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Apocalypse Now

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, beyond the Do Lung Bridge. Now, after becoming prisoners of Kurtz, will Willard & the others be able to fulfill their mission? Use this page to compare cast context, genre fit (Drama, Mystery, War), release year 1979, and whether this film matches tonight's mood.

Apocalypse Now poster on CINEXA

Story of Apocalypse Now

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, beyond the Do Lung Bridge. Now, after becoming prisoners of Kurtz, will Willard & the others be able to fulfill their mission?

Use this page to compare cast context, genre fit (Drama, Mystery, War), release year 1979, and whether this film matches tonight's mood.

Title facts

  • Type Movie
  • Release year 1979
  • Released 15 Aug 1979
  • Runtime 147 minutes
  • Content rating R
  • IMDb rating IMDb 8.4/10 from 769,246 votes
  • Metascore 94/100
  • Genres Drama, Mystery, War
  • Languages English, French, Vietnamese
  • Countries United States

Cast

Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall

Direction and writing

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Written by: John Milius, Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Herr

Awards and recognition

Won 2 Oscars. 21 wins & 33 nominations total

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