Apocalypse Now Redux (1979) DVD Reviews

Starring	Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Frederic Forrest
Director	Francis Ford Coppola
Genres	Action/Adventure, Drama

Critics' reviews (6) of Apocalypse Now Redux
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Direcor Francis Coppola inherited a modest movie about the Vietnam War from writer John Milius, and turned it into a phantasmagorical ride, in which Martin Sheen travels up the Mekong river to terminate Marlon Brando's rebel command “with extreme prejudice”. Working under difficult conditions in the Philippines and running way over budget, Coppola delivered a harrowing masterwork that bursts with malarial, mystical images, such as Playboy playmates in the jungle and the Wagnerian helicopter attack that ends with marines surfing and Robert Duvall famously saying, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” Notable faces in support include Harrison Ford and Dennis Hopper, the latter playing a photographer among the fanatical Brando followers. Now, after twenty years, comes Apocalypse Now Redux in which Coppola hasn't just tinkered with his beloved epic, he's restored a whopping 50 minutes of extra footage. Along with more scenes featuring Duvall and Brando, there's another sequence involving the Playboy girls. Longest of all, however, is a meeting between the crew and the French inhabitants of a dilapidated colonial plantation that allows the laconic Sheen to have something of an emotional moment with wistful widow Aurore Clément. Whether the additional scenes greatly enhance an already exhilarating experience is debatable, but they are certainly worth the wait.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
The film vividly captures the insanity of the Vietnam war and transfers to it the feeling of unimaginable horror that marked Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, which was its first inspiration. It uses hyperbole and overstatement to convey in
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
"...The film now seems mellower and -- thanks in part to the most vibrant-looking prints in its 22-year history -- revitalized..." -- 4 out of 4 stars
- USA Today
- Posted 11 Mar 2005
Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Apocalypse Now Redux
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31 out of 37 people found this review helpful

Still brilliant but mixed feelings

Even though I think the original film has been diluted due to the expansion of the Brando and Sheen characters, and with the addition of even more surreal and maybe slightly contrived stop-offs for the riverboat crew, there's no denying that rarely in the relatively short history of director's cuts has there been such an exciting expansion of a classic movie like there has been in Redux. I'm still not sure which version I prefer but I am one hundred percent sure the extra scenes were worth seeing. An absolute must for fans of the original.
- - imran from London
  - Posted 06 Jun 2004 21:24
26 out of 41 people found this review helpful

DON'T WATCH THIS FILM!

Francis Ford Coppalla's original cut of Apocalypse Now was a genuine masterpiece. What was he thinking of? The Redux version's additional scenes add nothing to it's original cut, indeed they destroy the mood and pace of the film. I thoroughly recommend the original to anyone,if they can still find a copy,and if you have to see the out takes, then watch Mrs.Coppolla's excellent documentary 'heart of darkness',
- - david thompson-curran from Manchester,uk
  - Posted 02 Sep 2004 23:49
18 out of 21 people found this review helpful

Apocalypse Now Redux

It is difficult to tell whether this 2001 reissue of one of Coppola?s great movies is a cynical attempt to cash in on the current craze for ?director?s cuts? or a genuine attempt by Coppola to improve on his 1979 movie.

Coppola?s original version of Apocalypse Now was darkly surreal. The misty river, purple smoke, red banners, burning napalm, the fantastic light show at the Do Long bridge, casual brutality, sudden death, insane characters or rather characters behaving in an insane manner: the whole film was like a medieval vision of hell. It made an enormous impact on many viewers and critics alike.

In the 2001 Redux Coppola claimed that he was giving the film a much rounder tone, filling out the characters. Personally I don?t think he does, he diminishes the characters and adds nothing to the tone of the film. The three major additions, the Playboy bunnies in the Medevac camp, the French plantation owners and the added footage of Kurtz slow the film down, detract from the characters, in fact certainly in the case of Brando as Kurtz they diminish his mystery and therefore his stature. The purchase of sex for fuel also diminishes Willard?s character; instead of a burnt out but relentless assassin he becomes just A.N. Other soldier acting out his time.
- - A customer from Leamington England
  - Posted 08 Dec 2003 10:34
Most recent members' reviews (2) of Apocalypse Now Redux
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

What can i say really - If you haven't seen this, see it. It's that simple! A sprawling vietnam epic, different to any vietnam film you've ever seen. The redux additions are great, apart from the whole french villagers sub-plot which is pointless and boring.. the best is Robert Duvall's attempt to get his surfboard back. A classic in every sense, one of the best films ever made.
- - Geoff#26 from STRATHAVEN
  - Posted 06 Nov 2004 12:53
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

