Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now - Essay - July Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now By: July • Essay • 779 Words • March 6, 2010 • 436 Views Page 1 of 4 Join now to read essay Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad and "Apocalypse Now" a movie directed by Francis Coppola are two works that parallel one another but at the same time reflect their own era in time and their creator's own personal feelings and prejudices. "Apocalypse Now" was released in 1979 after two years in the making, as Coppola's modern interpretation to Joseph Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness (Harris). Conrad's book is an excellent example of the advances writers and philosophers made in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This advance deals with civilized humanity's ability to be prepared for and know the unknown. (Johnson) Comparatively, Copolla's movie does the same in the late 1970's. "Apocalypse Now" dares to breach the edges of soldier sanity in a stressful and protested Vietnam War. One of the many similarities between Heart of Darkness and "Apocalypse Now" is race.

Joseph Conrad and Francis Coppola both use white men as the characters that have dominance (Bradley). The white men not only dominate their respective crews, but also the peoples native to the country the white men are visiting. The character Conrad uses, Marlow, and Coppola uses his character, Willard, both look at the natives as though white men are the civilized culture and the native people are the savage culture (Franklin). Both works also reflect the theory that "civilized" white men that go into an uncivilized land become savage and do not return to white civilization. An example of this that is in the book is MarlowХs appointment with the doctor. The doctor measures Marlow's skull to compare its size at the present time to the size of his skull upon his return from the Congo. The thought is that a civilized manХs skull is a different size than a savage's skull. When Marlow asks the doctor how what the results of this test have been in the past, the doctor comments that there are none because no civilized person has ever returned from the Congo. An example of this in the movie is when Willard faces his own personality of whether or not to complete his soldierly mission of killing Kurtz or to abort it.

If he completes the mission he is still civil, if he does not, the Vietnam jungle has conquered him. The first soldier that is sent to kill Kurtz did not kill Kurtz, but in fact became one of his followers. The jungle overcame the first soldier. An important similarity of the main characters in each work is that each character has a sympathy for Kurtz and when Kurtz dies, Marlow and Willard see a little of themselves in this degenerated savage white man (Harris). Perhaps the similarity of the book and movie is that we, the reader and viewer are intended to discover the darkness in our own hearts. Although Continue for 3 more pages » • Join now to read essay Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now and other term papers or research documents Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now lacks the impact of its inspiration, Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.

While the basic elements of imperialism and human nature 1,119 Words | 5 Pages Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse once wisely noted, вЂњEvery age, every culture, every custom and tradition has its own character, its own weakness and its 2,187 Words | 9 Pages Important Note: If you'd like to save a copy of the paper on your computer, you can COPY and PASTE it into your word processor. 2,366 Words | 10 Pages Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is the story of Captain Willard’s journey up the Nung River in Cambodia to kill a general, Kurtz, 1,333 Words | 6 Pages In the opening scenes of the documentary film "Hearts of Darkness-A Filmmaker's Apocalypse," Eleanor Coppola describes her husband Francis's film, "Apocalypse Now," as being 1,452 Words | 6 Pages Comparing Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Essay - 253 Words Essay about heart of darkness apocalypse now ...Coppola both provide through different conventions a distinctive insight into the Interior.

Joseph Conrad author of “Heart of Darkness”, and Francis Coppola’s appropriation of “Heart of Darkness”, “Apocalypse Now” use their respective protagonists Marlow and Willard placing them in a didactic journey into the unknown interior that proves to be the heart of man, the “Heart of... 1781 Words | 5 Pages Heart of Darkness Apocalypse Now Essay ...﻿Heart of Darkness – Apocalypse Now Trying to carry on in an unfamiliar society for a long duration of time can lead to madness and chaos. Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness and Francis Ford Coppola’s film Apocalypse Now share many parallels and similar ideas to demonstrate that humans can become monstrous beings upon entering an environment that is alien to them. While the... 850 Words | 2 Pages Apocalypse Now vs Heart of Darkness Essay ...Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now lacks the impact of its inspiration, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. While the basic elements of imperialism and human nature remain intact, the characters of the film bare little resemblance to their literary counterparts. The film serves as a re-interpretation of Conrad's novella, updated from 19th-century British imperialism in the Congo to a critique of 20th-century U.S. imperialism in...

