Coppola?s masterpiece 'Apocalypse Now? returns

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"Apocalypse Now Redux"|ret||ret||tab|

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola|ret||ret||tab|

Starring: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando|ret||ret||tab|

Rated: R|ret||ret||tab|

Francis Ford Coppola, who had already made two of THE defining movies of the 1970s ("The Godfather," and "The Godfather Part II") ended the decade with one of the most powerful films ever made, "Apocalypse Now."|ret||ret||tab|

Based on Joseph Conrad's novella, "Heart of Darkness," The film has been reset in the Vietnam war. |ret||ret||tab|

That insanity, which did much to set the tone for the 1960s, was but a few years over, and Coppola's film was the first look we had at the situation in the post-war era. |ret||ret||tab|

It remains not only technically and artistically, but by its sheer timing, one of the few films that can be called "perfect" without hyperbole. |ret||ret||tab|

But now it's going to get even better.|ret||ret||tab|

"Apocalypse Now Redux" has more than 40 minutes of footage added, exploring scenes that were merely hinted at before, a remastered soundtrack (and it should be noted that the term "sound design" was coined on this film for sound man Walter Murch) and is a restored, remastered print. |ret||ret||tab|

It just doesn't get any better than this for a movie lover.|ret||ret||tab|

The tales surrounding this movie are now legendary. Coppola mortgaged his home to get the final money he needed to finish production. |ret||ret||tab|

Brando was getting a million dollars a day for six days, and he could only be there for those six days. They weren't really the six days Coppola would have chosen, but a director has to do what a director has to do. Brando then used one entire day going over the dialogue with Coppola. |ret||ret||tab|

Lead actor Martin Sheen had a heart attack during filming. The helicopters that had been rented for the film from the Philippine government left in the middle of a scene to quell an insurrection in another part of the country. Then, after going months over schedule and millions over budget, Coppola still felt as if he didn't really have a movie. Telling the studio this must have been fun. ...|ret||ret||tab|

When finally completed, the film executives bad-mouthed the piece before it was even released.|ret||ret||tab|

To quote Col. Kurtz Brando's character in the film I can only say, "The horror. The horror. ..."|ret||ret||tab|

What finally did come out was an absolute masterpiece, and 22 years later we're getting an even better version. The "Redux" is scheduled for a late August release and will hopefully come to a theater in Springfield. It's going to be 3 1/2 hours long, but it will be worth every minute.|ret||ret||tab|

In the meantime, to get prepared, go to your local video store and find "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse." |ret||ret||tab|

This is the documentary about the making of "Apocalypse Now," conceived and written by Coppola's wife, Eleanore, and directed by Fax Bahr. |ret||ret||tab|

In some ways it's even more terrifying than "Apocalypse Now," because it's not a drama and is completely real. |ret||ret||tab|

We see Coppola struggling not only with all of the technical things mentioned above, but having a meltdown artistically, as well. At the point he's on the phone with a friend saying that he doesn't know how to tell the film company (since he's over budget, way off schedule and has mortgaged his home) that he "doesn't have a movie." It's a pretty unsettling sight.|ret||ret||tab|

"Apocalypse Now," at 22, will be the finest film released this year, and if you love movies you will have to see it. Again.|ret||ret||tab|

(Jim Wunderle works at Associated Video Producers and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.)[[In-content Ad]]