5/5 The Best Value for Apocalypse Now Fanatics
  by Sandor J. Woren (Glendale, CA)
The is the best pick for old Apocalypse Now fans, whether they be new ones, old ones, or are simply rediscovering this classic historical fictional account of the Vietnam War. It's all here: the original 1979 version, the 2001 redux, commentary by Director Francis Ford Coppola, special features, scene selection, multi-languge subtitles, etc.

Interestingly, the best scene (in my opinion) was not included in the original version. This is called the "French Plantation." This scene is so good that I must have watched it a dozen times. Apparently, it was edited out of the 1979 original version, for unclear reasons, but possibly just to limit the sheer length of this film. It is indeed a long film, but every minute is well done and fascinating. The French Plantation scene reappears in the 2001 redux version. "The Complete Dossier" is a good buy just for this scene alone. It explores many of the controversial issues surrounding whether or not the US should have been involved in the Vietnam War, the role of the Viet Cong,the Russians, the North Vietnamese, the South Vietnamese, and, most importantly, the Americans.

Great quotations from the movie: "charging murder here is like giving out speeding tickets at the Indianpolis 200." "I love the smell of napalm in the morning: it smells like....gasoline...it smells like..........victory!" "Horror and moral terror are our friends: if they aren't, they are certainly enemies to be feared." "Charlie don't surf." "There are two of you: one that loves, and one that kills."

At times horrifying. At times funny. Always thought provoking and interesting. One cannot understand the Vietnam War is one has not seen this movie. Buy it. Watch it -- more than once. You won't be disappointed.



5/5 A masterpiece
  by Justin B. Roumelis (FL USA)
This is my favorite "Vietnam War" film, though it is more of an anti-war film set during the war. The characters and soundtrack are all likeable and eccentric, and some humor is thrown in at times. The director's cut adds a lot of previously-unseen footage, most of which adds to the film's side stories and character backgrounds. Overall a very powerful visual depiction of the chaos and confusion of war.

1/5 advise from a true fan of the original Apocalypse Now
  by Rick Kent (Austin, TX *Live Music Capital of the World*)
Folks,

Those of you consider yourselves a true loyal fan of this great epic should first consider buying the documentary, "Hearts of Darkness - A Filmmaker's Apocalypse" (1991). After seeing this epic of a documentary of the making of Apocalypse Now then go out and buy the "second" Apocalypse Now with "Redux" at the end. Francis Ford Coppola clearly states why he made the original the way it is and in particular why he took out the (slow and confusing) French Plantation scene. There is a lot of the French Plantation scene shown in Hearts of Darkness - A Filmmaker's Apocalypse so Redux is really not the first time the scene is shown although you don't see the entire scene in the documentary you aren't missing anything hence the reason Coppola took it out! The addition helicopter/Playboy scene is useless and they didn't even film the entire script of that segment due to the pouring rain.

I just want to message that IMO "Redux" is a rip off. The rabid fans (like me) of Apocalypse Now must see it and own it but know it for what it is... another way to get at your money for little substance in return.

The original version RULES! :)

Thanks for reading,

Rick
Austin, TX
PS: Charlie Don't Surf !!!!!!!

5/5 Just Remarkable
  by Sullivan Mcallister
Apocalypse Now is loosely based on the book `Hear of Darkness by Joseph Conrad; the film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and set in the Vietnam War; Martin Sheen plays Captain Benjamin L. Willard who is picked from a `Special forces' group to hunt down and assassinate Colonel Walter Kurtz, who has supposed to have gone insane. Kurtz is played only shortly by Marlon Brando but he gives off the impression that the madness of war he has witnessed in this "new war" Vietnam, has pushed him over the edge. Dennis Hopper plays a brilliant bit part as the photojournalist; he reviles Kurtz like a poetic God, the parts played by the crew of the small boat are played well by Frederic Forrest as the `Chef', Laurence Fishburne as `Mr. Clean' (A young colored boy who thinks the war is one big adventure). There are other parts played by Robert Duvall who plays Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, who tries to act like one of the boys and likes to surf. Harrison Ford plays a bit part early on in the film as an up and coming gopher for the generals.

Along with Coppola, John Milius has written a brilliant a subtle screenplay about the horror of war, the whole film works well although it is renowned for the multitude of problems while filming. The film was filmed in the Philippines and on numerous occasions the President of the country had to take the helicopters that he had rented to Coppola away to fight the real `Revolution' on the opposite side of the film. The film was also to run into numerous financial difficulties that literally bankrupted the Coppola family, but on its release in 1979, the film was rewarded with two Oscars, which in my eyes is a little disappointing.



4/5 A good film, but no conclusive edit stops it from being a great one
  by Christopher Culver
In Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam war film APOCALYPSE NOW, Captain Williard (Martin Sheen) journeys upriver on a classified mission to "terminate the command" of the renegade Col. Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Along the way, he meets the air cavalry commander Lt. Col Kilgore (Robert Duvall) whose biggest concern is not fighting for democracy in Vietnam but good surfing. On the other hand, the motley crew of Williard's boat are unable to handle the stress of combat and completely lose it at more than one point, with tragic results. Two of the army outposts that Williard and his support crew pass through are in complete chaos with no commanding officer to be found. An American photographer the group encounters upriver (Dennis Hopper, in the role of his career) has been so overpowered by the circumstances that he can only babble nonsense. Coppola repeatedly underscored the irrationality and senselessness of war. Once Col. Kurtz appears, it is revealed that the calculated tactics necessary to overcome this senselessness are even more appalling.

Coppola shot far more footage than he could ever fit into a traditional Hollywood film, prompting him to supplement the original cut of the film with a Redux version in 2001 with 49 minutes of never-before-seen material. I've never felt completely satisfied with either version. In the original cut, Williard is an emotionless killing machine, but the Redux version fleshes out the protagonist's internal conflict of moral law versus animal instinct by giving him some moments of humanity, such as prankishly stealing Col. Kilgore's surfboard and setting his men up with some women they encounter. On the other hand, the Redux version brings in far too much extra, such as the tiresome debate amongst French plantation owners about their country's defeat at Dien Bien Phu. APOCALYPSE NOW is a memorable film with many fine performances, but the lack of any truly conclusive edit stops it from really triumphing.

People wanting to get a copy of the film would do well to get this Complete Dossier set, as even though it is one of those "deluxe collector's editions", it is usually fairly economically priced.