Are they ever going to remaster and re-release the ORIGINAL film, or are they just going to leave us with this bloated unecessary Redux film that was cleaned up.

?

well I doubt it...so I advise you to go ahead and get the Original DVD...its perfectly fine...doesnt look or sound quite has good has Redux...but its just fine...I really didnt notice any difference at all in the sound...the picture is a bit grainier on the Original DVD...but I actually prefer it that way...

I agree: the original DVD really isn't bad at all, includes the alternate closing, and most importantly is the original cut of the film.

I suspect, however, that the original cut might be rereleased, perhaps whenever Coppola/studio is in need of a cash infusion. But there were remarks to the effect of the original cut being "permanently retired", even something about cutting the original negative (though unnecessary and thus hopefully unlikely).

At any rate, the original cut is the only one worth a damn and given that it might not be rereleased on DVD ever again (and also that the original DVD ain't bad at all), I highly recommend you search it out just in case it's gone for good.

I'm not sure if the original would ever be re-released, but like the others have said, the first release of this film is not a bad transfer. I just wish that we could get Heart of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse released on DVD. It has to be one of the best documentaries about making a film.

the blowing up of the Kurtz compound is NOT an alternate closing...listen to FFC's commentary. Its just extra footage they included because they had to destroy it as part of the agreement they had to film there and they decided to roll film. FFC has stated clearly that he did not want to give the impression that Willard phoned in a strike.

I agree the orig cut is better, I agree that the transfer is pretty good, and I agree we need Hearts of Darkness, HOD aside, the original is a pretty good release.
John

Muhahaha! It's all a conspiracy theory led by that Dark Sith Lord George Lucas who is hunting down all original cuts of extended movies and destroying them. Give in to the Dark Side...yes...I feel your hatred.

They could really make this a true Spec. Ed. dvd if they would put out the oringnal picture ratio, leave out the new scenes as extra scenes, and put the HEARTS OF DARKNESS documentary all on one box set.

I'd like to see both versions in their OAR.

I'd love to see a new release that included Hearts of Darkness. I have that on video, but it's self-recorded, and pretty hard to watch.

As far as Apocalypse Now Redux, I agree it's not as good, but I've seen the original so many times (including the first week it came out, before it had end credits, at the Cinerama Dome) that I prefer watching Redux just because it's something new.

I posted about this before but sure I'd love to see Hearts of Darkness come out too. Hopefully it would be the full length version and not the heavily edited PBS cut.
What I'd really like to see is "Hearts of Hot Shots part Deux" come out as well. This was an hilarious "behind the scenes" that was made for HBO. (I grabbed it on VHS...so-so quality). It was a spoof of both ""Hearts of Darkness" and "Apocalypse Now". Martin Sheen (Charlie, his son is the lead in the Hot Shots series) appears in it as an agent sent to infiltrate the Hot Shots movie set and shut it down. I was hoping it might be an extra on the HS part deux DVD but it's not; is probably exclusive to HBO. Every Apocalypse Now/HOD fan with a good sense of humor should try and see it. (It's also MUCH funnier than any of the Hot Shots movies)

"the blowing up of the Kurtz compound is NOT an alternate closing...listen to FFC's commentary."

I saw this film on its original release and the blowing up of the compound was most definitely included. There were no end credits. This was in a Maine neighborhood theater, so it certainly wasn't an anomaly.

Actually the destruction of Kurtz's compound [b]is[/] an alternate ending.

During the film's original 70 mm release, the destruction was not included. But during the film's wider 35 mm run, the destruction was the way the film ended.

For home video (VHS), the destruction was removed and conventional closing credits added.

Whatever. The point is that it's only on the original-cut DVD release.