1168 Words | 3 Pages Heart of Darkness vs. Apocalypse Now Essay ...Awards is an outstanding feat. Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now did not only that, but won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Sound. Coppola can not take all the credit for this enlightening movie. The film was loosely based off of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Though Conrad was not credited in Apocalypse Now, his novella has a great impact on Coppola's cinematic masterpiece. Captain... 1016 Words | 3 Pages Heart of Darkness Compared to Apocalypse Now Essay ...Heart of Darkness, a novel by Joseph Conrad, and Apocalypse Now, a movie by Francis Ford Coppola can be compared and contrasted in many ways. By focusing on their endings and on the character of Kurtz, contrasting the meanings of the horror in each media emerges. In the novel the horror reflects Kurtz tragedy of transforming into a ruthless animal whereas in the film the horror has more of a definite meaning, reflecting the war and all... 595 Words | 2 Pages Apocalypse Now vs. Heart of Darkness Essay ...Heart of Darkness Vs. Apocalypse Now A Comparison Francis Ford Coppola is an innovative, successful, and ingenious filmmaker.

These qualities are well-represented in the film Apocalypse Now. The basic story of Apocalypse Now is about a Vietnam soldier who is sent on a classified mission to kill Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, a man who has made himself a personal Jesus in his... 310 Words | 1 Pages Heart of Darkness Apocalypse Now Essay ...Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad and “Apocalypse Now”, a movie directed by Francis Coppola represent two outstanding examples that compare relevant ideas regarding racism, colonialism, and prejudices. The two combine film along with descriptive language to portray their mastery during different eras. For Heart of Darkness, Conrad uses his writing techniques to illustrate Marlow in the Congo, while... 808 Words | 2 Pages Essay about Parallels Between Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now ...Various parallels can be drawn when comparing and contrasting Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Frank Coppola's "Apocalypse Now", while taking into consideration Heart of Darkness is a novella and "Apocalypse Now" is a film. These differences and similarities can be seen in themes, characters, events and other small snippets of information including anything from...

1879 Words | 5 Pages The 100 best novels: No 32 – Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1899) | Books | The Guardian The 100 best novels The 100 best novels: No 32 – Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1899) Joseph Conrad's masterpiece about a life-changing journey in search of Mr Kurtz has the simplicity of great myth Monday 28 April 2014 02.00 EDT First published on Monday 28 April 2014 02.00 EDT Share on Messenger Close So far, on this list, with the possible exception of Alice in Wonderland (No 18 in this series) , Heart of Darkness is probably the title that has aroused, and continues to arouse, most literary critical debate, not to say polemic. This is partly because the story it tells has the visceral simplicity of great myth, and also because the book takes its narrator (Charles Marlow), and the reader, on a journey into the heart of Africa.

Our encounter with Marlow's life-changing journey begins on the Thames in London, the great imperial capital, with his recollection of "the uttermost ends of the Earth". With brilliant economy, Conrad transports him to Congo on a quest that the writer himself undertook as a young man. There, working for the shadowy, but all-powerful "Company", Marlow hears of Mr Kurtz, who is described as a first-class Company servant. Once in the dark continent, Marlow is sent upriver to make contact with Kurtz, who is said to be very ill, and also to safeguard the security of the Inner Station. What he finds, after a gruelling journey to the interior, is a fellow European, who may or may not have gone mad, and who is worshipped as a god by the natives of the primitive interior. Kurtz, however, has paid a terrible price for his mastery. When Marlow finds him on his deathbed, he utters the famous and enigmatic last words: "The horror! The horror!" This line is often said to refer to the atrocities Conrad himself witnessed in Congo as it suffered under the colonial administration of the Belgians.

