Let's Talk - Apocalypse Now

More important in the sense of a different perspective, not more of the same.

Rafael Silva wrote: More important in the sense of a different perspective, not more of the same.

That's interesting. I do find Apocalypse now to be very unique but it's worth thinking about... is there a war film prior to it that has the same perspective? I can't think of anything at all. Maybe Dr. Strangelove a little bit? Even then... I don't know. I think for it's time Apocalypse Now was groundbreaking.

Edit: and the movie you mention, Come and See, is 1984 from what I saw.. perhaps it was informed by Apocalypse Now in some way and deliberately took a different perspective partly because of it? I don't know...

I know I mentioned it briefly on the first page but as for adaptations of Heart of Darkness I actually prefer, albeit mildly, Aguirre, Wrath of God. Which came out several years before... but is not a war film. Although I'd argue that Apocalypse Now isn't really a war film either.. I think of it as one sometimes but really I'm not so sure that it is. It's more about a journey, thematically, the setting is war but I don't think it's the focus or the point of it.

I don't think I watched Aguirre, will do.

Aguirre is very intense. Riveting performance by Klaus Kinski and great cinematography by Werner Herzog. I don't remember much of a story, but Kinski was unforgettable.

JonJacob wrote:

craniac wrote:

JonJacob wrote: Don't mistake me thinking it's over-rated for me not thinking it's a .flipping fantastic film. It is... there's just a lot of .flipping fantastic films that don't get any recognition that I like as much if not more than this. I still love Apocalypse Now though, I've seen it maybe ten times.

I would like to see the list of better movies. No pressure.

It would only be better in my opinion though.

We could make a favorite movies thread I suppose. As much as I love this film I don't think it would even show up in my top twenty. My favorite Coppola film has always been The Conversation for example so even among his movies it's not my fav. But to each their own, I have an interest in the topic with The Conversation so that may be personal. Although I do think it's a genius bit of film making as well and it has my favorite soundtrack of all time.

Edit: I didn't notice at first how you censored me... nice. My favorite subs for swears are

Jiminy Cricket - I use this a lot
Flacon de Mais - Corn flakes in French.. I use this a lot too
Any Qubecois swears
and instead of flipping in Canada we usually use 'freakin' ... but maybe you're Canadian too and I'm just wrong on that one. It feels more local to me though.

The Conversation is a good film but I haven't seen it since I took a film class in 1989. My Firefox plugin censored you, and everyone that uses the F-bomb. Otherwise I start using it around my family, because I have congenitally poor impulse control So give me your top 20 underrated films!

Top 20 underrated ... I have no clue... I could list out my top 20 but having that caveat in there makes it difficult. Films are personal things and don't touch people in the same way. That movie not showing up on my list doesn't mean anyone but me thinks the ones I like are better... I feel pressure for some reason, like you're just waiting to jump on this list but you don't seem like that kind of guy and I'm alone this morning having woken up before the family... what the hell. I'll write out a few flicks that influenced me. I'm not sure what order these are in though, but they're my favourites none the less and I'll try to stick to artsy pretentious films because I am liable to put Drunken Master Two or something like that high on the list and maybe that should be avoided .... but this better not be a set up.

1/ The Third Man (see, these are not underrated right off the bat)
2/ Brazil
3/ The Phantom of Liberty (in fact all his late French films could be one entry, Obscure Object of Desire, and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie)
4/ La Starta
5/ A Christmas Carol (Allistar Sim version)
6/ Fitzcarraldo
7/ The Criminal Life of Archbaldo De La Cruz (Luis Buñuel will show up a lot, I love that guy!!)
8/ The Thin Red Line (it's basically about God and not war at all which is why I think everyone hates it so much)
9/ Barton Fink (I can't believe it took me this long to mention a Coen Bros film)
10/ Millers Crossing (I kind of see these two as a team to be honest)
11/ The Conversation (it's got a lot to dot with the soundtrack for me, it does so much for the film, and to be honest I'm not real keen on AN's soundtrack... too much pop music for my tastes, you'll notice a lack of Scorsese for the same reason)
12/ Crimes and Misdemeanours (I can see a day where I have to stop liking Woody Allen films...I just hope it doesn't happen)
13/ El ángel exterminador
14/ The Bridge of the River Kwai
15/ Lawrence of Arabia
16/ 12 Monkeys
17/ Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (so re-watchable, I love Gilliams vision)
18/ Ran
19/ La Dolce Vita (I love his films but for some reason I don't really like 8 and 1/2)
20/ Drunken Master Two ( I can't stop myself... but it's honestly a good movie)
21/ Iron Giant
...

The problems I have with Apocalypse Now ( and I've very vocally defended the film in this thread) are the music and the over the top drama of it. Rafael probably was kind of right... it plays a little better to American Audiences. It still plays well but those are things that hurt it for me. I actually don't like the documentary about it because I think it effects how we see it too heavily. I think that doc romanticizes the film for too many people. In any case after making that list I think I might get to naming Apocalypse Now somewhere around 60... but I imagine it depends on what I've had for breakfast that day. There are literally hundreds of great films to choose from. I'd probably put Godfather 1 & 2 higher than it as well.

Watch it on shrooms and you will have an entirely different view of the film. Just sayin.

The Third Man and The Conversation are great but they're no Apocalypse Now.

You know what's better than Apocalypse Now? The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. The Wild Bunch as well. Those are my top three.

I think that applies to just about anything, Pete. Hey, i picked up dog shit on shrooms and it was an entirely different experience!

JJ, Iron Giant is underrated? I hate Thin Red Line cuz it's so damn boring.

Here are mine, in no particular order:

Jackie Brown (man, the crack girl in that....wow)
Bottle Rocket
Into the Wild (amazing)
Falling Down (loved this)
Before Sunrise (one of my top 5 movies of all time that no one seems to like)
American Movie (why doesn't the world know more about Mike Schank?? I could watch that guy's face after winning on a scratch ticket for the rest of my life)
The Fountainhead (say what you want about Rand but this movie is amazing)
Body Snatchers (1993) - i liked this version, that chick was hawt
Stir of Echoes - This Kevin Bacon movie came out just after Jacob's Ladder and freaked me right out
Session 9 - look, the movie does get kind of dumb at the end but there are segments here where I was so insanely scared, i couldn't breathe. The part in the hallway in the basement, omg.

SuperflyTNT wrote: Watch it on shrooms and you will have an entirely different view of the film. Just sayin.

Last time I took shrooms someone asked me to order the pizza for the whole group (who was too fucked up to do it) and I was up for the challenge. I still remember the conversation that took place too.

Her: Hello, Uncle Fatih's Pizza how can I help you?

Me: Hello I'd like to order a pizza please... WAIT, wait a minute, that's not right, uh I was just thinking that, WAIT, let me start over ok, I'm sorry. Hi my names Jacob...

it just got worse after that. Although we did get the pizza eventually.


BB: They are not underrated, I mention that twice because it was too big a constraint on my list if I did that. In any case I knew this should have been it's own thread. Sorry Mad Dog...
and Barney, knowing how much you like Before Sunrise makes a lot of sense. I think I get you a little better know. I'm not a big fan of it but it fits you like a glove.


.. and to everyone who's going to say "X is good but it's no Apocalypse Now".. where were you when I was defending it then?

The Third Man is the best film ever though and Luis Buñuel is a better director than any American has ever been.

Deal with it!

JonJacob wrote: The Third Man is the best film ever though and Luis Buñuel is a better director than any American has ever been.

There isn't even one US director in the top ten, twenty maybe...

Edit: except D. W. Griffith.