Apocalypse Now

This epic by Francis Ford Coppola, loosely based on Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, tells the story a of young American captain, Benjamin Willard, whose mission is to track down and assassinate Colonel Walter Kurtz. Despite his short screen time, one of the film's greatest and most memorable strengths is Marlon Brando's performance as Kurtz, a deserter who hid in the jungle and became the commander of his own army, where he is worshipped like a demigod. Famous for its complicated and lengthy filming process, Apocalypse Now stands as one of cinema's most important works.

Duration: 182’
Production year: 1979
Country: US
Language: EN, FR, VI Subtitles: PT

Cannes Film Festival 1979 – Palme d’Or, FIPRESCI Prize
Academy Awards 1980 – Best Cinematography, Best Sound

Francis Ford Coppola

Francis Ford Coppola was born in the United States, in 1939. He majored in Theatre Arts at the Hofstra University, but, after seeing October (1927), by Sergei Eisenstein, he was fascinated by the montage and decided to pursue a master’s degree in cinema at UCLA. He was recruited by producer and director Roger Cormac, for whom he did several jobs in low-budget productions. In 1963, he was challenged by Cormac to direct a film with the leftover budget from one of his productions. Coppola directed Dementia 13, his first feature film. He reached great success in the 70s. In 1972, he directed The Godfather and, two years later, The Godfather Part II. Considered two of the best films in cinema history, they were a huge critical and commercial success, and both won Academy Awards in several categories, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. In 1974, he also directed The Conversation, which won the Palme d’or at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Five years later, he directed Apocalypse Now, which also won the Palme d’or and was nominated for several Academy Awards. One of the leading figures in the New Hollywood movement, he is canonized in the history of cinema as one of its most innovative and important directors.

Original title: Apocalypse Now

Francis Ford Coppola

Credits