He himself is said to have remarked that his story was based on "experience, pushed a little (and only very little) beyond the actual facts of the case". The metaphorical force of the story and the indifferent contempt of the African who announces "Mistah Kurtz – He dead" (brilliantly expropriated by TS Eliot) gives Heart of Darkness the most modern air of all the books that make up the movement called Modernism. Welcome to the 20th century, possibly English and American fiction's golden age. A note on the text Conrad's first and second languages were Polish and French, with his third language, English, not acquired until he was 20. English, however, was the medium he adopted to explore his youthful experience as a riverboat captain in Belgian Congo. Part of the work's strange hallucinatory atmosphere comes from the writer's struggle with a language that was not his mother tongue. He sometimes said he would have preferred to be a French novelist, and that English was a language without "clean edges". He once complained that "all English words are instruments for exciting blurred emotions". This, paradoxically, is perhaps what gives the book its famously enigmatic, and ambiguous, atmosphere.

Conrad finished writing Heart of Darkness on 9 February 1899. It was originally published as a three-part serialisation in Blackwood's Magazine from February to April 1899 (a commission for the 1,000th issue of the magazine), where it was promoted as a nautical tale by a writer whose work was at first (mistakenly) associated with the sea. Heart of Darkness comes down to us in three other primary texts: a manuscript, a typescript and the final, revised version published in 1902. Not exactly a long story, and certainly not a novella, at barely 38,000 words long, it first appeared in volume form as part of a collection of stories that included Youth: A Narrative and The End of the Tether. It has become Conrad's most famous, controversial and influential work. The English and American writers who fell under its spell include TS Eliot (The Waste Land), Graham Greene (A Burnt-out Case), George Orwell ( Nineteen-Eighty-Four ) and William Golding (The Inheritors) .

It also inspired the Francis Ford Coppola 1979 film Apocalypse Now, a work of homage that continues to renew the contemporary fascination with the text. None of Conrad's other books have inspired such veneration, especially in America, though some (including me) might want to place Nostromo (1904) higher up the pantheon. Critics have endlessly debated it. Chinua Achebe denounced it , in a famous 1975 lecture, as the work of "a bloody racist". Among the novels in this series, few novels occupy such an unassailable place on the list. It is a haunting, hypnotic masterpiece by a great writer who towers over the literature of the 20th century. Three more from Joseph Conrad Nostromo (1904); The Secret Agent (1907); Under Western Eyes (1911). Apocalypse Now vs Heart of Darkness Essay - 1168 Words Apocalypse Now vs. Heart of Darkness Essay ...Heart of Darkness Vs. Apocalypse Now A Comparison Francis Ford Coppola is an innovative, successful, and ingenious filmmaker. These qualities are well-represented in the film Apocalypse Now.

The basic story of Apocalypse Now is about a Vietnam soldier who is sent on a classified mission to kill Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, a man who has made himself a personal Jesus... 310 Words | 1 Pages Heart of Darkness vs. Apocalypse Now Essay ...Awards is an outstanding feat. Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now did not only that, but won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Sound. Coppola can not take all the credit for this enlightening movie. The film was loosely based off of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Though Conrad was not credited in Apocalypse Now, his novella has a great impact on Coppola's cinematic masterpiece. Captain... 1016 Words | 3 Pages Heart of Darkness & Apocalypse Now Essay ...2013 Apocalypse Now &amp; Heart of Darkness Appropriation Essay Marlow and Willard both journey into the “interior.” What they find and what they experience reflects the concerns of their respective composers. Compare how Joseph Conrad and Francis Ford Coppola use Marlow and Willard to voice their concerns and critique their respective contexts. In your response, ensure that you refer to specific scenes from both texts and consider...

1434 Words | 4 Pages Essay about heart of darkness apocalypse now ...Coppola both provide through different conventions a distinctive insight into the Interior. Joseph Conrad author of “Heart of Darkness”, and Francis Coppola’s appropriation of “Heart of Darkness”, “Apocalypse Now” use their respective protagonists Marlow and Willard placing them in a didactic journey into the unknown interior that proves to be the heart of man, the “Heart of... 1781 Words | 5 Pages Heart of Darkness Apocalypse Now Essay ...﻿Heart of Darkness – Apocalypse Now Trying to carry on in an unfamiliar society for a long duration of time can lead to madness and chaos. Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness and Francis Ford Coppola’s film Apocalypse Now share many parallels and similar ideas to demonstrate that humans can become monstrous beings upon entering an environment that is alien to them. While the... 850 Words | 2 Pages Heart of Darkness Compared to Apocalypse Now Essay ...Heart of Darkness, a novel by Joseph Conrad, and Apocalypse Now, a movie by Francis Ford Coppola can be compared and contrasted in many ways. By focusing on their endings and on the character of Kurtz, contrasting the meanings of the horror in each media emerges.

