Making Sense of Vietnam

Apocalypse Now (1979)

This is not a blockbuster film; this is not an action adventure - there is nothing that can be said about this film to romanticize it. Apocalypse Now is a shocking eye-opener for someone who had only heard rumours about Vietnam. I had previously watched films seeing the protests; seeing returning casualties try to endure re-entry to civilian life (Forrest Gump). Also I learned about the student protests in a long list of dates, statistics and acronyms.

R 'n R

Watching Apocalypse Now was trippy. A surreal psychological experience where ones eyes are glued to the screen. You are submerged into the contrasting atmosphere of gliding down idyllic jungle rivers, with the sun reflecting off the water in a radiant orange glow, and dark, stark realities of an anti-communist war in the eyes of USA. It is impossible for thoughts to meander away from what unfurls in front of you.

The soundtrack of ambient atonal orchestra music and the Door's The End  were the perfect non-digetic tracks - and really - The Doors track made the film for me; an 11 minute wavering, lyrical hymn to pyschedelia and all it stands for. The fatalism emerging from this song is what makes it so poignant for a film like Apocalypse Now. America went in too deep and now are now reaping the consequences whilst swinging on the rope noose, tightening on their guilty necks.

America from my point of view are bolshy, and unashamedly self-righteous. All started with the Truman Doctrine when President Truman declared it was America's duty to protect the world from Communism. This fear of this antithetical threat escalated in to an irrational hatred, that was first shown politically, then physically with crazy witch-hunts for communists and bizarre cult of McCarthyism. Then 'Nam came along... I don't know the origins yet somehow like a malignant tumour, the panic spread; conscription by birthday amassed a rabble of an army. An army of youths lead by stubborn incompetent Generals will never be successful. We learn about the protests but not exactly why they were protesting. Now witnessing where they were going - it angers me further as the protests didn't end the war or stop conscription. American's are not allowed to buy alcohol until 21 yet it is apparently okay to send them to Vietnam - to experience such atrocities.

Just how incredibly farcical the whole situation had become was witnessed in the 'epic' flight of helicopters descending on a village at dawn. Colonel Kilgore hollers; 'play the music - my boys love it' and Ride of the Valkyries swarms from above. It is incredible cinema. However patriotic this scene may be, it is horrifying to see the lack of remorse, and enjoyment the men are having when flying in the helicopters. Until mistakes are made and death swoops down. The realism of the fun, coloured gas and bright explosions of Napalm of are complete opposites to the harrowing events

Mental instability is a massive topic tackled here yet there is no clear resolution - the ambiguity leaves you unsettled but provokes much thought. The acid culture that the soldiers bring with them, creates a dream world where they are fighting unconsciously. They only see the hatred of 'Charlie' which has been fueled by propaganda and lies. When the target - Colonel Kurtz (the ultimate soldier gone insane) - surfaces, we join Francis Ford Coppola on a journey into the depth of the deteriorating mind. It expresses a human conflict between our beliefs in being civilised and primordial instincts of seeking power within nature. Marlon Brando is memorable as his poetic words spoken delicately are really quite chilling.

This film must be watched with foundation of knowledge of Vietnam war to fully appreciate it. Best film.
*****