HEARTS OF DARKNESS
A film review by Eugene N. Miya
(a review in the public domain)
HEARTS OF DARKNESS (rated R)
HEARTS OF DARKNESS is a two-hour documentary on the making of the film APOCALYPSE NOW (by Francis Ford Coppola) by Francis' wife.
Background: At the time it was released, APOCALYPSE NOW was the most expensive film ever made. Cost was not an issue as much until then for this $30M film. At the time, prior to release, I was helping a friend with a struggling movie company (they made three films before folding) as an unpaid consultant on the side. Movies were pollyanna artsy things. Then a daily was released from APOCALYPSE NOW showing a real Huey helicopter (hovering 10 feet off the ground) all of a sudden blowing up. What was that film?????!!!! Of course now this is all old hat. APOCALYPSE NOW attracted a lot of attention (as some of this is covered in the film). APOCALYPSE NOW got my vote for picture of the year in 1979 as well as my vote to cinematographer (the only two categories I could vote).
HEARTS OF DARKNESS was Francis Coppola's vision of adapting Joseph Conrad's HEART OF DARKNESS (which I have to admit I only recently read). It came about because Coppola, George Lucas, and John Milius had all read Conrad and thought it was the best book they had ever read. The film features interviews with all three. Lucas eventually bowed out; Milius unhappily went off and produced an even more controversial war film.
The idea was born in the late 1960s, shelved as American Zoetrope made a name for itself, then taken a look at again. The film presents a little insight into Coppola's (not necessarily the rest of the film industry's) process. Of course no one wanted to touch Vietnam war films at the time.
The documentary is not a great film, but it shows some of the behind the scenes for the construction of the temples, the extensive napalm and pyrotechnics, the orchestration of the helichoppers (Philippine Air Force which were called away at a moment's notice when they needed to be used against real guerillas [the expression on Coppola's face is great]). This is not like one of those shorty documentaries used to describe the making of TERMINATOR 2, or ROBOCOP.
We see the change of script when Martin Sheen is brought in to replace an earlier leading man. His heart attack is covered. The toll this film took upon the film crew over years, tropical storms, money problems was amazing. The film includes interviews with the actors (Larry Fishburne, Sam Bottoms, etc.) that make you wonder where the black actors are today. The only person not interviewed is Marlon Brando.
The spoofs on APOCALYPSE NOW are noted (like one on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE with Martin Sheen).
The R rating is due to several scenes on which the final water buffalo sacrifice scene is based. This is not for the squeamish. It happens more than once. (first when Coppola's wife first finds the ritual, then during filming.)
Coppola is clearly one of these most important forces in American movie making. Other interviews include members of his family (noting changes in hair length and fashion). The film goes on and on, like APOCALYPSE NOW, and we get "sucked up the river." It gets kind of decadent and boring toward the end.
The film closes noting that APOCALYPSE NOW has made some $135M. Won numerous awards, and so forth. This film is not SLEEPING BEAUTY, but if you have worked for the business, you might find it intense and dull. Remember it is a documentary.
--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene
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