Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse(1991)

R
1h 36m
- Documentary

Release Date: Nov 27, 1991 | Limited

Documentary that chronicles how Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems - nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director.

Releases

2025 Re-release | Jul 4, 2025

View Advanced Data Watch on

Current Showtimes

Your Location or

(U.S. Only)

Director & Top Cast

Fax Bahr
Director

George Hickenlooper
Director

Eleanor Coppola
Director

Dennis Hopper
Self

Martin Sheen
Self

Marlon Brando
Self

George Lucas

Self

Eleanor Coppola

Self

John Milius

Self

Francis Ford Coppola

Self

Tom Sternberg

Self

Dean Tavoularis

Self

Fred Roos

Self

Vittorio Storaro

Self

Robert Duvall

Self

Laurence Fishburne

Self

Rona Barrett

Self

Tom Snyder

Self

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo

Aspect Ratio: 1.37 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States

Language: English

Summaries

Storyline

Francis Ford Coppola 's Apocalypse Now (1979) was plagued by extraordinary script, shooting, budget, and casting problems - nearly destroying the life and career of the celebrated director. Documents the sensational events surrounding the making of Apocalypse Now (1979) ' and Francis Ford Coppola 's struggle with nature, governments, actors, and self-doubt. Includes footage and sound secretly recorded by Eleanor Coppola , wife of Francis. — Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au> In the late 1970s, as renegade filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola struggles to complete an epic allegory of the Vietnam War, " Apocalypse Now (1979) ," his wife, Eleanor, films his daily travails with a camera of her own. The documentary based on her footage details the difficulties of the large production -- from weather-related delays in the Philippines to star Martin Sheen 's heart attack while filming -- and it provides unprecedented behind-the-scenes clips of one of Hollywood's most-acclaimed films. — Jwelch5742