SteveyP93

I purchased Apocalypse Now Redux awhile back, blind buy. After watching it, I thought it was a bit too long, and with 42 minutes added to this version of the film, I'm guessing that the original cut is leaner and more powerful.

Now I know that T2 has a easter egg where you can watch the original theatrical version by pressing right five times. Is there a similar deal with the Apocalypse Now DVD? Thanks in advance.

ryuryu2949

No, I am pretty sure you can't do this with Apocolypse now. I remember hearing something about how Redux was more changes than just that additional footage, that Lucas recut many of the scenes slightly.

LBPound

Yeah, in Redux, Lucas makes Willard shoot first.

Ginwen

That must have really pissed Francis Ford Coppola off!

immortal_zeus

I purchased Redux without ever having seen Apocalypse Now as well. Geez, the movie just dragged on. I have doubts that I will ever watch it again.

I think buying the original version would have been better...but I consider Redux to be a "Director's Cut" of sorts and I usually opt to go for Director's Cuts because I like to see the movie how the director intended it to be seen.

DVD Polizei

I actually like the added scenes with the French. It gave some history and understanding.

"humghah wubba hummah fuffah wuffah...."

Oh, Brando said he liked the scenes too.

DavidH

Some of the same scenes were different between the original and redux - different framings, etc. So, you could never have the original by just removing added scenes.

Josh Z

The Redux DVD does not contain the original theatrical version. That version of the movie is still in print on a separate DVD. Paramount wants you to buy both.

MattSVT

Redux is definitely worth seeing but the original is the best film of the bunch.

Wasn't George Lucas originally going to direct the movie? Think of how much different it would've been.

jfoobar

Well, I have heard rumors that the "Boss Nass" character from TPM was actually based on Brando.

ryuryu2949

I swear I didn't mean to write that, but what a hilarious Freudian slip... obviously Coppola directed the movie (although it could possibly be argued that it was Lucas' tinkering with the Star Wars franchise [with the theatrical SE's in the mid-late 90s] that paved the way for Coppola to put out Redux. Sort of like a Jedi Mind Trick Lucas played on Coppola.

JoeyOhhhh

Lucas blamed for Coppola's Redux

ryuryu2949,

I don't think Lucas was the first Director to re-visit his work on such a grand scale.

gutwrencher

same here. actually....I prefer the Redux. I love long, drawn out films that include added scenes. no problem at all!! I have both so a choice is there.

djtoell

FWIW, Lucas actually did some preproduction for Apocalypse Now (location scouting, etc.) with the intent of directing it himself. When that didn't work out, he eventually moved on to Star Wars.

DJ

Josh Z

I prefer the theatrical cut, but I think both are excellent in their own ways (though I could live without the plantation scene). They are different films. The new scenes make Redux into a new movie with a different tone and focus than the theatrical cut, but that doesn't mean it is a bad movie. It's just not the same movie.

chrismcg

It seems to me that only Artisan has provided a great branching feature like this - giving you excellent value for your money IMO. Of course, I know I'm probably wrong - but this was a Paramount release - and most of their special editions belong in the Special Olympics.

Why hasn't this one had a SE boxed set? We may never know

GuruAskew

"Apocalypse Now Redux" isn't just the theatrical cut with new footage inserted, it's a version of the film re-edited from scratch. Not only are some of the scenes in totally different spots compared to the theatrical version (like the Mr. Clean waterskiing scene) but Coppola is rumored to have used different takes in certain scenes (although if it's true, the takes are so similar to the originals that they haven't been detected).

Julie Walker

Well i've only seen the 'original' version once on video(in widescreen though!) a few years ago. Then saw Redux in theaters(which was amazing!) & now the dvd of that version(since the original version was still to high priced).

So i've seen Redux more than the shorter version.

I think it's a great movie & love just about all of the added scenes. Sure the films extremely long. Yet you can watch it in portions you know! Since it is a long drawn out draining experiance..that it may be tough finding time for 3+ hours to watch one film.

Now the one sequence i did have a problem with was the 'plantation sequence'. Now it's a great scene..but that dinner sequence which goes on for 10 minutes or more could have been helpled with some trimming!

Mostly the acting is not that great in the scene & it just stauls. Yet had they cut around the more rambling lines..& just kept in the more important ones(which are spread out equally durring the begining middle & ending of the scene). It would have flowed much better.

Yet other than that..i find it a great movie & a nice version of it.

Now my only qualm is with the aspect ratio! I really wish the DP was not so insecure about home video letterboxing,that they released the film in it's full 2:35 aspect ratio. So i'm glad i did not miss this in theaters. Some of the cropping in some sequences were to distracting. Such as durring the 'bunnies' sequence. At the very end you could in theaters,see Laurence Fishburn leaning from outside on the window still..then the 'bunny' asks "who are you?"..& he says "I'm next mam!". Very funny moment in a dark way..but it's ruined somewhat by Laurence being completely cropped out on the dvd!


In fact if you handed me over the rights to the film for a limited time at least. I would make sure to release both versions of the film in it's full 2:35 OAR(screw the DP!). All the deleted workprint footage..& the Hearts of Darkness documentary..& show Paramount how a dvd should be done!

Josh Z

FYI, the cropping has nothing to do with the amount of letterboxing. In recent years, Vittorio Storaro has developed a kooky theory he calls "Univisium" that claims 2.0:1 is the ideal aspect ratio for which all movies should be composed. He feels so strongly about it that he is imposing this new ratio onto all of his old movies, even those that were not composed with Univisium in mind, no matter how bad they look with their sides cropped.

He's gone quite senile, you see.

ratguy

I heard this as well. There is a small homage to Lucas near the beginning of the film. Look closely at Harrison Ford's uniform and you will see that the name patch reads 'Lucas'