be Damned it was him!!! 😊

You want to see a great Robert Duvall movie? The Great Santini.

I'm so glad you watched the theatrical release first! Redux is interesting if you're fan, but ultimately it stands as proof of how great the original editing was, where all the material that was cut made for a better movie.

The 4 minutes of Brando recounting his advisory tour in Vietnam, telling of the inoculated arms, his reaction, his realization of truth, might be the most powerful moments ever captured on film.

37:39 "Do you know that 'if' is the middle word in life." I had never thought about that before watching this film. :)

Your legit shock and raw response is what everyone was hoping you'd feel. The exhaustion, the chimerical pulse, the horror..... If you want to take the next step up watch the Redux version, it takes you some place that even the normal version cannot. Thanks for the enjoyably visceral react Coby!

The sad thing that you have to realize with the Vietnam War, is that the people in that village the Air Cav destroyed, were Viet Cong "Enemy Combatants"... and their families. After my uncle returned from two tours as a Marine in Vietnam, including the siege of Khe Sanh, he told me about guys that he knew getting blown up by children begging for candy. Whether or not we should have been involved, surviving combat in Vietnam was brutal.

This masterpiece can be summed up in one word: POWERFUL. It is in every sense, in its symbolism, its message, the dialogues, the monologues, the script, the performances and the cast, TOTAL POWER. Great reaction Miss Coby and by the way you missed recognizing Colby, Scott Glenn and R. Lee Ermey as one of the Kilgore's pilots.

This movie takes you through the whole gambit of emotions...coby you are soooo awesome for hanging with this whole movie

Yes this came out in 1979 and Star Wars came out in 1977, but it took so long to film Apocalypse Now that filming started in 1976. So Harrison Ford's scenes were likely shot before Star Wars.

Great reaction Coby like always this movie is a masterpiece love it, and its based on the Joseph Conrad book "Heart of Darkness," which is about a sailor traveling upriver to find an ivory trader named Kurtz who is supposedly ill and is being worshiped by the natives. Instead of killing Kurtz, which is the mission in the 1979 movie, Conrad's character is out to rescue him. Coppola expected everyone in the film to be familiar with "Heart of Darkness," but when actor Marlon Brando arrived on set, he had neither read the book nor the movie's script. Coppola would spend several days reading the book to Brando during production. Some Fun facts, A Water Buffalo Is Really Sacrificed on Screen. While filming in the Philippines, one of the local tribes, the Ifugao, was slaughtering a water buffalo as a sacrifice. The crew had provided a number of animals to the tribes as payment for filming on their land, including two water buffalo. Coppola's wife filmed one of the water buffalo sacrifices. And coppola himself filmed the second sacrifice. He didn't direct the action; he just filmed it and included the footage in the final scenes of this movie. Keep up the amazing work.

Martin actually did cut his hand . He was going through a divorce . He had a slight heart attack during the long months in the jungle. director Francis Ford Coppola was on the verge of breakdown . The farther up the river the more the madness ,then pow ! the puppy and a port in a storm of madness . In the end they were all mad in a way .. Great directing , acting ,cinematography , a masterpiece

ABSOLUTELY LOVED YOUR REACTIONS!!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!

Milius. It's a documentary you'd find interesting, not really suitable for reaction vid but the story of his life is fascinating. I don't want to give too much away, let's just say that the more you find out about John Milius the more you become convinced that the best moments and the most memorable dialog from the films of Spielberg, Coppola, and Lucas, among many others, are attributable to him. Directly or indirectly, credited or uncredited. You start to realize that he is the connective tissue of greatness in a bygone era of Hollywood.

Re the scene with the Vietnamese boat and the dog, Chief stopped the boat in order to search in in case they were running guns for the Viet Cong (a legit possibility). That's why he made Chef go and root through all theri stuff to see if guns or ammo were hidden in the bottom of the baskets. When Chef got to where the dog was, the girl ran to protect it, but Clean thorugh she was attacking Chef (maybe going to knife him or set off a grenade), so he opened up. Once the shooting started everybody else joined in by reflex. Captain Willard shot the wounded girl because he didn't want the boat crew to get side-tracked from their mission to get him up-river. What you have to rememeber is that this isn't a _policing_ situation where the stakes are getting arrested or not, it's a _war_ situation where the stakes are getting killed or not. Clean's assumption that a teenage girl running towards a US soldier in defiance of orders meant that she was going to do him harm was totally justified. Remember the "innocent" girl who threw her hat with a grenade in it into a helicopter? That's why that scene exists: to explain the boat scene. if the girl was a hostile, that meant that the rest of boat crew were, by definition, hostile too. Totally shitty situation and absolutely the sort of thing that happens in real life. You can see the same psychology at work on a smaller scale with US vs UK police shootings. In the UK, the chance that a driver has a gun in the glove box is so tiny that regular cops, __who are generally unarmed_ , are pretty relaxed when doing a traffic stop, even if the driver doesn't fully cooperate. In the US by contrast, a cop doing a traffic stop is in a potential life-or-death situation, so he's going to be hyped up, have his hand on his gun, and if the driver makes a sudden move he's highly likely to shoot in the belief that he's acting in genuine self-defence. Result? The number of police shootings in the UK is absolutely tiny compared to the US, even allowing for the population difference.

