FILM TITLE: HEARTS OF DARKNESS DIRECTOR: ELEANOR COPPOLA COUNTRY: USA ( 1991 ) SUPER FEATURES: SUPER DOCUMENTARY ON " APOCALYPSE NOW ". WRITTEN BY: FAX BAHR and GEORGE HICKENLOOPER. MUSIC BY: CARMINE & FRANCIS COPPOLA ( Not the Same as original ) PERCUSSION: MICKEY HART ( GRATEFUL DEAD ).
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IF THERE WERE WAS A REAL DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A TRUE EXPERIENCE, AND ONE ESCAPES IT TO TELL THE STORY, THIS IS IT. THERE AREN'T VERY MANY BETTER DONE DOCUMENTARIES THAN THIS ONE.
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I happen not to be a great fan of Francis Ford Coppola. After the first Godfather film, I dropped out. The sequels, can gather all the accolades and reviews, I am not going to see them. Peggy Sue was fun. Pennies from Heaven I fell asleep on. But the stuff he has produced for others, now that is something else.
While being extremelly receptive to world cinema, he also tries to invest in as many foreign film makers as he can, probably hoping Hollywood will notice someday. Unfortunately, when is all said and done, and written about, the real genius behind his work is not Francis at all, and his ideas, or intellectual pursuits. This documentary is even better than Francis' own work. And the reason why is because she doesn't quit because there has to be an explanation. She keeps going, and one gets to see more action, than a script has ever seen.
Essentially, this is a documentary about the making of Coppola's now famous 'Apocalypse Now' film, and its incredible problems during the shooting of the film, which had to be done in an area where the rebels were fighting the Marcos government, and that was devastated by a monsoon, by Martin Sheen's heart attack, and by a preponderance of an over stuffed Marlon Brando. But it was Francis' ability to be able to match the fury, and beauty, of the moment which made his film a success. Despite the fact that he had to ransack his house, and all his personal belongings, to achieve it.
The basic premise of 'Apocalypse Now' is Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The real premise of this documentary is the real Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness not the animated version found on the film. And it takes his wife to see and notice the clear parallels of the story and book. Here he is having a breakdown, and she is talking in retrospect about watching a man go through a cataclysmic event in life, and succeeding at it.
Eleanor's observations are incredible, and really show Francis as a smaller person, because he is so emotional where she is so steady. He is extravagant. Se says she could do without it all, the china and what not, in fact she'd prefer that she didn't have it all, and enjoy a simpler existence. and we are watching her husband nearly kill himself with his vision.
It is an amazing little trek through the jungles of man's idealistic, and often cruel mind ( sounds familiar Joseph? ) which results in an achievement eventually. There are no better parallels to make. this is it. Where literature does not meet film, it's where it becomes film.
With added new music by Carmine Coppola, and touched up by the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart ( who did ALL the sound effects and percussion for the original film, which tells you that Francis was aware of Hart's musical curiosities, and expansion as a musician and person ) this film becomes another impressive work. It's hard to believe it isn't a real movie on its own......it sure feels like it.
A MUST SEE. 5 GIBLOONS Pedro Sena Member of the Internet Movie Critics Association
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