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Apocalypse Now (1979)

R  153 min  -  Drama | War   -  15 August 1979 (USA)
8.6
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Ratings: 8.6/10 from 221,404 users   Metascore: 90/100 
Reviews: 811 user | 211 critic | 29 from Metacritic.com

During the on-going Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe.

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Top 250 #35 | Won 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 32 nominations See more awards »

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Apocalypse Now -- During the on-going Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe. Apocalypse Now -- Interview: Heart Attack Apocalypse Now -- Trailer
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marlon Brando ...
Martin Sheen ...
Robert Duvall ...
Frederic Forrest ...
Sam Bottoms ...
Laurence Fishburne ...
Tyrone 'Clean' Miller (as Larry Fishburne)
Albert Hall ...
Harrison Ford ...
Dennis Hopper ...
G.D. Spradlin ...
Jerry Ziesmer Jerry Ziesmer ...
Scott Glenn ...
Bo Byers Bo Byers ...
James Keane ...
Kerry Rossall ...
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Storyline

It is the height of the war in Vietnam, and U.S. Army Captain Willard is sent by Colonel Lucas and a General to carry out a mission that, officially, 'does not exist - nor will it ever exist'. The mission: To seek out a mysterious Green Beret Colonel, Walter Kurtz, whose army has crossed the border into Cambodia and is conducting hit-and-run missions against the Viet Cong and NVA. The army believes Kurtz has gone completely insane and Willard's job is to eliminate him! Willard, sent up the Nung River on a U.S. Navy patrol boat, discovers that his target is one of the most decorated officers in the U.S. Army. His crew meets up with surfer-type Lt-Colonel Kilgore, head of a U.S Army helicopter cavalry group which eliminates a Viet Cong outpost to provide an entry point into the Nung River. After some hair-raising encounters, in which some of his crew are killed, Willard, Lance and Chef reach Colonel Kurtz's outpost... Written by Derek O'Cain  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | Army | Colonel | Captain | Vietnam  | See more »

Taglines:

The Horror. . . The Horror. . .

Genres:

Drama | War

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violent images, language, sexual content and some drug use (Redux version) See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Vietnamese | Central Khmer

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Apocalypse Now Redux See more »

Filming Locations:

Philippines See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$31,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$118,558 (USA) (19 August 1979) (3 Screens)

Gross:

$83,471,511 (USA) (9 November 2001)
See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zoetrope Studios See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | (Redux version)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby Digital (Redux version) | Dolby (35 mm prints) | DTS (Redux version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

According to an interview given by Robert Duvall for NPR's Fresh Air on July 22, 2010, Colonel Kilgore's name was originally going to be Colonel Carnage, but they changed it to make their statement about him less obvious. See more »

Goofs

Continuity: During the helicopter attack scene, an American soldier gets wounded in the courtyard. Shortly afterward you see the courtyard designated by the yellow smoke of a smoke grenade. However, the next shot is of the courtyard and there is no yellow smoke yet and you can see a soldier toss the smoke grenade onto the ground. It just barely ignites before the scene cuts to the next shot. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Willard: [voiceover] Saigon... shit; I'm still only in Saigon... Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back in the jungle.
Willard: When I was home after my first tour, it was worse.
[grabs at flying insect]
Willard: I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back into the jungle. I'm here a week now... waiting for a mission... getting softer. Every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Charlie squats in the bush, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around the walls moved in a little tighter.
See more »

Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits in the film. The title can be seen as graffiti
in the Kurtz compound late in the film. See more »

Connections

Referenced in "The Simpsons: The Fool Monty (#22.6)" (2010) See more »

Soundtracks

"The End"
by The Doors
Performed by The Doors
Courtesy of Elektra/Asylum Records See more »