Impressed that you've recognized all the major actors in the movie 😄

Harrison was busy in 1979, two others you may find interesting from that year with him "Heroes" with Henry Winkler and Sally Field and "Force 10 from Navarone". He was busy also filming our beloved "The Empire Strikes Back" It was a magical time to be a kid..❤

_i recommend you :_ 🔥 *Full Metal Jacket* (1987) 🔥 _Matthew Modine , R. Lee Ermey & Vincent D'Onofrio_ Directed by *Stanley Kubrick*

I watched this in the theater on opening night, and was in a trance until the end. Speechless is an understatement. Supreme reaction Ms Coby... you recognized and appreciated the film for what it is. A classic.

I want to hang out with Coby and talk all night until i fall asleep

I've watched several first reaction episodes of people watching this movie, but they all seem to wonder what happens to the people after Willard leaves. In Kurtz's memoirs (that Willard takes with him), Kurtz writes in red "EXTERMINATE THEM ALL!" - so after Willard and Lance leave the area ... the encampment is destroyed by an airstrike while the movie credits play. I don't know if people are reacting to a re-edited version, but the original theater movie make this clear.

I'm glad you watched the original and not the extended cut. Most EC's I like but with this movie you can see why they removed those scenes.

Great reaction Coby. I highly recommend The Great Santini you being a Robert Duvall fan. Great movie.

First year in college mid 80's in a small town our student apartments only got 2 local channels. I had my VCR and my only 2 VHS tapes, Apocalypse Now and Caddyshack. We played them nonstop all year round whether anyone was watching or not. We literally had the films memorized.

Not only it's an amazing film at face value, it's symbolism is outstanding. The deeper Martin Sheen gets into the jungle, the deeper he enters his own mind, and the crazier and more primal the things he encounters. Until he meets Brando, a war demon inside his own mind. And he can only return home after he puts down that demon. It's the most fascinating film I've seen about war.

"I told you not to stop now let's go." The final line of that tragic scene always stuck with me.

I saw this in the theater 1979. I was 14. Great movie. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. 🔥

because I was in film class and the teacher knew the editor, I got to see this pre-release at the Cinerama dome in L.A. - in that version, it ended with the air strike after willard and lance left

Congratulations! You've just watched my favourite film of all time.

Coby, the actor playing the emcee of the Playboy Playmate show for the troops was Bill Graham. He was arguably the greatest concert promoter in music history, from the mid-sixties until his untimely passing in a helicopter crash in Oct 1991. He ran two of the most important music venues in modern music history, Fillmore East in NYC and Fillmore West in San Francisco, from 1968-71.

I'm old and saw this so long ago it's cool to see a new generation experience film like this for the first time with an entire new perspective and lens

Dennis Hopper said that he was so high all the time during this period of his life he had no memory of making this movie, or really even for the 8 years around it.

29:22 "NOT ACID BOY" 😅😂 OMGD 😂

The sacrifice of the water buffalo was a real ceremony with a real animal. Filmed in Philippines, the extras were indigenous tribes. WhenCoppola heard they had plans on their own time for this sacrificial ceremony, he figured out a way to film it and work it into the script and a metaphor for Kurtz' death. Pretty awesome. Should be noted that this entire movie was shot with no scripted ending right up until the final days. Amazing documentary about the making of the movie called Heart of Darkness by Coppola's wife.

Crazy production. If you watch the documentary you can hear the calls from Coppola when he learned that Martin Sheen had a heart attack. Coppala panicked and said it was a heat stroke to prevent funding problems. Lawrence Fishburne was 14 when filming started.

Along with The Wild Bunch this is my favorite movie of all time. Once again a great reaction with Coby. You never fail to disappoint with your reactions. 🥰

"The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on. He took a face from the ancient gallery and he walked on down the hall..."

In the hotel room scene, Martin Sheen's pained expression was real, as he had actually slashed his fist on the broken mirror. Plus, he was having a heart attack. It was so severe that Joe Estevez, his brother, had to body-double for him while he recovered. Plus, the cow at the end was actually killed on camera (it was a planned sacrifice by the tribe being filmed, but still... it was a real cow.) APOCALYPSE NOW did sh#t differently.

Larry Fishburn started shooting because the woman ran at the other guy when he was about to find the puppy.

