Customer Ratings & Reviews

The reason I bought this movie was because it was in almost everyone's top favorite/best movies made list that I could find online. As I watched the movie I started to get the strange feeling that I had already seen the movie (though I never did). The story just seemed so familiar and it wasn't until I heard, "The horror, the horror" that I was like "wow" Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. I had read the book in my honors english class in highschool. Though that book focused on British Imperialism, this movie focuses on American "Imperialism" or act to try and control the world/Vietnam. The acting was surprisingly better than what I had assumed (me not knowing any of the actors besides Harrison Ford). The movie sounded incredible on surround sound. You could hear helicopters, bullets, explosions, and wildlife all around you. It was cool that I knew the director from the Godfather, and that gave me a litte reassurance that this would be worth my time. Bottom line I don't regret ever buying this movie because it was very well done considering it was produced in 1971. If you want to read the book it isn't very long only 70 some pages and then you could reward yourself by watching the movie.

This is a superb film. Vittorio Storaro's cinematography, the surreal atmosphere of the film, and Brando's commanding extended cameo make for an enthralling and deeply disturbing film experience. Included in this set, both versions of the film are split across the discs--creating an interruption in the middle of a film that does not contain an intermission (though this way the compression of the film is minimal, preserving both audio and visual quality). I personally don't care for this and would have preferred each film to be placed separately on its own disc, but it is a small price to pay for such a fine film. The special features are really illuminating and Coppola's commentary is excellent as well. Its a shame the documentary "Heart of Darkness" isn't included as that would truly make this "a complete dossier" but again, it is a small price to pay. Definitely a film to add to any collection.

This is my favorite movie of all time, and the DVD includes both versions of the film. The story is incredibly compelling. The film has a few funny scenes as well, and the film is well-rounded in many different genres. The DVD also includes many interesting special features, especially those that refer to the post-production and the sound of the film. Highly recommended.

Following his triumph with The Godfather Part II, Coppola elected to bring Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness to the screen under the title Apocalypse Now and changing the setting from the Congo to Cambodia. Martin Sheen is sent to a remote section of Cambodia with orders to terminate a renegade U.S. colonel (Marlon Brando) who has set up his own little kingdom there. What Sheen & his crew encounter prior to and at his meeting with Brando makes this film arguably the most surreal war film ever made. The making of this movie was quite a gripping drama itself.