Apocalypse Now - 330 min workprint

[capncnut]

After ITV4 showed Full Metal Jacket the other night, I've been on a bit of a 'Nam flick kick and just got my mitts on the 1978 workprint of Apocalypse Now. To quote Steele from Day Of The Dead: "Holy f**kin' shit!" To many of you, a 5 hour 30 minute film is more than one can endure but I sat through the whole thing with a smile on my face and was not bored for a single second. It has truly blown the whole Apocalypse Now story wide open for me and I don't think I will ever return to any of the commercially released cuts out there. Here's why. First off, not only do I feel that I have seen the whole picture but have also been through the damn war itself, in a way. From the moment the film kicks off, you know you're being treated to something special when The Doors' 'The End' is played in it's entirety, complete with Willard (Martin Sheen) beating the f**k out of his Vietnamese hooker as he drinks himself into oblivion. In fact, the workprint has an almost-exclusive Doors soundtrack, with 'I Can't See Your Face In My Mind', 'Light My Fire' and 'People Are Strange' to name a few. The extended Ride Of The Valkyries sequence is mesmerising and over 30 minutes in length, as opposed to the five minutes in previous versions. And the scope/photography is absolutely jaw-dropping. Dollars upon dollars worth of serious firepower blowing the hell out of miles of forestry. If I was to list every single scene extension, you would be scrolling down this thread for an hour. A few are listed below.   For starters, Willard's character is much more human and his extended mind torture at the hands of Kurtz (Marlon Brando) is way more unsettling than the theatrical or redux cuts. His real life depression at the time is evident onscreen many-a-time. Kilgore (Robert DuVall) makes an additional appearance later in the film, following the boat by chopper and yelling through the speakers "I want my surfboard back, Willard!" Johnson's (Sam Bottoms) gradual insanity is expanded too: He opens fire on animals (water buffalo) for no reason other than "I control the destiny of all that enters my space". Later he joins Kurtz's followers and assists in the torturing of Capt. Willard... We learn that the Photojournalist (Dennis Hopper) is totally bonkers and that the reason why we don't know his real name is because he has been brainwashed by Kurtz and has totally forgotten it in his madness. We also see his demise, at the hands of MIA trooper, Colby. Colby (Scott Glenn) has certainly had the most cutting room floor treatment, as his character is fleshed out to the max in the workprint. He watches over Willard, talks to him and develops a cold (but trusting) relationship. When it's his time to pop off, he begs Willard on his dying breath to say goodbye to his wife and to kill Colonel Kurtz "at all costs." As for Kurtz, during the caribou sacrifice, Willard terminates his command to The Doors' 'When The Music's Over' (again in it's entirety) with a single machete chop as Jim Morrison yells the last line "Until the eeennnddd!!!" And that's when the film does end, cutting to black. No leaving the compound, no "the horror", just on that one fatal blow with no credits. It's hard to think that there's 128 minutes of unseen footage here that never made it to DVD or VHS. Coppola seriously needs to release this because I am simply blown away by it. Picture is bootleg quality (but very watchable) in widescreen ratio. Audio can be a bit of a shit at times (especially during dialogue when the chopper blades are whirring) but both are minor gripes considering what you get. Pacing is obviously an issue as well. There are also a few 'scene missing' cards; the film was not finished at the time and believe it or not, a good 20+ minutes from the commercially released versions are absent. If this was to be reassembled professionally, you would be looking at a 6 hour film. If you are an Apocalypse Now superfan, you have to acquire this. End of.

[Yojimbo]

I must have this NOW!!!!!!

[AcesandEights]

I must have this NOW!!!!!! Yeah, Capn made me want to sit down with a six pack, some food and a bedpan and try and make it through the film. I always enjoy bits and pieces of Apocalypse Now, but it can get a bit wearing after while, still I'd like to sit through this epic version of the film at least once.

[Yojimbo]

Yeah, Capn made me want to sit down with a six pack, some food and a bedpan and try and make it through the film. I always enjoy bits and pieces of Apocalypse Now, but it can get a bit wearing after while, still I'd like to sit through this epic version of the film at least once. I hear you, brother. Couldn't be any worse than having to sit through five+ hours of "Gone With The Wind" with a weepy girlfriend - I practically needed a catheter and caffeine tablets for that one, I shit you not.

