Famous because of it's troubled shoot, Francis Coppolla's "Apocalypse Now" debuted in 1979 and went on to win two Academy Awards. Since it's release, it's been regarded as one of the best motion pictures ever. Coppola had regarded the film as a "work in progress" and in 2001, he released "Apocalypse Now Redux" which contained 50 minutes of never before seen footage.
Set during the Vietnam war,An Army Captain is given the mission of going up the Nung river in a Navy patrol boat,and going into Cambodia to kill a U.S. army Colonel who has gone mad.The French plantation scene is the longest of the new scenes,and the best.Another new scene involves Willard exchanging two drums of oil for his boat crew to spend a couple of hours with the playboy bunnies,the scene is pretty pointless,but I don't mind.Other scenes including Willard stealing Kilgore's surf board,which adds much needed laughs in this other wise serious film.The other main addition is of Kurtz reading an article from TIME magazine about the Vietnam war,while Willard listens.The most striking thing about "Redux" are the new Technicolor dye transfer prints(stopped being used after Coppola's "The Godfather Part II),giving the film very rich colors,and adding to Vittorio Storaro's Oscar winning cinematography.Martin Sheen gives a terrific performance as Does Robert Duvall.The film's highlight is Duvall leading a helicopter attack on a peaceful Vietnamese village,with the main purpose of surfing.Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" is put to great use.Marlon Brando has little screen time,but he is quite convincing.The scene where Willard decides to carry out his mission is classic(with him rising out of the water,and using a machete to terminate Kurtz,with "extreme prejudice").Scott Glenn has a very brief cameo.A masterpiece.
