One of the Greats

Rating: 10/10 (3 March 2003)

Which is better? The original cut, or "Redux"? My theatrical/literary timeline for this saga is as follows. I saw "Apocalypse Now" when it was released theatrically in 1979, and I thought it was one of the best movies I had ever seen. Then some years later I read "Heart of Darkness" on which "Apocalypse Now" is based. It's not an easy book; short, but a tough pull. After reading the novel, I disagreed about the movie's supposed close relationship to the novel and felt the two had less in common than many reviewers claimed. I had the distinct feeling that the closest some of these columnists had come to the "Heart of Darkness" was the Classic Comic. Then, many years later, I watched "Redux".
The editing and additional scenes make "Redux" less a war movie than the original, and textually closer to the "Heart of Darkness" with its slow trip up the dark, tropical river. The better film? The original is tighter and tells a better story. If you've seen neither, this is the one. But if you've seen the original and loved it, rent "Redux". You'll be pleased.