Dish of the Day
Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Tonight on TCM:
Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 magnum opus Apocalypse Now (hereby reviewed as the "Theatrical Version") has reached legendary status for its mesmerising opening alone: one of the most impressive and captivating in the history of cinema.
Martin Sheen
This introductory montage of operatic imagery, sound and music not only foretells of the most destructive and chaotic conflict imaginable enveloped by an almost surreal primal landscape; it’s one that communicates in an authoritative and concise manner our main character’s shattered state of mind. Captain Willard (authentically portrayed by Martin Sheen) views his hallucinogenic reality as having little to no purpose without a higher authority to provide one. He’s an indoctrinated soldier, desperately longing for the all important “assignment” to give his life value, and as he tells us “… for my sins, they gave me one.” Later when his narration resumes, viewers may wonder if the inquisitive and enlightened words spoken coincide with the acquiescent soldier first introduced. This is especially true when he investigates the dossier of Colonel Walter Kurtz, his task’s target of elimination. Reading through the files Willard identifies Kurtz as a man of determinative strength, even questioning the validity of the mission itself. When noting his superior officers’ objections to Kurtz’ unrestrained actions in such an unruly war of great magnitude, Willard analogises “… is like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500.”
With one notable exception Willard remains, throughout his journey, basically a passive onlooker, making his narration vital to our understanding of how he sees his mission, travelling companions and a few of the strange happenings witnessed along the way. And while Willard’s observations bind us to him and the situations that arise, almost all of his encounters fail to provide additional reason or motivation for his actions aside from what was made evident in his opening soliloquy.
The highly exceptional scene previously referenced, not only rectifies Willard’s non-participative nature, it dramatically dominates the entire film. The boat Willard is travelling on makes an unscheduled stop of a sampan. Chief, the crew’s skipper, insists on checking the vessel’s cargo in case its Vietnamese villagers are smuggling supplies to the enemy. These moments are both riveting and revealing for several reasons. First and foremost, Willard is, uncommonly, the exact opposite of just a “passenger.” He sternly objects to Chief’s sidelining his assignment, pointedly arguing: “Hell Chief, if it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t even be in these waters.” And when the ship’s authority stops anyway and things go horribly wrong, the entire incident becomes a microcosm for U.S. involvement in the war itself, driven home when Willard (now securely emboldened as an assassin) conclusively remarks: “I told you not to stop.”
The film’s episodic nature must, by design, dramatically build to, and culminate in, the highly anticipatory showdown between Willard and Kurtz. Before that final confrontation occurs, however, we are introduced to an eccentric, higher than a space station, photojournalist played by Dennis Hopper whose entire existence provides what the filmmakers must have decided is some obligatory narrative bridge or liason. Otherwise it makes no sense for him to be there. In this ultra remote, barbaric environment cut off from any remnant of civilisation with no one in sight to report to, not to mention the correspondent’s personally hostile host and a lobotomised former Green Beret (actor Scott Glen no less) hanging around, whatever benefit this bizarre character’s commentary provides is drowned out by callings from the cutting room floor.
When Captain Willard does finally meet Colonel Kurtz (another powerhouse characterisation of self-restrained emotional intensity by Marlon Brando) Kurtz’ orations are enthralling, improvisatory and masterfully executed. Still, they comprise a situation too contemplative in nature to fulfil the narrative's earlier dramatic promise. In other words, considering Willard's only purpose is to kill Kurtz, the filmmakers needed a more fervent, creative and character revealing conflict in order to justify, and perhaps make integral, all of the trials and tribulations leading up to this final realisation of Captain Willard’s life altering mission. Willard's journey is largely thoughtful and compelling, but how has he changed and what, in the end, has he learned? Some might have answers to these questions, but do those conclusions make for as resonate or meaningful a resolution as what was intended?
TCM is scheduled to air Apocalypse Now Thursday, July 31st at 6:15 pm PDT.
TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on the above image. To confirm the correct Pacific Daylight (West Coast) showtime information, subtract 3 hours from the Eastern Daylight (East Coast) showtime listed on TCM’s schedule.
All responses are not only welcomed but encouraged in the comments section below.
Hope to see you tomorrow.
A.G.