Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American epic war drama film directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola The screenplay by Coppola, John Milius, and Michael Herr is based on Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, with its themes of psychological horror, war, and violation of the natural world. The film stars Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper, and follows U.S. Army Special Forces Captain Benjamin Willard (Sheen), sent to Cambodia during the Vietnam War to assassinate the renegade Colonel Walter Kurtz (Brando).
The film was highly regarded upon its initial release, with many filmmakers and film critics citing it as one of the greatest films of all time. It has also been credited with popularizing and revitalizing the war genre, as its poetic and non-linear style challenged the traditional depiction of war films to that point. Its influence can be seen in numerous films that followed, including Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, and Three Kings.
The film’s themes of war, the struggle between darkness and light, and human nature provide a rich and complex backdrop for exploration, making it an ideal choice for essay topics. Here are five excellent topics for an essay about Apocalypse Now:
1. The Nature of War: What does the film say about the nature of war? How does this view of war differ from other films about the Vietnam War?
2. The Idea of Journey: How does the film explore the idea of a physical and spiritual journey? How does Willard’s journey compare to the journey of the film’s other characters?
3. Themes of Madness and Insanity: How does the film explore the idea of madness and insanity? How does this relate to Willard’s mission in Cambodia?
4. Perversion of Nature: How does the film explore the idea of a perversion of nature? How does this relate to the war in Cambodia and the characters in the film?
5. The Human Condition: How does the film explore the idea of the human condition and our capacity for evil? How is this explored through the characters of Willard, Kurtz, and others?