Apocalypse Now question (1 Viewer)

[Jeremy Illingworth]

When Willard says that Vietnam really put the zap on Clean's head, what did he mean by that?

jeremy

 

[Jon Sheedy]

I always assumed he just meant that being in Vietnam had messed with Clean's mind...f***** him up.

 

[Jeremiah]

I would like to add another question if you guys don't mind.

I remember seeing the ending scene of the U.S. bombing Kurtz's compound. Is this true? I am so sure I have seen that ending, it comes after all the end credits are done, but on all of the copies I have had it is never on there.

Maybe that movie put a zap on my head.

 

[Daniel Demarco]

If you get Apocalypse Now on dvd,the original,not Redux,it has the Destruction of the compound as an extra.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

The details of my trivia may be a bit off, but I know Coppola had a bit of difficulty making up his mind as to how the film should end. As I recall, a European release ended on a completely ambiguous note, with Willard standing on the compound steps, surveying his new subjects.

Then another version ended with footage of the compound being destroyed running over the end credits, as if Willard had indeed called in the air strike. The most familiar version to U.S. audiences simply ends with "The horror, the horror!", and the credits running over a black screen.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Jeremiah]

Thanks fellas, now I know it wasn't just me.

 

[Brian W.]

As I recall, a European release ended on a completely ambiguous note, with Willard standing on the compound steps, surveying his new subjects. The most familiar version to U.S. audiences simply ends with "The horror, the horror!", and the credits running over a black screen.

Nope. All versions have Willard standing on the compound steps. Then he comes down and takes the surfer guy (Lance?) back to the boat. All versions end the same way. The general U.S. release had credits rolling over the bombing of Kurtz's compound. However, Coppola never really like that. His preferred version is a fade to black, with, as I recall, no credits at all.

 

[Bill J]

As Coppola said on the DVD of the original cut, the destruction of the Kurtz compound is not an alternate ending.

Apocalypse Now's original 1979 70mm release didn't have any end credits at all. Instead, viewers were given programs that included the cast, crew, and production notes. The 70mm version ended with Willard taking Lance by the hand and leaving the area on the boat with Kurtz saying "the horror, the horror." The film would then fade to black and there would be a copyright notice. The ending of the 70mm version was his original intent.

The Philippines forced Coppola to remove the Kurtz compound, so he decided to blow it up while filming it. He was hoping that the footage would have some use during the editing phase of the film. Coppola had several different endings in mind, but in the end I think he decided against the "apocalyptic" destruction of Kurtz's compound because it would contradict Willard's peaceful departure. He also considered two other endings that were never shot. In the original John Milius screenplay, Willard and Kurtz would fight the Viet Cong in a huge climatic battle. In another ending, which he gave BRIEF consideration, Willard would call in the airstrike on himself.

For Apocalypse Now's 35mm release, Coppola decided to no longer use the programs. Instead he decided to use credits rolling over the destruction footage for some unknown reason. The destruction credits caused controversy and that's why the DVD credits roll over a black background.

 

[JeremySt]

Have you seen HEARTS OF DARKNESS? If you have not, DO IT RIGHT NOW. Not on DVD yet, but any video store worth their salt will have it on VHS. It should answer any questions you could ever have about the film, and perhaps pose a few new questions you never had before.

 

[Bill J]

Have you seen HEARTS OF DARKNESS? If you have not, DO IT RIGHT NOW.

I agree, Hearts of Darkness is easily one of the best documentaries ever made. It's the only reason I own a laserdisc player.

I have heard RUMORS that Coppola doesn't want it on DVD because it includes his original comments regarding the French Plantation sequence. Hearts of Darkness includes footage of him on the set saying, "forget we ever shot it." Now the French Plantation scene is part of his "definitive" version of the film.

Even if this rumor is true, it's a pretty stupid reason not to have such a great film on DVD, in my opinion.

 

[Jeremiah]

Not about the movie.

Man, 3 Jeremy's have posted in this thread. No big deal but I thought it was odd.

Jeremiah is not the name on my drivers licences(sp?).