1979 in Film: Seeing Apocalypse Now, Final Cut on the Big Screen

If you haven’t seen Apocalypse Now, you simply haven’t lived. I mean it, it’s truly one of those must-see films, a true classic. This doesn’t mean Francis Ford Coppola’s arguably best film (yes, I said it, fight me.) isn’t without its flaws. Apocalypse Now, whichever version you choose to see, was always more an experience than a narrative. Something much more abstract and primitive than its fictional story allows us to understand.

The film follows Captain Benjamin Willard, who is sent on a secret mission to find and kill the crazed Colonel Kurtz. Over the film’s considerable runtime (between 2.5 and 3.5 hours depending on the cut), Willard has to face the worst of all enemies; himself. There isn’t much plot to Apocalypse Now, especially for such a long film, but it remains one of the most visceral experiences. Following Willard’s descent into to complete madness is equally horrifying as it is intriguing.

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I had the pleasure to watch the newest cut, The Final Cut at Dolby’s own screening room in London with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, both of which really enhanced the experience. Sitting down on the lush black seat, I leaned back, unaware of the horrors that were waiting for me on that big screen. I have seen the Redux version of the film, so I knew what was going to unfold on screen. But I was blissfully unaware of just how much a few editing decisions and new, clearer sound can affect the overall effect a film has. It’s an experience I never got to experience on the big screen until now.

The film famously begins with a somewhat grainy image of burning palm trees and choppers, accompanied by The Doors’ iconic song ‘The End’. It’s the calmest, most peaceful moment Apocalypse Now has to offer. After that, the film transforms into an emotionally violent and crippling war experience.

The new cut ensures that every bullet, every burst of a machine gun and every chopper is not just seen and heard, but felt. When the bullets from a machine gun fly and tear the flesh of both the Vietnamese and Americans, every hit is felt deep inside your own chest cavity. The bullets sync into your heartbeat, elevating it to dangerous levels, while your mouth suddenly feels dry and sweat starts to pool on your top lip. Apocalypse Now has somehow elevated itself into a gloriously physical experience, one that deserves to be seen on the big screen.

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Apocalypse Now hasn’t aged particularly well in today’s political climate, but it serves as a fascinating study of masculinity (hopefully) long gone by now. There are no female characters, unless you count the few Playmates and a woman at the French plantation, but there doesn’t need to be any. It’s a film about Willard and his personal demons in the middle of a war. The film acts as a showcase of different masculinities and how toxic, violent and explosive these personalities become under the extreme

If there is any fun to be had with Apocalypse Now, it stems from seeing these men interact with each other. Like roosters, they ruffle their feathers and dig into each other’s’ insecurities, but also ferociously and effectively protect their small unit through the fiery hell they’re forced to travel through.

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I’m still unclear whether Apocalypse Now is pro- or anti-war. It goes to lengths to showcase the brutality and hopelessness of war. The effect it has on the individual, but at the same time it accents the power US has over Vietnam and presents the natives as nothing but faceless, inhuman savages. In this regard, Apocalyse Now is outdated and insensitive. Perhaps it’s possible to appreciate the film as a remarkable experience while also noting its flaws and call it out for them.

As I sat there in relative comfort, my palms started sweating as the film progresses towards its haunting, inevitable ending. It might not be Marlon Brando’s finest performance, in fact, it’s quite terrible, but the whole film rides on Martin Sheen’s performance. It’s a delirious, sickening and constantly engaging performance from Sheen. Every drop of sweat, every doubtful gaze is really milked to their full potential in the new version. I left the theatre sweaty, shaky and in need of a stiff drink.