25.09.25: Downstream Darkness: Apocalypse Now - 1979 - Franic Ford Coppola
The third screening in our Downstream Darkness series, curated by Pete.
Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American psychological epic war film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The screenplay, co-written by Coppola, John Milius, and Michael Herr, is loosely inspired by the 1899 novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, with the setting changed from late 19th-century Congo to the Vietnam War.
The film follows a river journey from South Vietnam into Cambodia undertaken by Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), who is on a secret mission to assassinate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a renegade Special Forces officer who is accused of murder and presumed insane and who sees himself as a god. The ensemble cast also features Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall, Sam Bottoms, Laurence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper, and Harrison Ford.
Milius became interested in adapting Heart of Darkness for a Vietnam War setting in the late 1960s, and initially began developing the film with Coppola as producer and George Lucas as director. After Lucas became unavailable, Coppola took over directorial control, and was influenced by Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972) in his approach to the material.
As always, ticket holders are privy to some insane drink deals!
THE FILM STARTS AT 8PM PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY SO YOU CAN GET A DRINK BEFORE WE PRESS PLAY
At Kelham Film Club and Alder Bar we try our best to be as accessible as possible to all our patrons. If there’s anything you require, or if there’s anything you don’t think we’re doing well enough, please feel free to contact us and let us know.
See you then!
