Apocalypse Now is a 1979 cult classic directed by Francis Ford Coppola which focuses on Navy Captain Benjamin Willard’s mission to assassinate Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, who has gone rogue according to classified orders of Willard’s employers at the United States military. Apocalypse Now was an adaptation of Heart of Darkness, a largely allegorical novella written in 1899 by Joseph Conrad. Apocalypse Now follows the journey of American soldiers reaching through the Cambodian jungle in order to terminate the rogue Colonel, while Heart of Darkness’s protagonist is a British seaman who travels up an African river into an uncharted land in search of a man who went mad and proclaimed himself king over all he surveyed.
Apocalypse Now figuratively depicts “darkness” in its metaphorical darkness heralding the Apocalypse, while Heart of Darkness literally takes place at night when darkness sets in around 4:30 P.M. Apocalypse Now has been read as a criticism of United States foreign policy during the Vietnam War, whereas Heart of Darkness has been dissected through multiple lenses including being seen as examination of European colonization or simply being a psychological horror novel. Apocalypse Now has been interpreted as a metaphorical representation of Vietnam, while Heart of Darkness is widely known as one of the first examples of “Heart-of-Darkness” motifs.
Apocalypse Now has major differences to Heart of Darkness. The first difference is Apocalypse’s setting. Apocalypse takes place during the Vietnam War and its main character, Captain Benjamin L. Willard, a United States Army officer who reports directly to Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, is ordered to go up the Nung River on a boat with a crew to find Colonel Kurtz, who has been reported as lost in action. Apocalypse Now also features an entirely different plot from Apocalypse’s mission statement which was to kill Colonel Kurtz for disobeying orders.
The only similarities between the two are that both Apocalypse and Heart take place outside America and they deal with mysterious superiors that have gone insane or loony – you would have to read the book to find out what really happens. Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American epic war film set during the Vietnam War, inspired by Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The film was co-written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and stars Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Frederic Forrest, Albert Hall and Sam Bottoms.
It was influenced by Gustav Hasford’s novel The Short-Timers (1979). The next big difference is Apocalypse’s blatant use of symbolism as well as its cinematography which is much different from that in Heart of Darkness. In Apocalypse Now, there are many symbols used – most prominently the Playboy Magazine with a centerfold – but others include psychedelic patterns on clothing and the jungle itself.
Apocalypse Now is overloaded with symbolism, but this may be due to it being a film and its makers needing an excuse for such, because Apocalypse Now’s plot does not need any embellishment; it conveys what it intends to – war – perfectly even without all the symbols. Apocalypse Now also has better delivery than Heart of Darkness as Apocalypse Now follows a linear style while Heart of Darkness jumps around in progression and time (with flashbacks and memories) which makes Apocalypse Now easier for audiences to follow.
In conclusion, Apocalypse Now is still similar to Heart of Darkness as both have been inspired by Joseph Conrad’s novel but Apocalypse Also has many differences from Heart that set them apart as the same at their core. Apocalypse Now is a more linear narrative with fewer flashbacks while Heart of Darkness travels around through time and tells its story via flashbacks which Apocalypse Now does not have.
Apocalypse Now also includes symbols to further help audiences understand the film whereas Heart of Darkness’s plot conveys what it needs to without any embellishments, but Apocalypse Now has better cinematography than Heart of Darkness as Apocalypse Now uses many psychedelic patterns in its cinematography while Heart tells its story by jumping around in time and place. Apocalypse Now also takes place during the Vietnam War whereas Heart of Darkness does set itself within a specific timeframe, but Apocalypse Now still has references to other times due to flashbacks.
The biggest difference between the two are Apocalypse’s setting being different from that which Heart of Darkness is set in due Apocalypse Now taking place during the Vietnam War and Apocalypse Now’s plot being entirely different from Apocalypse’s mission statement in Heart of Darkness. Apocalypse Now also includes more symbolism than Heart of Darkness, however Apocalypse Now is easier to follow that the complex Heart of Darkness. Apocalypse Now uses linear narrative whereas Heart of Darkness jumps around through time and place which makes Apocalypse harder for audiences to understand.
Apocalypse Now has a very ironic twist. Apocalypse Now is about the Vietnam War and Heart of Darkness is from during the colonial period, late 1800s. Apocalypse Now takes place in Vietnam to search for the rogue Colonel Kurtz who went insane by murdering innocent people and plundering their bodies, while Marlow travels up a river known as ‘the heart of darkness to find an ivory trader named Kurtz.
Apocalypse Now contains lots metaphors, similes, symbolism (e.g.: when Willard rips up the Playboy Magazine; uses its pages to make his bed), hyperbole , repetition (e.g.: The End’ pops up in some scenes like at beginning with Willard lost in his apartment room), personification (e.g.: “the horror, the horror”) and tone. Apocalypse Now has great cinematography portraying scenery, people, nature and action scenes to create an epic movie. Heart of Darkness is written in 3rd person limited point of view (I/he/she).