I liked it anyway and this one adds some more so I liked it a bit more. Also adds a bit of humour which was nice.
- - A customer from KINGSTON UPON THAMES
  - Posted 12 Aug 2004 11:46

31 out of 37 people found this review helpful

Still brilliant but mixed feelings

Even though I think the original film has been diluted due to the expansion of the Brando and Sheen characters, and with the addition of even more surreal and maybe slightly contrived stop-offs for the riverboat crew, there's no denying that rarely in the relatively short history of director's cuts has there been such an exciting expansion of a classic movie like there has been in Redux. I'm still not sure which version I prefer but I am one hundred percent sure the extra scenes were worth seeing. An absolute must for fans of the original.
- - imran from London
  - Posted 06 Jun 2004 21:24
26 out of 41 people found this review helpful

DON'T WATCH THIS FILM!

Francis Ford Coppalla's original cut of Apocalypse Now was a genuine masterpiece. What was he thinking of? The Redux version's additional scenes add nothing to it's original cut, indeed they destroy the mood and pace of the film. I thoroughly recommend the original to anyone,if they can still find a copy,and if you have to see the out takes, then watch Mrs.Coppolla's excellent documentary 'heart of darkness',
- - david thompson-curran from Manchester,uk
  - Posted 02 Sep 2004 23:49
18 out of 21 people found this review helpful

Apocalypse Now Redux

It is difficult to tell whether this 2001 reissue of one of Coppola?s great movies is a cynical attempt to cash in on the current craze for ?director?s cuts? or a genuine attempt by Coppola to improve on his 1979 movie.

Coppola?s original version of Apocalypse Now was darkly surreal. The misty river, purple smoke, red banners, burning napalm, the fantastic light show at the Do Long bridge, casual brutality, sudden death, insane characters or rather characters behaving in an insane manner: the whole film was like a medieval vision of hell. It made an enormous impact on many viewers and critics alike.

In the 2001 Redux Coppola claimed that he was giving the film a much rounder tone, filling out the characters. Personally I don?t think he does, he diminishes the characters and adds nothing to the tone of the film. The three major additions, the Playboy bunnies in the Medevac camp, the French plantation owners and the added footage of Kurtz slow the film down, detract from the characters, in fact certainly in the case of Brando as Kurtz they diminish his mystery and therefore his stature. The purchase of sex for fuel also diminishes Willard?s character; instead of a burnt out but relentless assassin he becomes just A.N. Other soldier acting out his time.
- - A customer from Leamington England
  - Posted 08 Dec 2003 10:34
17 out of 21 people found this review helpful

Apocalypse No!

I saw the original version years ago and loved it - one of my favourite films - and rented this one so I could introduce my dad to the film.

I wish I hadn't!

This version is appalling! It's now FAR to long and the new scenes, which add absolutely nothing to the film, destroy the film's pacing. Really disappointing.

I can't stress enough that if you haven't seen Apocalypse Now, DO NOT watch this version. Track down the original instead, and you will be in for a treat!
- - Oliver from Stroud
  - Posted 11 Jul 2005 22:53
15 out of 22 people found this review helpful

mental

I don't know how this extended version compares to the original, which i've never seen, but i'm glad I saw this first. It's hard to describe this movie, but 'hallucinatory' probably sums it up best. While it begins in a fairly conventional manner, with Martin Sheen's disturbed soldier being sent on an ambiguous mission to find the mysterious Colonel Kurtz, as the film progresses it never stops getting stranger. The visuals are lush, and coupled with an amazing soundtrack they conjure a pervasive atmosphere of dislocation, with numerous stand-alone segments which offer surreal vignettes from an already abnormal backdrop of war. It seems pointless to single out moments, as it's the film taken in it's entirety that creates such a lasting impression; i'm not sure i fully understand everything it presented to me, but I don't think i'll ever forget it.
- - A customer from Chiswick, UK
  - Posted 15 Sep 2003 22:20
14 out of 22 people found this review helpful

Too long

This is a great film until about the last 40 minutes.

I'm sure it is one of the finest examples of what Vietnam, but right from the start the story is a bit stupid, and it gets even more so towards the end as the conclusion is reached.

This film should still be watched because of the "horror" it shows, but don't believe the hype.
- - EdwardTheGreat from London
  - Posted 14 Aug 2005 22:30
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful

I Hate this Film!

