In Reply to: "Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier" posted by rico on October 11, 2006 at 10:02:35:
First problem, it has Martin Sheen at its core. Second problem, see #1. A heavyweight he ain't and his scenes with Brando underscored it. He wasn't the first choice and it's too bad Coppola then chose him.
Another problem: hardly any Vietnamese: they're inconsequential.
Almost single-handedly sinking the film in its latter stages: Dennis Hopper. At that point, Coppola must have been half-or-fully crazy not to have reined him in about ten-feet. He's so over-the-top it shames pretty much any other performance in history. Hopper later said he was intimidated by Brando and tried his best to "hold his own."
He didn't.
The scenes with Duvall are ludicrous. Good cartoon, yes, but again a gigantic breach of directorial decision-making.
In general, the problem with our Vietnam movies is that they must exalt the Americans when, in fact, we were hardly "heroes."
"Casualties of War" is a far superior film.
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Follow Ups
- "Apocalypse Now:" a very overrated film. - tinear 10:36:49 10/11/06 (36)
- Re: Absolutely ! Gutsy post, Tin * - .Guy 03:29:01 10/14/06 (0)
- Re: "Apocalypse Now:" a very overrated film. - jamesgarvin 14:16:10 10/12/06 (8)
- Sorry, but "good men" do not travel 10,000 from their homes to wage - tinear 05:03:41 10/13/06 (7)
- I wonder.. - jamesgarvin 10:38:21 10/13/06 (5)
- First off, thanks for at least keeping part of YOUR vitriol in control - tinear 13:46:54 10/13/06 (4)
- Re: First off, thanks for at least keeping part of YOUR vitriol in control - jamesgarvin 15:10:11 10/13/06 (3)
- Re: First off, thanks for at least keeping part of YOUR vitriol in control - tinear 16:53:35 10/13/06 (2)
- Re: First off, thanks for at least keeping part of YOUR vitriol in control - jamesgarvin 08:53:44 10/16/06 (0)
- Re: First off, thanks for at least keeping part of YOUR vitriol in control - Pepe Le Loco 04:35:52 10/14/06 (0)
- Tin, I tend to think our politics... - dave c 05:24:27 10/13/06 (0)
- Re: "Apocalypse Now:" a very overrated film. - rico 08:45:15 10/12/06 (3)
- Was it covered that Hopper was "method" acting and didn't bath for weeks . . . - mr grits 16:45:57 10/12/06 (1)
- Re: Was it covered that Hopper was "method" acting and didn't bath for weeks . . . - rico 07:23:05 10/13/06 (0)
- Rico's thoughts - Daryl Zero 13:24:53 10/12/06 (0)
- What movie did you watch? Duvall's character wasn't exalted in that movie... nor was any other American except (maybe) - sjb 14:40:50 10/11/06 (12)
- Duvall was shot from below a lot to make him appear larger than life. This - tinear 18:24:41 10/11/06 (11)
- "I don't know how else to describe it." I do... - sjb 22:46:48 10/11/06 (2)
- Yes, you are stating what Coppola's intention was, as is dave c. - tinear 23:08:38 10/11/06 (1)
- Ahh, the purity of pureee - late 17:34:31 10/14/06 (0)
- Heart Of Darkness - dave c 19:14:42 10/11/06 (0)
- Re: Sheen shines in T. Malicks BadLands - grinagog 18:48:27 10/11/06 (6)
- everyone shines in that film. - dave c 19:12:19 10/11/06 (5)
- Sheen NEVER should be even jokingly mentioned in the same universe as Dean. Never. nt - tinear 23:10:10 10/11/06 (4)
- How Bout The Same Sentence.... - AudioHead 05:27:25 10/12/06 (1)
- More Seriously.... - AudioHead 05:48:22 10/12/06 (0)
- His character is repeatedly said to resemble Dean. nt - dave c 03:11:08 10/12/06 (1)
- I know, I meant to disagree with Malick. Homage? More like insult. nt - tinear 04:47:51 10/12/06 (0)
- If you had been in there you would realize how much it captured the "spirit" of our VN from our viewpoint. * - mr grits 11:32:05 10/11/06 (0)
- Re: "Apocalypse Now:" a very overrated film. - Vinylized 10:57:51 10/11/06 (7)
- Re: "Apocalypse Now:" a very overrated film. - Vinylized 10:53:10 10/12/06 (1)
- Repugnant...... - afilado 10:47:57 10/13/06 (0)
- Okay, let me explain a bit: by telling the story from the standpoint - tinear 18:36:56 10/11/06 (4)
- You must have missed the anti-war theme of Apocalypse. - oscar 06:02:47 10/13/06 (3)
- "rather entertaining..." Well, exactly. Would a responsible - tinear 08:51:05 10/14/06 (0)
- Re: You must have missed the anti-war theme of Apocalypse. - rico 07:28:21 10/13/06 (1)
- Right and one must ignore the fact that the most divisive, explosive, and - tinear 08:53:04 10/14/06 (0)