In the novel the horror reflects Kurtz tragedy of transforming into a ruthless animal whereas in the film the horror has more of a definite meaning, reflecting the war and all... 595 Words | 2 Pages Comparing Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Essay ...Comparing Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now The book Heart of Darkness and the movie Apocalypse Now have a similar plot but takes place in different times and a world apart. Apocalypse now is a modern version or interpretation of the book Heart of Darkness written in 1902. The theme of in both is that of a white man... 253 Words | 1 Pages Heart of Darkness Apocalypse Now Essay ...Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad and “Apocalypse Now”, a movie directed by Francis Coppola represent two outstanding examples that compare relevant ideas regarding racism, colonialism, and prejudices. The two combine film along with descriptive language to portray their mastery during different eras. For Heart of Darkness, Conrad uses his writing techniques to illustrate Marlow in the Congo, while...

808 Words | 2 Pages Heart of Darkness: Joseph Conrad: 9781503275928: Amazon.com: Books Heart of Darkness Buy the selected items together This item:Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Paperback $6.99 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Paperback $7.53 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Page 1 of 1 Start over Sponsored Products are advertisements for products sold by merchants on Amazon.com. When you click on a Sponsored Product ad, you will be taken to an Amazon detail page where you can learn more about the product and purchase it. To learn more about Amazon Sponsored Products, click here . Marriage Can Be Murder (Dr.

Benjamin Bones Mysteries Book 1) Emma Jameson First in a nostalgic cozy mystery series set in 1939 England. Handsome young Dr. Bones moves into a haunted house and must solve a murder. Storm Clouds Rolling In (#1 in the Bregdan Chronicles Historical Fiction Romance Series) Ginny Dye Discover why people worldwide have fallen in love with the 9 books of the historical fiction series - The Bregdan Chronicles. Prepare to be hooked! Echo Six: Black Ops - ISIS Death Squad Eric Meyer This is a thrilling and bloody story of NATO Special Forces, operating behind enemy lines. Men trained to go to any lengths to complete their mission. Jeremy Bates When there is no reason left to live, what would you do with your last six bullets? The Bee Keeper's Daughter (The Kingdom of Meridian Book 1) Shian Serei She's only 19 and running for her life. Can she evade the dangers of medieval Russia while discovering romance and her womanhood? Suspense awaits you! The Showing (Mister Jones Mysteries Book 1) Will Macmillan Jones A haunted house: two missing women. Will more be taken before Mister Jones can solve the mystery and end the evil?

From a master of Dark Fantasy. Ad feedback Special Offers and Product Promotions Editorial Reviews About the Author Polish author Joseph Conrad is considered to be one of the greatest English-language novelists, a remarkable achievement considering English was not his first language. Conrad s literary works often featured a nautical setting, reflecting the influences of his early career in the Merchant Navy, and his depictions of the struggles of the human spirit in a cold, indifferent world are best exemplified in such seminal works as Heart of Darkness, Lord JimM, The Secret Agent, Nostromo, and Typhoon. Regarded as a forerunner of modernist literature, Conrad s writing style and characters have influenced such distinguished writers as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, William S. Burroughs, Hunter S. Thompson, and George Orwell, among many others. Many of Conrad s novels have been adapted for film, most notably Heart of Darkness, which served as the inspiration and foundation for Francis Ford Coppola s 1979 film Apocalypse Now. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition. Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here , or download a FREE Kindle Reading App . Ignite your imagination with these editor's picks from Kindle books.

See more Product Details Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 29, 2014) Language: English Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces ( View shipping rates and policies ) Average Customer Review: By Jenna Rasmussen on February 12, 2015 Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase Reading Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a lot like running a 5K (3.2 miles) race. You start out slow and steady trying to get your pace and make your way through the convoluted mess of other racers, but by mile two youâre huffing and puffing and ready to quit because itâs a lot harder than you thought it would be. By the time you hit mile three you think you canât possibly keep going until finally the endorphins kick in and you realize, hey, youâre actually having fun! Then before you know it the race is over, and youâre left with a sense of wonder and accomplishment at having run the whole thing. Most importantly you take away a new identity of yourself; you, my friend, are now a Runner.