I watched a show called 100 Films to See Before You Die on television a while back. I almost fell off my settee when this came out at number 1! That is an insult to all of the amazing movies that have been made over the years. I don't care what anyone says--I saw this when it first came out--hated it--watched it again recently--hated it even more. Marlon Brando's performance is embarrassingly bad--all of the artistic, shadowy photography was supposedly done because Brando didn't want his bloated frame on display! I could just go on and on...so many films about the Vietnam war have been made--many are much, much better than this. I think people are afraid others might sneer at them if they actually admit that they don't like this movie---I don't care--I hate it!
- - A customer from Scotland
  - Posted 09 Mar 2007 09:11
10 out of 12 people found this review helpful

Take A Shot

Apocalypse Now was always one of those films that I wanted to see but couldn't be bothered with. But after watching the opening sequence as part of a media exercise in university I decided to seek it out and see what all the fuss was about.

The film is set in 1969 during the Vietnam War. The film charts the journey of Captain Willard (Sheen) a U.S. Special Forces operative who has been given a mission to assassinate a renegade Green Beret called Colonel Kurtz (Brando). Kurtz has defected and is hiding in Cambodia, acting as a God in one of their local tribes.

This 'Redux' version is longer than the original, although there is an option on the DVD menu to watch the shorter cinema version if you prefer. I chose the long version and I wasn't disappointed. Armed with a bag of Doritos and a bottle of Irn-Bru I watched as Captain Willard went about his mission.

The film is about war and as a result there are some scenes that won't please all the family... However if you do have the stomach for some harrowing scenes then this film is a cinematic masterpiece. The story alone is worth a five star rating, but the sound and picture editing is out of the top drawer in this one. The acting from Sheen as the troubled Captain Willard is flawless and as he journeys up the river to meet Kurtz you will slowly become immersed into the world that has made him so troubled.

I would recommend this film if you are a fan of a well crafted piece of cinema, a war film fan, or even if like me you just want to see what all the fuss is about.
- - Iain Gethin from Cardiff, Wales
  - Posted 08 Mar 2007 23:16
9 out of 13 people found this review helpful

A classic

One of the best films ever made.

If you get the chance watch "Hearts of Darkness" by Elanor Coppola (Francis Ford's wife) which is a documentary of the film being made although this is still only availble on VHS.
- - DazMas from Runcorn
  - Posted 01 Mar 2005 21:00
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful

Stick to the original

The deleted scenes were deleted for a good reason. This version is so long you wonder when it is going to end. Prefered the original, still an excellent film, but watch the edited version.
- - A customer from Essex
  - Posted 28 Jun 2004 01:22

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Critics' reviews (6)
Direcor Francis Coppola inherited a modest movie about the Vietnam War from writer John Milius, and turned it into a phantasmagorical ride, in which Martin Sheen travels up the Mekong river to terminate Marlon Brando's rebel command “with extreme prejudice”. Working under difficult conditions in the Philippines and running way over budget, Coppola delivered a harrowing masterwork that bursts with malarial, mystical images, such as Playboy playmates in the jungle and the Wagnerian helicopter attack that ends with marines surfing and Robert Duvall famously saying, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” Notable faces in support include Harrison Ford and Dennis Hopper, the latter playing a photographer among the fanatical Brando followers. Now, after twenty years, comes Apocalypse Now Redux in which Coppola hasn't just tinkered with his beloved epic, he's restored a whopping 50 minutes of extra footage. Along with more scenes featuring Duvall and Brando, there's another sequence involving the Playboy girls. Longest of all, however, is a meeting between the crew and the French inhabitants of a dilapidated colonial plantation that allows the laconic Sheen to have something of an emotional moment with wistful widow Aurore Clément. Whether the additional scenes greatly enhance an already exhilarating experience is debatable, but they are certainly worth the wait.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
The film vividly captures the insanity of the Vietnam war and transfers to it the feeling of unimaginable horror that marked Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, which was its first inspiration. It uses hyperbole and overstatement to convey in
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
"...The film now seems mellower and -- thanks in part to the most vibrant-looking prints in its 22-year history -- revitalized..." -- 4 out of 4 stars
- USA Today
- Posted 11 Mar 2005
"...A masterpiece....Nothing seems superfluous in this new APOCALYPSE....Coppola has reached the finish line at last. It smells like victory..."
- Rolling Stone
- Posted 11 Mar 2005
"...APOCALYPSE NOW is a reassuring rarity....A genuinely stronger film. That's right -- one of the best movies ever made just got better..."
- Total Film
- Posted 11 Mar 2005
Film-as-opera, as spectacular as its plot is simple: Vietnam in mid-war, and a dazed American captain (Sheen) is sent... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 04 Nov 2008