There is a recent interview Emilio Estevez gave where he mentioned Laurence Fishburne saving him from drowning in quicksand during the filming of this movie. They were (are) the same age & regularly hung out on set. Supposedly still close friends to this day.

Great flick, I remember when this came out, i was in the Marine Corps, and stationed on Okinawa, i actually seen the movie while on a Navy ship in the port of Hong Kong, great memories !

Yes, that was Coppola. Remember when the young lady threw her hat into the helicopter and it blew up? That's why they stitched up the boat.

War, in reality, is a "horror" show. The fear, horror, panic, guilt, shame, anxiety, anger, rage, and sadness … An experience that haunts you the rest of your life. Authentic reaction ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vittorio Storaro was the cinematographer for this film. One of the best ever.

The appreciation of all that went into the making of this film is so enjoyable. The empathy you bring adds to the viewing experience. Always a pleasure.

I'm obsessed with Coby's reactions. That mouth makes me feel some type of way 😂

Absolute masterpiece. It’s so good watching other people seeing it for the first time. This movie simply could not be made today.

Everyone seems to lump this into "war movie" box, which I suppose it is. Yes, it's a movie about war. It's even a statement about war. But somehow, I don't think of it as simply that. It's unique. It's one of those works of art that constitutes it's own "genre". It just happens to be a great "war movie" too.

As much as I love The Godfather, this film is Coppola's masterpiece. I saw this at the Palais de Festival at Cannes in 2001 when he released the extended version. Seeing this movie on that massive 62x26 foot screen with that sound system was overwhelming. The sound of the helicopters were coming from all directions. Amazing.