Just as a 5K is 3 miles, Heart of Darkness is divided into 3 parts. For me, the first part of the story was initially hard to get into because I found it difficult to adjust to Conradâs dense writing style, and I found myself confused by Conrad's use of one narrator to begin the story and then the shift in point of view to the character of Marlow telling his own story. I read something about an interview and something about a river boat captain, but few things made sense. By the second part, I thought I was beginning to understand. Marlowâs predicament with his broken down boat and the puzzle pieces began to come together. To grasp the meaning, I looked at reviews and othersâ critiques of the story, and I realized I might not be understanding what was going on. I moved into part 3 with a tentative understanding. The plot, muddy and dark, became tinted grey. Marlow finally meets the man I'd read about in pages before -- Mr. Kurtz, a man spoken of with a weird sense of awe. Marlow, this idealist, comes to understand that some really bad things are happening in his world.

He wakens to the realities of duplicity and greed and how a wild land can corrupt a man. Emotion seeps into part 3 as Marlow comes to understand. He says, âI was, so to speak, numbered with the dead. It is strange how I accepted this unforeseen partnership, this choice of nightmares forced upon me in the tenebrous land invaded by these mean and greedy phantoms.â Heart of Darkness is about a man, broken by his experience and what he sees and learns in the Congo. To experience Heart of Darkness is to come away asking yourself who you are and what has your life shaped you to be? And just as running a 5K gives you a new identity of Runner, reading Heart of Darkness gives you a new identity of Self. By In the Bookcase on January 20, 2016 Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase "Now when I was a little chap I had a passion for maps. I would look for hours at South America, or Africa, or Australia, and lose myself in all the glories of exploration.

At that time there were many blank spaces on the earth, and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map (but they all look that) I would put my finger on it and say, 'When I grow up I will go there.' The North Pole was one of these places, I remember. Well, I haven't been there yet, and shall not try now. The glamour's off. Other places were scattered about the hemispheres. I have been in some of them, and... well, we won't talk about that. But there was one yet â the biggest, the most blank, so to speak â that I had a hankering after." Heart of Darkness is a deep, enigmatic book containing many hidden metaphors. I'm sure I didn't catch half the metaphor illustrations in the text. The entire book is a dialogue of a story being told. Marlow, an old sailor, is retelling the time of when he steamed through the Congo searching for the mysterious Mr. Kurtz. It might even cause a chill to go down your spine in the sincerely bleak parts.

"I remembered the old doctorâ'It would be interesting for science to watch the mental changes of individuals, on the spot.' I felt I was becoming scientifically interesting." It is a revelation of mankind's fatal instincts. It's about the hidden depths of the mind and the secrets inside mankind's heart. "The reaches opened before us and closed behind, as if the forest had stepped leisurely across the water to bar the way for our return. We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness. It was very quiet there." By Annie on April 11, 2016 Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase Joseph Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness following his own experiences in Central Africa and was published in late nineteenth century. It is a novella of extraordinary depth and feeling and like it or hate it, I think it is one of those classics that should be read. I read it at school and wasn't too impressed (are we ever impressed by what is essential reading) but appreciate in my later years the incredible talent Conrad had for feeling and description.

The jungle....the river....the ivory hunters and colonists,and the poor indigenous people of that land ...all meshed out in the tightest prose (not a word is wasted) that will have you there..right in the heart of darkness of the African Congo. The fact that it is still being read and published in many countries speaks for itself. Heart of Darkness: Joseph Conrad: 9781936690824: Amazon.com: Books Heart of Darkness Why is ISBN important? ISBN This bar-code number lets you verify that you're getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. The 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work. Scan an ISBN with your phone Use the Amazon App to scan ISBNs and compare prices. Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon Add to List Sorry, there was a problem. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again. Sorry, there was a problem. List unavailable. Only 5 left in stock (more on the way). Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available. Want it tomorrow, Jan. 21? Order within and choose Saturday Delivery at checkout.

