Napalm In The Morning

Apocalypse Now has generated enough discourse and press in the past 30 years that its notoriety almost eclipses the film itself. We all know that Francis Ford Coppola--who wrote, directed and produced the film--had a hell of a time making it, and it's pretty common knowledge that many felt that the film was cursed. The set was besieged with natural disasters, including Marlon Brando and a typhoon that destroyed the set pieces. Martin Sheen had a heart attack during filming. There were a number of rewrites, it was over budget to the tune of a small country's GDP, and the release date was pushed back repeatedly as Coppola struggled to bring his vision into a coherent piece. The resulting film, frankly, is anything but a coherent piece, but it's truly one of the most remarkable pieces of cinema ever made, a confounding two and a half hours that veer between a war movie, a deeply theoretical morality play and an acid trip. It's a surreal, philosophical and beautifully shot film that becomes only more interesting when enhanced by the backstory of its production. The movie that dazed audiences and forever changed the temperament of its director will be shown at the Palace Theater in Grapevine, 300 S. Main St. at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $7.50. Call 817-410-3100 for more information.
Fri., Sept. 4, 2009