I got "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse"

I just got the DVD documentary on the production of the classic movie, "Apocalypse Now". :)

I'm going to watch it to see what I can learn, just as I watched "Empire of Dreams". I understand there's also a documentary on the making of Superman I and II, so is that any good?
 
Hearts of Darkness stands alone, IMO, in the world of filmmaking docs. It's not just about the technical aspects of movie production, but also about the mind of the artist behind the film, which happens to be a masterpiece created by a master at the top of his game. Own it myself; watched at least a dozen times.

Lost in La Mancha is another good one.
 
Lost in La Mancha is another good one.

I'm going to get that one.

But, quite honestly, I don't see why "Apocalypse Now" is considered one of the greatest movies of all time. It's a good movie, but not a great one - I prefer the Godfather ones, to be honest. As for the novellette, I borrowed it this weekend from the library, and I literally fell asleep with boredom.

Maybe someone can explain to me how any of that has to do with the darkness in the human psyche or whatever.
 
The Godfathers are equally great, of course. During the decade of the 70's, Coppola made: The Godfather, The Conversation, Godfather Part 2, and Apocalypse Now. Any one of which most filmmakers would be content to have made in his career, and Coppola did them all in a row! It's a creative streak matched by very few filmmakers in history.

Apocalypse is very layered, much more so than the Godfathers (not better, just different). If you look at it as merely a war movie you've missed the point. But, to each his own.
 
I did miss the point - maybe people are just throwing pearls before swine, with me being the swine, but I don't like deep messages. That's why I don't like 2001 as much as I would, say, the Empire Strikes Back.
 
I don't like 2001 as much as I would, say, the Empire Strikes Back.

Them's fightin' words!!! Have you noticed my user name?!

;) Just kidding. Actually, that's a pretty good comparison. I adore both of those movies, but they're as different as two sci-fi flicks could possibly be.

More appropriately, the war movie contrast might be Apocalypse Now and Kelly's Heroes. Own both and have watched each about the same number of times, but they're definitely light years apart.
 
I like 2001, only because I knew the plot, so there was no mystery. But I would not agree with Arthur C. Clarke's approach, which was to say that, if the audience understood the movie on the first viewing, then he and Kubrick would have failed. I'm not into subtle messages or deeper meanings - I just like what I like.

Maybe someone can tell me why Apocalypse Now is so wonderful, because it - and the original Conrad novellete - could be good SF adaptations.
 
Maybe someone can tell me why Apocalypse Now is so wonderful

A person could write a book about that, I'm sure. Maybe someone has. In any case, watching the Hearts of Darkness doc may give you some insight.

Actually, it's interesting that you should compare Apocalypse with 2001, since both borrow themes from Nietzsche:

Apocalypse Now (& Heart of Darkness): "And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

2001: A Space Odyssey: "What is the ape to man? A laughingstock or painful embarrassment. And man shall be to the superman: a laughingstock or a painful embarrassment."

May do nothing for you, but what the hey. :cool:
 
Last edited:
Conan the Barbarian also used Nietzsche, as in, what does not kill you makes you stronger - Arnold would have agreed with that one, but so did Hitler. I'm not into philosophical musings, though I'm highly educated, but everyone is different. I think Ran (by Akiro Kurosawa), based on King Lear, would be better, because I can understand the nature of children (or people) betraying their father (or benefactor). Or Romeo & Juliet (or West Side Story).

Again, I might be interested in the Hearts of Darkness, if it was brought to a less pretentious level - or, perhaps, dumbed down so I can understand what's going on.
 
I've read Cliff's Notes on The Secret Sharer as well as Hearts of Darkness. I'm beginning to understand their appeal, if a lot of the pretentious clutter was removed.

And, yes, I agree both would make good SF movies. Directorik! And, if we set both in the same universe, we would save on sets. Directorik, can we do either for $100,000?
 
Depending on the script, the shooting schedule, the cost of labor
and... well everything associated with the production of a movie,
a feature can be made for $100,000.

You need to start practicing; you need to generate several different
line item budgets.
 
OK, I just watched the DVD, and I guess "Lost in La Mancha" will be the next one. I learned a little, but the story of the production problems and cost overruns is nothing new. I am inspired, however, by the fact that he couldn't make it at first, so he put it in the drawer for a few years while he directed the Godfather movies. I'm also inspired by the fact that the studios were too timid to take the risk, so he financed it himself and reaped the rewards.

The frightening thing is that, at one point during production, Martin Sheen had a heart attack, and a priest was actually administering the last rights - can you imagine what would have happened if the actor had met his fate???
 
Hearts of Darkness stands alone, IMO, in the world of filmmaking docs. It's not just about the technical aspects of movie production, but also about the mind of the artist behind the film, which happens to be a masterpiece created by a master at the top of his game.

:yes: Agreed.

That and Stanley Kubrick's Boxes.

These two docs are the best ones imho about directors for the very reason 2001 mentioned. They go into person instead of just into the work.
 
Oh my gosh, for shame. =P

Not the shame, the horror, the horror. :D


So young; yet so jaded. :rolleyes:

Young??? That I'm not, I assure you - Directorik has seen me and he can vouch for that.

But I didn't know there were so many docs on how movies were made. As I said, "Empire of Dreams" was my inspiration, and I've watched it again and again in the last decade. But I now have other docs to get ideas and inspiration from.

I've also read and re-read Neil Gabler's biography of Disney, in particular, the production of "Snow White". The thing is that these works are great but also very difficult to make, so I'm very discouraged at what lies ahead. I'm beginning to think I can never do it.
 
Back
Top