Details Free Shipping for Prime Members | Fast, FREE Shipping with Amazon Prime Qty: Heart of Darkness has been added to your Cart Add to Cart Please enter a valid US zip code. Please enter a valid US zip code. Shipping to a APO/FPO/DPO? Please add the address to your address book. Make sure you include the unit and box numbers (if assigned). or Editorial Reviews About the Author Polish author Joseph Conrad is considered to be one of the greatest English-language novelists, a remarkable achievement considering English was not his first language. Conrad s literary works often featured a nautical setting, reflecting the influences of his early career in the Merchant Navy, and his depictions of the struggles of the human spirit in a cold, indifferent world are best exemplified in such seminal works as Heart of Darkness, Lord JimM, The Secret Agent, Nostromo, and Typhoon. Regarded as a forerunner of modernist literature, Conrad s writing style and characters have influenced such distinguished writers as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, William S. Burroughs, Hunter S. Thompson, and George Orwell, among many others.

Many of Conrad s novels have been adapted for film, most notably Heart of Darkness, which served as the inspiration and foundation for Francis Ford Coppola s 1979 film Apocalypse Now. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad - Google Books Heart of Darkness 2 Reviews For many years Heart of Darkness has been considered a great novella, one of a few great short novels in the Western canon. Because it addresses directly the ambiguity of good and evil, when it was first published the novel foreshadowed many of the themes and stylistic devices that define modern literature. One of Conrad's finest stories, loosely based on the author's experience of rescuing a company agent from a remote station in the heart of the Congo, Heart of Darkness is set in an atmosphere of mystery and lurking danger, and tells of Marlow's perilous journey up the Congo River to relieve his employer's agent, the fabled and terrifying Mr. Kurtz. What Marlow sees on his journey horrifies and perplexes him, and what his encounter with Kurtz reveals calls into question all of his assumptions about civilization and human nature.

Endlessly reinterpreted by critics and read in schools by countless students, the novel has been adapted numerous times for film-most famously Apocalypse Now-and shows Conrad at his finest, most intense, and most sophisticated. Heart of Darkness was originally published in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine in 1899 and published in book form in 1902. The present text derives from Doubleday's collected edition of Conrad's works, published in 1920-1921. Conrad & Coppola Heart of Darkness & Apocalypse Now: A comparative analysis of novella and film In the opening scenes of the documentary film "Hearts of Darkness-A Filmmaker's Apocalypse," Eleanor Coppola describes her husband Francis's film, "Apocalypse Now," as being "loosely based" on Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Indeed, "loosely" is the word; the period, setting, and circumstances of the film are totally different from those of the novella. The question, therefore, is whether any of Conrad's classic story of savagery and madness is extant in its cinematic reworking.

It is this question that I shall attempt to address in this brief monograph by looking more closely at various aspects of character, plot, and theme in each respective work. The story of Heart of Darkness is narrated by its central character, the seasoned mariner Marlowe, a recurring figure in Conrad's work. "Apocalypse Now" features a corollary to Marlowe in Captain Willard, a U.S. Army special forces operative assigned to go up the Nung river from Viet Nam into Cambodia in order to "terminate the command" of one Colonel Walter Kurtz whom, he is told, has gone totally insane. It is fitting that Marlowe's character should be renamed, as Willard differs from Marlowe in several significant ways: 1) He is not the captain of the boat which takes him and a party of others up the river; 2) He does not reflect the deep psychological and philosophical insights that are a signal feature in Marlowe's character, and 3) He is sent on his mission specifically to kill Kurtz, unlike Marlowe who is simply piloting others in the capacity of captain of a steamboat.

However, Willard does communicate Marlowe's fascination (growing, in fact, into an obsession) with Kurtz. Also significant is the fact that he holds the rank of captain, tying in with Marlowe's occupation. As to the character of Kurtz, it is worth noting that while significant discrepancies exist between the depictions of Conrad and Coppola, the basic nature of the man remains fairly similar. The idea of company man turned savage, of a brilliant and successful team-player, being groomed by "the Company" for greater things, suddenly gone native, is perfectly realized in both novella and film. In the film, Kurtz is portrayed by Marlon Brando, the father of American method actors, who lends weight (both physically and dramatically) to the figure of the megalomaniacal Kurtz. Brando's massive girth is all the more ironic for those familiar with Heart of Darkness who recall Conrad's description: "I could see the cage of his ribs all astir, the bones of his arms waving. It was as though an animated image of death carved out of old ivory had been shaking its hand with menaces at a motionless crowd of men..." [1].

