mwilkinson Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Yes - 70s films are "slower" than their modern day counterparts. It's a fashion thing. However, do bear in mind that Apocalypse Now is NOT an action/war film. It's a wartime-based adaptation of a hundred-year-old book. A lot of the symbology in the film is married to characters, behaviours and observations from the original text, and makes more sense in that context. As a standalone film, I tend to agree with you - it doesn't deliver much in the way of pure entertainment. In conjunction with the Heart of Darkness, however, it makes for a more cerebral (still not what I would call entertaining!!) study of human nature. Good stuff. If you're into that sort of thing, of course! Beat me to it with the references to Heart of darkness. Read the book while I was at Uni. Apocalypse Now (Redux) is one of my favourite films ever.. Definitely deserves a slot in the top 10. What shocked me is that the Godfather films are up in the 10's. IMHO they are dire films which need to be knocked down the list quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh_15 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Beat me to it with the references to Heart of darkness. Read the book while I was at Uni. Apocalypse Now (Redux) is one of my favourite films ever.. Definitely deserves a slot in the top 10. What shock me is that the Godfather films are up in the 10's. IMHO they are dire films which need to be knocked down the list quite a bit. IMHO city of god is a little high for my liking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I agree with the OP: it had almost no redeeming features for me. I think it is brilliant at demonstrating the juxtaposition and craziness of war (in this case, Vietnam/American war) - surfing during an airstrike, Playmates abandoned in the middle of the jungle, a pointless mission into the heart of enemy territory. It fits nicely into a playlist of Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, The Quiet American, Tigerland.. and to some extent, The Watchmen; their point is the whole pointlessness of it all. Interesting post: I've never thought of it quite that way before. Although I've always thought the argument of "its point is that it's pointless" (I'm speaking in general, not just about these films) is a very shaky one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 You need to watch The Bridge on the River Kwai What a classic. It's kind of strange that I don't like Apocalypse Now as I like loads of other war movies. Have you seen Jarhead? Yeah, thoroughly enjoyed Jarhead. Not seen Bridge on the River Kwai, heard a lot of good things about it though. I will be watching all of them so it won't be missed Toy story 3 I highly recommend Mr potato head becomes Mr tortilla wrap!! Epic lol Yeah I really want to see that. My Wife didn't like the other two (strange eh) so I'll be watching that one on my own. Yes - 70s films are "slower" than their modern day counterparts. It's a fashion thing. However, do bear in mind that Apocalypse Now is NOT an action/war film. It's a wartime-based adaptation of a hundred-year-old book. A lot of the symbology in the film is married to characters, behaviours and observations from the original text, and makes more sense in that context. As a standalone film, I tend to agree with you - it doesn't deliver much in the way of pure entertainment. In conjunction with the Heart of Darkness, however, it makes for a more cerebral (still not what I would call entertaining!!) study of human nature. Good stuff. If you're into that sort of thing, of course! That makes more sense. I thought the characters were a little too eccentric though.... but I guess that was just to highlight it all. I love the film, it's not something I would watch every year or a film which I would sit down with my lass on a Saturday night and watch. But when the mood takes me I enjoy sitting down, getting wrecked and just watching it play out, yeah it's slow, but I love the buildup. I think it's a bit of an acquired taste. NO WAY EVER is Inception No 8 Inception was a good movie for me (as long as not over analysed). I wouldn't have it in the top 100 though. I think modern day movies will make it into the top 100 due to more and more people signing up and becoming members of IMDB. With more members comes younger members, only interested in what is current. Beat me to it with the references to Heart of darkness. Read the book while I was at Uni. Apocalypse Now (Redux) is one of my favourite films ever.. Definitely deserves a slot in the top 10. What shocked me is that the Godfather films are up in the 10's. IMHO they are dire films which need to be knocked down the list quite a bit. I really enjoyed the first 2 Godfather movies, the 2nd especially. In the same breath I thought Scarface was terrible so I'm not just an Al fan or anything like that. I didn't see the Godfather movies until the late 90s when my friend pestered me into watching them, I got 30 minutes into the 3rd before turning it off lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 IMHO city of god is a little high for my liking! Rubbish! City of God is a masterpiece, one of my fave films of all time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Rubbish! City of God is a masterpiece, one of my fave films of all time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh_15 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Rubbish! City of God is a masterpiece, one of my fave films of all time. I didn't say it was a bad film just not number 18 on my list! Still in the top 40! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 This thread is full of heathens, philistines, dullards etc etc. Apocalypse Now is a fantastic film, and anyone who says otherwise is a massive wrongcock. I think that sums it up nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snooze Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 "wrongcock". That's a fantastic word (although I've tried it out loud and it doesn't work so well). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdistc Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Interesting post: I've never thought of it quite that way before. Although I've always thought the argument of "its point is that it's pointless" (I'm speaking in general, not just about these films) is a very shaky one. Well, I *may* have my recent thinking affected by the dystopian views of Phillip K. Dick so I might be feeling a little more depressive than usual I think, on review, that I meant "it's pointing out the pointlessness" of war rather than the film simply being pointless. Rubbish! City of God is a masterpiece, one of my fave films of all time. Very good film. Not as good as Zombie Strippers, though. Yes - 70s films are "slower" than their modern day counterparts. It's a fashion thing. I'm often very surprised when re-watching films I've seen years or decades previously - how SLOW things feel in older movies. Of course, master film-makers are timeless, like Hitchcock and Kubrick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_p Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Very good film. Not as good as Zombie Strippers, though. I have that film in my DVD collection, ace film It really was the Ronseal of DVD's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I've been working my way through the IMDB top 100 list and I am strugling to see how on earth this movie made it in there. It is one of the slowest and most boring movies I have ever watched. The "Captain" played by Martin Sheen has to be one of the most wooden characters I have ever seen. The dialogue is absolutely shocking throughout the movie, huge pauses at times IMO just making the scene less and less plausible. Am I watching this movie in the wrong era or something? I really have given all I can trying to like it (as it is seen as a classic). Movies like The Sting show their age nowadays but they also show the potential they had at the time they were released (it was an original idea/plot at the time as far as I know). I can see no originality in the plot, or any actual hook in the story of Apocalypse now at all. Over 2 hrs I'm not getting back Dude you did an hour better than me, some people are astounded I think its so crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly tonight. At least I know I will be in for a TRUE classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly tonight. At least I know I will be in for a TRUE classic Great film, one of my favs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I've watched Apocalypse Now once as well and I too sat thinking "Am I missing something here?". It was just dull. And I like 2001! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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