Apocalypse Now - The Complete Dossier (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)

AN's plot is too bizarre to have even a modicum of credibility and having seen this film a few times, I still don't get the point of it. The only good thing I can say about this movie is that it's a perfect fit for Marlon Brando mainly because the characters are dull and one-dimensional--much like Brando himself! Moreover, AN also suffers from bad directing and editing which makes it a rather difficult movie to follow.

For all its potential, AN never lives up to its hype and I fail to see why it received so much acclaim. For a war movie, AN doesn't have a lot of action so if you're a war movie buff, chances are it won't hold your interest. If anything, AN is about as interesting as watching dust settle on your VCR. Avoid it with extreme prejudice.


A Good Cure For Insomnia   April 17, 2001
 5 out of 25 found this review helpful

What happens when you mix a good director with a good cast and a boring, half-baked plot? You get "Apocolypse Now."

AN's plot is too bizarre to have even a modicum of credibility and having seen this film a couple of times, I still don't get the point of it. AN also suffers from dull and one-dimensional characters. Likewise, AN also suffers from bad directing and editing which makes it a rather difficult movie to follow.

For all its potential, AN never lives up to its hype and I fail to see why it received so much acclaim. For a war movie, AN doesn't have a lot of action so if you're a war movie buff, chances are it won't hold your interest. If anything, AN is about as interesting as watching dust settle on your VCR.


'The horror, the horror', of meagre DVD releases!   March 26, 2001
 1 out of 6 found this review helpful

When I first saw Apocalypse Now, I found it intruiging, shocking, and utterly though provoking. I saw the British Widescreen VHS, which is framed at 2.00:1. I read that the original 70mm master was in the original ratio of 2.35:1 - which had been released on the Collectors Edition NTSC Laserdisc in THX. I eagerly awaited the DVD, hoping for at least a 2.35:1 THX specification... but when arriving, I was utterly dissapointed by the re-accurence of the 2.00:1 ratio, no THX certification, and meagre extras. I read some more, and found that the 2.00:1 ratio was 'director approved' and the THX certification was a minor squabble, so I decided to purchase on the basis that I'd waited so long. In terms of the picture and sound, I was rather pleased. The image seemed to have a film like quality to it, containing non of the annoying hues and colours on the VHS (down to the print used and not the videotape). The image, was smooth and soft. The sound was great too (although I couldn't appreciate the Dolby Digital, as I don't use 5.1 encoding equipment). As for the 'extras', the disc contained a trailer and 'Destruction of the Kurtz compound' (an alternate ending with optional commentary). If these extras appeared on a standard release Laserdisc, people would be pleased, as it would contain a median price, such as this DVD... So why do so many complain! This isn't a 'Special Edition' DVD, and its pricing isn't high enough to warrant a much higher studio output. Quite personally I wouldn't mind paying $30 - $50 more for a Special Edition THX release if the studios would make a pristine job of it! If only Criterion could own the rights to these movies! Grrr!


Unforgettable   March 24, 2001
 1 out of 4 found this review helpful

This movie,directed by Francis Ford Coppola, shows the horror and madness that was vietnam. Captain Willaird, played by Martin Sheen, is sent on a mission to kill Colonel Kurtz, played by Marlon Brando, a war hero who has gone insane. Full of violence, power and great acting. Especially good is Robert Duvall, head of the First Air Cavalry. He mutters a phrase that has now become a ctach-phrase of cinema. I'm sure you know it. Though the movie won two academy awards, it does make you wonder has to why the academy did not choose this for best picture of the year. The best part is when the Calvary attacks a Viet cong village near the mouth of the river that Willard has to enter to reach Kurtz. The song "This is the end" is one of the best ever made in my opioion. A cinematic masterpiece. The only problems, like with alot of films, is it's length and it slows down at parts.


Best Movie Ever   March 16, 2001
 2 out of 5 found this review helpful

Apocalypse Now is a movie that takes you on a journey through the human mind while taking you through a journey down a river. The premise is based on the novel "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. Martin Sheen plays a soldier sent to eliminate the rogue army Colonel Kurtz played brilliantly by Marlon Brando. The voyage is enacted on a naval partol boat on a river in Vietnam. As the crew makes it further down the river, life becomes more and more insane leading to the ultimate scene from any movie, the approach to Kurtz's compound. Francis Ford Coppola did a great job directing this movie, and the extras are great on the dvd. The movie stars Brando, Sheen, Larry Fishbourne, Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper. It's a movie that will change the way you think.