One could speculate that Coppola's Kurtz is a graphic analogy of the bloated American war machine dominating and perverting the innocent montegnards of Cambodia; however, after viewing Eleanor Coppola's documentary, one finds that the casting was more based on a combination of Coppola's wanting to work with Brando (remember "The Godfather") and Brando's own weight problem. (It should also be noted that the cult-like following of Kurtz in _______________ [1] Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer (New York: Doubleday & Co., 1978), p. 135, Heart of Darkness is brilliantly and subtly updated by Coppola in a foreshadowing scene in which missives to Willard from headquarters are intercut with scenes of newspaper clippings about Charles Manson.) Also present in Coppola's film is the loveable, addle-headed harlequin/fool figure who meets Marlowe's boat upon arrival at Kurtz's station. This role is rendered in grand, demented style by Dennis Hopper, replete with a plethora of cameras (he is an American photojournalist) to update his fool's motley.

Much of his dialogue is taken directly from Conrad, although his character does not flee the scene as does his doppelganger in Heart of Darkness. Regarding plot, as stated earlier, Coppola's rendering of Heart of Darkness diverges wildly from Conrad. Conrad's story depicts a turn of the century riverboat captain transporting members of an unnamed "Company," an ivory trading concern, up a snake-like river winding its way into the Belgian Congo in order to locate their top "agent" and relieve him of his independently-stockpiled ivory. The Company has judged Kurtz to be a renegade whose methods are "unsound." Coppola's film gives us Willard, an Army captain who is sent by Army intelligence up a similar river in Viet Nam to kill a certain Colonel Kurtz. Again, Colonel Kurtz is considered by the parties in charge to be insane, his methods unsound (a direct dialogue echo from the text.) This last fact, however, that Willard is from the beginning an assassin, is a fundamental difference between the film and the book. It changes the whole psychological dynamic between that of Marlowe and Kurtz.

In Conrad, Marlowe is in awe of Kurtz, comes to identify with him in some dark recess of his own psyche; Willard, on the other hand, is more impressed with Kurtz's credentials than moved by his force of mind and will. His mission to kill Kurtz gives him some measure of pause, but his military protocol mentality ultimately rules the day. Compared with Marlowe's deep, searching ruminations on the dark, enigmatic Kurtz, Willard is a government-issue automaton. Add to this the fact that the first two thirds of the movie "Apocalypse Now" are concerned with the Viet Nam war and have absolutely nothing to do with the plot of Heart of Darkness, and it seems as if there is an unmendable rift between the film and its purported inspiration. To be fair, however, it is important to mention that the two plots do converge at the point just before the boat parties arrive at Kurtz's station, when a thick fog envelops each boat and a rain of arrows showers down on the passengers. From here we witness the death of the black helmsman by a spear, the greeting of the fool figure, and, finally the meeting with the mad Kurtz.

Which brings us to the question of theme. The dominant theme of Heart of Darkness is man's vulnerability to his own darker nature and the various ways in which this terrible, savage, proto-man can be unleashed; power, the jungle, "the Company," all serve as catalysts for the emergence of this hidden, voracious id-thing within us all, most realized in Kurtz. In "Apocalypse Now," Coppola is right on target in exploring this theme, his choice of Viet Nam in the sixties providing all the requisite elements: power, the jungle, and "the Company" are all present, the latter being represented by the U.S. Army, or perhaps the U.S.A. as a whole. This last touch is ingenious, as it calls up a whole series of speculations regarding the various forms of imperialism. In Conrad, set at the turn of the century, the imperialism is traditional, overt. In Coppola, the U.S. presence is just as overt, yet the pretense upon which it is based is more ideological, geopolitical. Both situations provide the possibility for endless abuse of power by foreigners in a primitive jungle setting, a setting which tends to bend their minds and release their dormant savage energies.

