When one watches many movies certain pattern arise. Working at a video store for approximately ten months, I noticed that each genre of movie has its own constant elements. Though Apocalypse Now is commonly categorized as a Action or Drama movie it defines horror. Now three types of horror emerge as they are demonstrated individually in combination. I refer to the three types of horror as psychological, gore and surprise.
Psychological horror plays with human rationalization.
Gore shows a stunning or a violent action. Each type of horror appeals to different parts of the human psyche and requires unique methods of creation. Apocalypse Now is Francis Ford Coppula's adaptation of Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness. It is the story of a Green Beret named Williard who journeys through Vietnam by river to confront an officer who had left the army in the pursuit of his own, private war. Because Williard's trip down the river is a metaphorical journey into the human mind it presents a perfect example of how each type horror is created and their effect on the human mind.