Analysis of Apocalypse Now
Mise-en-scene Analysis of Apocalypse Now
Todd Manes
ENG225
Professor Robert Scion
4 March 2013
Mise-en-scene Analysis of Apocalypse Now The movie Apocalypse Now was written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1979. It is an American film about the Vietnam conflict. The protagonist is U.S. Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen) who has been assigned to assassinate a presumably insane and AWOL Special Forces Colonel Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando). The film takes us through the heart of North Vietnam along the Nung River where Captain Willard and his escorts have a run in with a tiger, watch a USO show, and encounter, and mistakenly destroy a sampan. They eventually find Col Kurtz and become his captives. Eventually Kurtz gives Willard the freedom to move around the compound and Willard finally is able to kill Kurtz with a machete (Movieclips.com). The film is directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who adapted it from a 1900’s novella Heart of Darkness. The director in a film is often that of a foreman, taking the screenwriter’s story and translating it so that the crew and the actors can carry it out. While the director is not the only person involved in making a movie, he or she is the most crucial and usually receives the most credit, or the most blame (Guild). The production designer is the visual artist and storyteller of a movie. They work primarily with the director to create the overall feel and atmosphere that move the story by using stage sets, locations and backgrounds. They also collaborate with the visual effects team, cinematographer, and producers regularly. The production designer for Apocalypse Now is Dean Tavovaris (Guild). Angelo Graham is the Art Director for the film. His function is to follow through on the vision for production that the Production Designer and the Director have. He does this by coordinating the efforts of many departments including the Art Department, Construction, Set Dressing,
Todd Manes
ENG225
Professor Robert Scion
4 March 2013
Mise-en-scene Analysis of Apocalypse Now The movie Apocalypse Now was written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1979. It is an American film about the Vietnam conflict. The protagonist is U.S. Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen) who has been assigned to assassinate a presumably insane and AWOL Special Forces Colonel Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando). The film takes us through the heart of North Vietnam along the Nung River where Captain Willard and his escorts have a run in with a tiger, watch a USO show, and encounter, and mistakenly destroy a sampan. They eventually find Col Kurtz and become his captives. Eventually Kurtz gives Willard the freedom to move around the compound and Willard finally is able to kill Kurtz with a machete (Movieclips.com). The film is directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who adapted it from a 1900’s novella Heart of Darkness. The director in a film is often that of a foreman, taking the screenwriter’s story and translating it so that the crew and the actors can carry it out. While the director is not the only person involved in making a movie, he or she is the most crucial and usually receives the most credit, or the most blame (Guild). The production designer is the visual artist and storyteller of a movie. They work primarily with the director to create the overall feel and atmosphere that move the story by using stage sets, locations and backgrounds. They also collaborate with the visual effects team, cinematographer, and producers regularly. The production designer for Apocalypse Now is Dean Tavovaris (Guild). Angelo Graham is the Art Director for the film. His function is to follow through on the vision for production that the Production Designer and the Director have. He does this by coordinating the efforts of many departments including the Art Department, Construction, Set Dressing,
References: Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. http://movieclips.com/JeUd5-apocalypse-now-movie-videos/ http://www.adg.org/?art=adg_1 http://clothesonfilm.com/how-to-read-costume-on-film/20146/