The Dark Heart Of Apocalypse Now — Lecture

“This isn’t a film about Vietnam, this film is Vietnam.” A legendary quote from a great filmmaker about a truly mythical film. But what exactly did director Francis Ford Coppola (80) mean when he characterized his twelfth feature film in this way? That no other film was so close to the horrific reality of the Vietnam War? That making Apocalypse Now was a real war struggle? That Coppola lost sight of the difference between fiction and reality during the recordings? They remain fascinating, relevant questions, especially now that the we’re re-releasing the third and (perhaps) definitive version of this excessive and unruly masterpiece.

In his lecture Kevin Toma will discuss these aspects of Apocalypse Now, take the film back to its literary source (Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart Of Darkness), let Coppola speak in behind-the-scenes recordings, examine iconic moments from the film, compare the different versions and also discuss the cultural legacy of Apocalypse Now.