Originally released in 1979 at 153 minutes in length, Apocalypse Now earned eight Academy Award nominations, winning Oscars for Cinematography and Sound Editing. Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) contains 49 additional minutes of footage. The extended version shows Captain Willard and his military escorts as they journey deeper into the unfamiliar and grotesque territory of renegade Colonel Walter Kurtz’s Vietnam. A lengthy interlude at an isolated French colonial plantation introduces a holdout family struggling to retain their genteel, aristocratic ways in the midst of terror, violence, and the seeming deconstruction of civilization. The ensuing dinner scene becomes a prescient moment for Willard, who, preoccupied with his impending meeting with Kurtz, can only imagine—based on his encounter with the delusional colonialists—how surreal that experience will be. A limited number of 35mm dye transfer prints of Apocalypse Now Redux were made by Technicolor. This processing technique saturates the natural colors of the Vietnamese landscape and imbues Vittorio Storaro’s cinematography with a lush, languid, and ultimately ominous atmosphere. The dramatic visuals and the intricate soundtrack underscore the operatic nature of this cinematic epic. A recent acquisition, this rare 35mm print was generously donated by Technicolor.
Organized by Anne Morra, Assistant Curator, Department of Film.