Apocalypse Now Essay

Movies hold a significant importance in our society. And just like many other important items in society, they are based off of books. Movies such as Forrest Gump, Jaws, and Jurassic Park share their fortunes and titles with books. Adding on to this, Apocalypse Now is no different. Although it does share its title exactly with a book, the movie is heavily based on Heart of Darkness, a classic story written by Joseph Conrad. These two works share many powerful scenes, along with the effects of the untamed wilderness and violence has on a man. One of the most notable scenes in both works is when the river crew arrives at the camp set up by Kurtz. Although not every single detail is matched, the overall feelings, sensations, and visualizations

Instead of a harlequin, the welcoming man is a photographer who has covered the war on several occasions. He beckons them to come, but everyone on the boat is incredibly anxious, and even Chef says “I’m not going in there! Them bastards attacked us!” (Coppola). Many people have also said that silence speaks volumes, and this movie is a prime example. Other than the occasional yell from the photographer. The camera pans around the scene, showing the little boat is surrounded by armed men. As Captain Willard steps off, the photographer welcomes him. After a few questions, Willard asks about Colonel Kurtz, and it is here the photographer explodes. In a babel session just like the harlequin’s, the photographer states Kurtz is like a god, and has enlarged his mind in a way no other man can. The camera pans back to Willard and his crew, and they have a face of disbelief as to what he has just said. These instances are shared with Heart of Darkness. Many books and their movies are not exact replicas of each other. Sure it would be nice to have it occur, but it would be impossible. This is the case with Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now. The book contains a lot of little tiny details that give away what the characters, and even the readers, are feeling. But Coppola did a fantastic job creating the movie. With the use of ordinary props and simple filming techniques, he was able to convey what Captain Willard and the crew were going