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Heart Of Darkness As Mythic Odyssey
- Apocalypse Now transplants Conrad's Heart of Darkness into Vietnam as a surreal odyssey rather than a conventional war movie.
- The film uses war as backdrop to explore trauma, numbness, and mythic descent into darkness.
Making Became Part Of The Movie
- Production became legendary for excess, taking 16 months instead of 16 weeks and vastly over budget.
- The chaotic making of the film blends with its meaning, making the behind-the-scenes part of its myth.
Willard’s Numbness Frames The Film
- Willard's narration and numb performance foreground trauma rather than moral questioning of the war.
- The film treats death with dramatic impact only when Willard acts personally, reinforcing his numb detachment.