SO glad you got to experience this. It is, truly legendary and iconic (in the true and straightforward meanings of those terms!)! I hardly will remember/understand appropriately "where to begin" (so,. PLEASE!, forgive my jumping form point-to-point (I will, also, be attempting to address things you mentioned wanting to understand, during your watch, as well as: "general"(bad expression, to use, but....) information about the film and its making (which is 'a legend" all its own! NO JOKE!). Firstly, I will mention that: the D.P. is the legendary: Vittorio Storaro. I imagine you are familiar with him (at least by name), but if you don't know the rest of his work, it is, highly, worth searching out! He is, perhaps, BEST-known/MOST well-recognized (besides for his work on: Apocalypse Now!) for shooting: The Conformist as well as: The Last Emperor (as well as the controversial: Last Tango In Paris). ...Storaro worked quite a bit with Bernardo Bertolucci, over the years, as well. ----- This film, also, demands a knowledge and understanding: not simply the Viet-nam conflict, and its existence, both, before and after U.S. involvement), but, also, the original story from which this narrative was extracted: Joseph Conrad's classic novella: Heart Of Darkness. Conrad's Heart Of Darkness deals with: the evils and idiocy (and total misunderstanding, as well as: resultant aggrandized, false self-importance (deriving from all of that!)) of: colonialism (specifically: British Colonialism, in the 1800s & 1900s - but easily applied to ANY version, by any nation or group, at ANY time, anywhere!). The darkness and madness, certainly, increases by involving war, but, actually, I always felt that: there was NOT that much difference in the 2 situations/circumstances, (when you come down to it). Obviously, the French occupation of: Vietnam and Cambodia and Laos, etc. (or, as they referred to it, "in parlance": "Indochina" or "French Indochina"), was, utterly, colonialism of the strongest order, as well, so: it plays in, very well. ...A central "focus" (*I*, myself, would call it) and realization that the reader of: Conrad's Heart Of Darkness is SUPPOSED to have is: the sense that: the further upriver you go, the further into "the depths of" a man's mind your are heading and: you do not know what awaits you there (you begin to have no idea, essentially!) ...and, also: it is, certainly, a reflection of (metaphor for): the, possible, descent into madness (our of which/from which: "escape" is not possible, in the end).). ...Apocalypse Now, **obviously!** reflected this well (as we get this sense of foreboding, existential dread and insanity, the further that we pursue Capt.Willard's mission up the (fictional) "Núng river"). [I have, also, long-stated that: in fact: Eleanor Coppola's (ultra-extensive!) documentary on the MAKING of this film: (itself entitled) Hearts Of Darkness, is AS, if not MORE necessary viewing (but: I suppose you can't separate the two, outright. You need to see both for each to fulfill the other, more totally and relevantly.)!!] The casting and "bit" roles in this production are: MASSIVE (and quite "insane," and special!, in themselves) (especially: 48 (soon to be 50!) years after-the-fact!)!!. To begin with: Since casting took place in 1975 and shooting started in 1976, but took OVER a year (due to MULTITUDES of (too many) "issues," including: filming being curtailed due to a typhoon (which wrecked sets and gear) which came through in the Philippines, in 1976 (most of the footage was shot in The Philippines);Martin Sheen having a heart attack (ON-set!) and recasting the main role after a month of filming had, already, been done. The initial lead that Coppola wanted was: Steve McQueen. When McQueen turned it down, he went with Harvey Keitel ...who shot for just over a month, but, then:: Coppola realized: "he wasn't getting what he needed (or wanted)" and canned Keitel [canning all the shot footage!] and, ended-up acquiring Martin Sheen. Sheen's first scene (in the hotel room in Saigon), was shot on his 36th birthday.. Sheen was highly intoxicated and did, actually, cut his hand by breaking the mirror (that punch was not "scripted!!")!! ...Essentially: everyone felt they went/were going "a little bit crazy" (or more!) on set, MOST of all: Francis Ford Coppola, himself!! Harrison Ford shot Apocalypse Now BEFORE he shot Star Wars!!!! Yes! Although Star Wars was released in 1977 and Apocalypse Now in 1979, Apocalypse Now shot in 1976 (into '77!). Ford had worked with Lucas and Coppola, already. American Graffiti, The Conversation (I think there was one other role, I am forgetting, right now ---apologies!) ...but, he was, effectively, "an unknown" when he shot his scenes for: Apocalypse Now, However: by the time it was released in theatres (due to the extent of editing and all of the additional shooting weeks!), he was, already, "a movie star," because of: Star Wars (almost 2 years earlier, by that point!)! Yep! ...Apparently, Harrison was so nervous on the day of shooting (for: Apocalypse Now), that: Coppola included his nervousness/"fidgetiness" as part of his character profile! You will notice that: Ford's character drops the Kurtz file, while handing it to Sheen's Willard. This was something Coppola decided, on-the-spot, to do. ...and it adds a new layer to Ford's character (but came out of actual behavior and emotion, on-set!). Oh! Great catch on the (unintentional) Coppola "cameo" as the: news film cameraman, in the village! That IS, indeed, him! Larry [Laurence] Fishburne's casting is ANOTHER amazing story! Fishburne was 15 when he was cast as "Clean"!! (and Fishburne DOES, actually, hail from The Bronx!) --- Apparently he lied and said he was 🤷🤷 (I forget, now) 16 ?? ...or 18 (whatever he needed to be, at the time)! He was 15-16 when they shot and 18 when the film came out in theatres!!! 😆😆 - This was Fishburne's first "larger role." He had appeared on TV and in theatre, in N.Y.C. and had had a small role in the film: Cornbread, Earl & Me ...but Apocalypse Now put him amnion "the major players," for the first time. (Nowadays, he is, of course, legendary. as: "Morpheus".). There are many well-known character actors in roles in this film, as well. ...One of the more unfairly "ignored," I always felt, is: "Chef" played by: Frederic Forrest. [Personally, I recall him, most from playing the "Captain/"head-of-station"/"-unit"; on: the early seasons (well, at least the first season 🤷) of: 21 Jump Street [the TV show from the late '80s/early '90s] [That character was, of course, replaced by: actor Steven Williams' character, in later seasons, but....🤷] Forrest has played numerous character roles over the decades, though. The guy who delivers mail to the boat (and is, very, very briefly, seen), may look familiar!: It is Christopher Walken's younger brother: Glenn Walken (also an actor. Mainly stage)! I, also, find this intriguing as: essentially: Christoper Walken and Laurence Fishburne made their primary breakthroughs (began to rise in stature on the acting scene, for real) in a small, not-that-well-received, in theatres (but became well-known and reputed on the rental market, afterwards!) movie, from 1990, called: King Of New York. King Of N.Y. was, also, kind-of, (director) Abel Ferrara's "breakthrough" film. A lurid, N.Y.-based sleaze-drama, with plenty of neo-noir imagery (which, also, featured plenty of actors who would soon make names for themselves: Giancarlo Esposito (already known from his work with Spike Lee, at this point, I think🤷), Steve Buscemi; David Caruso (soon to make a major break on the TV Police drama: N.Y.P.D. Blue (which he would leave, less than a year later and not return to TV for almost a decade, until he took the lead role on: C.S.I. Miami and became a solidified star, again. -after failing to become a box-office lead.). [Caruso featured in small roles in a number of early-'80s productions, such as: First Blood (with Sly Stallone) [Caruso plays the one cop who "hesitates" in and questions abusing Rambo, after he's (illegally) arrested] and in Richard Gere and Louis Gosset's "star making" turn in: Officer And A Gentleman (Caruso plays another recruit in Mayo's class).] ...

"Terminate with extreme prejudice." That line always gives me chills.

Watch the movie "The Great Santini" Robert Duvall. The Stetson hats are a throwback to the old Cavalry units of the 1800's. They traded their horses for choppers and went crazy in 'Nam.

This woman....no words. Pure beauty.