Example Of Apocalypse Now: A Reflection Movie Review

In the first act of the 1979 movie Apocalypse Now, it was interesting how the Americans choose to play loud music while they executed their aerial attack on the beachside village. The Americans believed that the music would intimidate the Vietnamese villagers and weaken their resolve. At the same time, in contrast, the music invigorated the American soldiers and kept them motivated throughout the assault. I think that this scene is interesting, because it demonstrates that music can be a powerful emotional influence, both positive and negative. The music that the Americans play is “Ride of the Valkyries” by Richard Wagner, the 19th-century German composer, and it is one of his best-known compositions. “Ride of the Valkyries” has been included in the musical scores of many movies and TV-show episodes throughout the years, and it usually signals the dramatic release of tension after a long period of buildup.
The music in this scene has a three-pronged meaning. To the Vietnamese villagers, the music means terror, as it is the last thing they hear before they die; to the American GIs, it is the symbol of victory and conquest. To the film’s audience, the music invokes and enhances feelings of disbelief and despair at the brutality of the scene, in which countless innocent people are killed so that an American lieutenant colonel, who is also an avid surfer, can enjoy the beach’s legendary waves by himself. In this scene, the senselessness of war is made absurd by the bellowing of the operatic piece through the air, and the grandeur of battle is exposed as a terrible lie.