Introduction
1979’s Apocalypse Now is one of the most significant films which emerged from the Vietnam War period. The movie is based on Heart of Darkness, a book by Joseph Conrad (Syn 1). The story revolves around the character of Benjamin Willard, who is tasked with the duty of killing Colonel Walter Kurtz, who has gone rogue in the Cambodian jungles. The accuracy of the movie in depicting the actual happenings of the Vietnam War has been a subject of extensive debate. Francis Ford Coppola, the producer and director of the film asserts that Apocalypse Now is not just about Vietnam but that it is Vietnam in its entirety. This paper provides evidence that supports the assertion that this film is accurate.
The first reason why the movie is an accurate depiction of the Vietnam War is because of the manner in which it portrays the insanity that was part of that war. This insanity is heightened to the point of being disturbing to viewers. It accurately shows drug abuse, conflict between army troops and their leaders, sexual temptation and the psychological impacts that the war had on those who survived long enough. The senseless nature of the war as depicted by the film is accurate (Haley 1). For example, there is a scene in a courtyard showing a wounded soldier. American soldiers attest to the fact that this is what happened to them on a daily basis while they were fighting. A North Vietnamese woman makes a bomb attack on American soldiers to depict the perils of guerilla warfare that American soldiers encountered regularly (Haley 1). When the movie begins, Chief Phillips narrates a story of an American army officer who went insane and shot himself (Apocalypse Now n.p.). Suicidal tendencies were common among American soldiers who had witnessed the brutal killings of both their fellow Americans as well as of Vietnamese people. In another scene, Chef has a short mental breakdown after meeting with a tiger in the jungle. He turns to drugs to control his fear and temper. Willard and his men gradually break down the more they move deeper into the darkness of the forest (Haley 1). This is an accurate representation of the fear and apprehension surrounding American soldiers at the time. The movie achieves this through cinematographic effects which depict the impending insanity by use of fog and darkness, which create a hallucinatory environment (Apocalypse Now n.p.).
Secondly, the leisure activities of the American soldiers are also portrayed with remarkable accuracy. Jay “Chief” Hicks is regularly shown smoking cannabis and is even shown purchasing “Panama Red,” a var2iety of cannabis at a U.S base supplies camp. Lance B. Johnson is shown taking LSD, which was common to American soldiers at war at the time. These references to drug use represent, with some degree of accuracy, the rampant drug abuse that was prevalent among American soldiers in Vietnam. The lack of substance in American values is also accurately shown. While the Vietnamese are fighting for the greater cause of protecting their homes, American troops are fighting for the freedom to go home. Home to these American soldiers, as they constantly allude to, comprises of the leisure activities of surfing, rock music and sexual pleasure (Syn 1). Willard regularly reflects upon this absurdity and emptiness. The American values are further put to question when Kilgore commands his men to go surfing or fighting after conducting a merciless airstrike in Vietnam.
Thirdly, the presence of journalists and television crews in Vietnam is highly accurate. The filming of American soldiers by journalists is another aspect that serves to convert the war into an entertainment spectacle. This is accurate because it was common for American journalists to fill the airwaves with stories of their soldiers fighting in Vietnam. The Vietnamese War became the first ever war to be televised daily to members of the American Public. This had a tremendous impact on the opinions and perceptions with which Americans regarded the war.
The geography displayed in the movie as well as the vehicles used in the war are shown with relative accuracy. In terms of geography, it represents Saigon as the South Vietnam capital city. Nha Trang is shown as the intelligence compound site. A North Vietnamese village, known as “Charlie’s Point,” by American soldiers is not a real place but the Mekong River is accurately depicted. The vehicles used in the film are an accurate representation of those used in the war. This includes the Mark IP.B.R.S patrol boats used on rivers and the B-52 bomber airplanes.
Conclusion
The film Apocalypses now is a remarkably accurate representation of the Vietnam War. It is derived from Heart of Darkness, a book by Joseph Conrad, whose concepts are applied to the Vietnam War so as to tell the story in a clearer way. The accuracy of the film in portrayal of aspects of the war may be seen by examining different issues. These include the insanity and psychological impacts on American soldiers, geographical facts, the leisure activities and way of life of American soldiers, vehicles used and the presence of journalists covering the war.
Works Cited
Apocalypse Now. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Marlon Brando. Paramount, 1979. Film.
Haley, Juliana Mary. "Apocalypse Now- Juliana, Mary, Brittney - Historical Inaccuracies in Film." Apocalypse Now- Juliana, Mary, Brittney - Historical Inaccuracies in Film. Version 1. Juliana, Mary, 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. <https://sites.google.com/site/apusmoviereview/the-patriot-example/apocolypse-now--haley-juliana-mary>.
Syn, Benjamin. "The Story in History: Examining Apocalypse Now by looking at The Things They Carried." Movies in 203. Version 1. Benjamin Syn, 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. <http://www.moviesin203.org/2011/01/the-story-in-history-examining-apocalypse-now-by-looking-at-the-things-they-carried/>.