[MoonSylver]

I hear you, brother. Couldn't be any worse than having to sit through five+ hours of "Gone With The Wind" with a weepy girlfriend - I practically needed a catheter and caffeine tablets for that one, I shit you not. But, but...it's a classic! When Rhett tells Scarlett.... *BWHAHAHA* Sorry...couldn't do that with a straight face....

[EvilNed]

Personally, I think filmmakers who want to make long films are way out of their league. Films are at their best when they've got a tight script and 90-100 minutes long. Not on my life would I watch this! Sorry, but that's just the truth.

[Yojimbo]

But, but...it's a classic! When Rhett tells Scarlett.... *BWHAHAHA* Sorry...couldn't do that with a straight face.... Classic, maybe. A little more tolerable when I saw it when I grew older, albeit in small segments. The other piece of kryptonite is DR. ZHIVAGO. Even my wife couldn't sit through that whole shtick. Personally, I think filmmakers who want to make long films are way out of their league. Films are at their best when they've got a tight script and 90-100 minutes long. Not on my life would I watch this! Sorry, but that's just the truth. One of the only few over two hour movies I will sit straight through for is Kurosawa's THE SEVEN SAMURAI (Shichinin No Samurai) - my Criterion version is a little over three hours long. That being said, I will likely sit through this version of Apocalypse since the original film has a special place in my heart.

[capncnut]

Personally, I think filmmakers who want to make long films are way out of their league. Films are at their best when they've got a tight script and 90-100 minutes long. Not on my life would I watch this! Sorry, but that's just the truth. I think you're way out of your league with that comment . Actually some of the best films are in the 2-3 hour region: Apocalypse Now, 2001, and even Dawn Of The Dead. I'm not fussed about running time. The 5 hour version is obviously unreleased for a reason - it is a curiosity. There are rumours of a 6 and a quarter hour version of Dune on bootleg. And Jimbo, if you love Apocalypse, you will be bowled over by the sheer size and scope of it. I actually feel like watching again.

[Yojimbo]

There are rumours of a 6 and a quarter hour version of Dune on bootleg. And Jimbo, if you love Apocalypse, you will be bowled over by the sheer size and scope of it. I actually feel like watching again. I remember that they showed Lynch's DUNE on TV (not to be mistaken with the more recent Rubenstein version)as a miniseries - could have been ten years ago or so - and they added all sorts of sequences that had been cut from the theatrical release for time reasons - and a lot of those sequences were pretty bad. I tried to catch as much of this as I could for curiosity sake, but missed most of it. I reckon that these are all on the bootleg that you mention. Things that I remember: extended sequences in the Palace, pre Harkonen invasion (like a long, boring dinner party sequence) a lot more of Paul teaching the Fremen the "weirding way", a whole series of sequences involving the duel with Jamis and Paul inheriting Jamis' wife (which was totally cut out of the theatrical) and extended "psychedlic" montages. Thinking back on this, I think I would like to see the DUNE bootleg too! I definetly am going to seek out the bootleg Apocalypse Now, though. That sounds like a real blast!

[capncnut]

Here's a clip of the Monkey Sampan scene. That clip itself proves that a good quality version of the workprint exists in Coppola's archives.

[Yojimbo]

Here's a clip of the Monkey Sampan scene. That clip itself proves that a good quality version of the workprint exists in Coppola's archives. Radness! Creepy, totally unnerving. Now I must see the bootleg, damnit!

[bassman]

I would definitely want to see this, but I actually prefer the theatrical release over Redux. So I don't know if it will work out for me...

[Tricky]

I need to see this!!i have the redux version & the original cut,but this sounds even better!probably the greatest war film ever made in my opinion!

[DjfunkmasterG]

Ok Capn, you opened this can of worms. Now please be kind and PM me details of how I can find this 6 hour epic Acid Trip of a kickass movie known as Apocalypse Now!

[MinionZombie]

Ok Capn, you opened this can of worms. Now please be kind and PM me details of how I can find this 6 hour epic Acid Trip of a kickass movie known as Apocalypse Now! I heard 'dat!