Hearts of Darkness

with Martin Sheen, Dennis Hopper, Francis Ford Coppola, Marlon Brando
Directed by Fax Bahr
(Miramax Films, 1991)
by Ronnie Kray

One of man’s most deep-seated fears is losing control of his mental faculties. In 1976, Francis Ford Coppola went into the jungles of the Philippines to shoot Apocalypse Now and lost his mind. Documentaries come and go, yet the footage compiled here contains some of the best fear-of-God scenes in a long time. Most of the movie-going public is already familiar with the film, but what went on behind the scenes is far more engaging. Hopper had a $1000-a-week cocaine habit that Coppola was supporting out of his own pocket. The then-36-year-old Sheen had a heart attack during the fifth week of filming (a role originally slated for Harvey Keitel, who was replaced by Sheen at the last minute because Keitel didn’t have the right “tone” for the character), and Brando showed up for shooting without ever having read the script (and 150 pounds overweight) and collected a cool three million a week. And this was just in the principal photography stage!

This documentary is the perfect instructional tape on how not to shoot a film on the Vietnam War. It’s also one of the most intriguing films in recent years. Shot by his wife Eleanor, the most insightful scenes are those of Coppola conveying his suicidal nightmares about going down dark tunnels. The expressions of absolute fear and insanity were riveting. It’s enough to make any fresh-powdered film student drop the camera and switch majors. The subtle connections and comparisons between Coppola and Orson Welles are also downright eerie.