Heart of Darkness depicts gun-crazy members of "the Company" firing wildly upon anything and everything as they progress up the river. Likewise the men in the PBR in "Apocalypse Now," even more so, in fact, due to the circumstances of the Viet Nam war. The ultimate extreme of man's dark side, as explored in Conrad and Coppola, is madness. The embodiment of this madness is Kurtz, and it is explored more thoroughly, in fact, in Coppola. One might argue that no credit is to be given to Coppola for this, that so many men went mad in Viet Nam, that the war was madness itself. But the way in which Kurtz's madness is portrayed must be examined: the way Brando is filmed in perpetual half-shadow, as if darkness is pouring over him in some black ooze; the strange, nonsensical yet at the same time compelling ruminations he shares with Willard; the scene in which he beheads one of Willard's men and presents the trophy to Willard in full camouflage make-up. These are examples of the filmmaker's craft and should not be overlooked.

To sum up, the question must be answered as to whether Conrad's Heart of Darkness has survived the passage of seventy-five years and a cinematic treatment by Francis Ford Coppola. I would say yes, in its basic thematic elements, it has. Much has changed, but the basic feel of the novella, the brooding, mysterious jungle energy, its maddening influence over those who would try to tame it, and Kurtz, whose soul went mad, whose last words were "The horror, the horror," all remain relatively in tact. I wonder what Conrad would have thought. ©1996 Patrick Galloway Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad | PenguinRandomHouse.com About Heart of Darkness Widely regarded as one of the greatest English novels, Heart of Darkness follows Charles Marlow on his journey down the Congo River and into the heart of Africa. The book moves fluidly between poignant psychological introspection and insidious horror as Marlow moves through an alien landscape. It has been the subject of considerable analysis and criticism for its treatment of British imperialism, particular with regards to colonialism and racism.

It was the basis of the Vietnam war film Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, and Robert Duvall. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved. About Heart of Darkness ‘Heart of Darkness,’ which appeared at the very beginning of our century, ‘was a Cassandra cry announcing the end of Victorian Europe, on the verge of transforming itself into the Europe of violence,’ wrote the critic Czeslaw Milosz. Originally published in 1902, Heart of Darkness remains one of this century’s most enduring–and harrowing–works of fiction. Written several years after Conrad’s grueling sojourn in the Belgian Congo, the novel tells the story of Marlow, a seaman who undertakes his own journey into the African jungle to find the tormented white trader Kurtz. Rich in irony and spellbinding prose, Heart of Darkness is a complex meditation on colonialism, evil, and the thin line between civilization and barbarity.

This edition contains selections from Conrad’s Congo Diary of 1890–the first notes, in effect, for the novel which was composed at the end of that decade. Virginia Woolf wrote of Conrad, ‘His books are full of moments of vision. They light up a whole character in a flash. . . . He could not write badly, one feels, to save his life.’ Get the news you want from Penguin Random House About Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad, christened Josef Teodor Konrad, Nalecz Korzeniowski, was born on December 3, 1857, in a part of Russia that had once belonged to Poland. His parents were members of the landed gentry, but as ardent Polish patriots, the suffered… More about Joseph Conrad About Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad, christened Josef Teodor Konrad, Nalecz Korzeniowski, was born on December 3, 1857, in a part of Russia that had once belonged to Poland.

His parents were members of the landed gentry, but as ardent Polish patriots, the suffered… More about Joseph Conrad About Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad, christened Josef Teodor Konrad, Nalecz Korzeniowski, was born on December 3, 1857, in a part of Russia that had once belonged to Poland. His parents were members of the landed gentry, but as ardent Polish patriots, the suffered… More about Joseph Conrad About Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad, christened Josef Teodor Konrad, Nalecz Korzeniowski, was born on December 3, 1857, in a part of Russia that had once belonged to Poland. His parents were members of the landed gentry, but as ardent Polish patriots, the suffered… More about Joseph Conrad Product Details

Question: """Apocalyse Now"" is a modern interpretation of what book by Joseph Conrad?"
Answer: Heart of Darkness