Meet the PBR Crew: The Strange Casting Process for 'Apocalypse Now' | Ep8 | Making Apocalypse Now
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
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In episode 8 of Making Apocalypse Now, we take a look at the members of the PBR crew and the actors who played them (including a 14-year-old Laurence Fishburne), Francis Ford Coppola’s philosophy behind directing actors, and the insane detail that went into creating the Kurtz dossier.
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This video is by Tyler Knudsen.
Affiliate Links:
(Coppola) Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now by Eleanor Coppola: amzn.to/3K9B9XH
(Cowie) The Apocalypse Now Book by Peter Cowie: amzn.to/3Zh8rZp
(Travers) Coppola's Monster Film: The Making of Apocalypse Now by Steven Travers: amzn.to/3ZybjS1
(Commentary) Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut: amzn.to/3npMry6
(Playboy)The Playboy Interviews: The Directors: amzn.to/40Ez8IO
(Martin) New Waves in Cinema by Sean Martin: amzn.to/3FSCdge
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse: amzn.to/40CnoGB
(Phillips) Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola By Gene D. Phillips: amzn.to/3lCPlzj
[Cinephilia & Beyond] Incredible collection of resources on Apocalypse Now: bit.ly/35Mvv7M
Sources:
Screenplay (Milius draft - ‘69) -
Source: bit.ly/2RwEebI
PDF: bit.ly/3mInRnX
[Casting] Fred Roos: Casting Apocalypse - amzn.to/3uQfhqa
The Director's Chair S1E5 -
• The Director's Chair -...
[Herr Wiki] en.wikipedia.o...
[Neon] Neon Magazine - bit.ly/2BBR5Ol
[Salon] www.salon.com/...
[Sensurround Wiki] en.wikipedia.o...
[Arc Light Wiki] en.wikipedia.o...
Music:
Epidemic Sound
I love how they played his mother’s voice note to him over his death. Such an eery way to end his character.
That scene is brilliant. It's chilling that Clean doesn't even get to the end of the message. That's how quick you can die in war and that scene displays that perfectly.
Genius
Always wondered how tf they recieved those though. Like weren't they right out in the middle of nowhere when they suddenly all have these letters from home? Who delivered them lol?
@@ufoash440they already had the mail, but when you assigned to a pbr in hostel rivers , mail call is not exactly a priority
@@ufoash440they get it at the bridge the night before don't they?
Apocalypse Now is one of my favorite movies, and I love that someone on RUclips is doing its insane production process justice
@Loco Chang you just don't know what good movies are. Go watch my little pony
Yeah, Apocalypse Now is amazing....if I was in a band, I'd make a concept album based upon it
If only they could of sent Willard on some other kind of mission I would of loved this movie, but I was in Vietnam and there was nothing there at all like this damn crazy man in the jungle that the people thought was God or whatever he was that M. Brando partraded,,,,didn't happen !
@@starvingartist6754 Pull-heeze, A.N. is based on Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness about a guy called Kurtz who was living deep in the African jungle in conditions similar to this Kurtz. Some kind of mystery man to the narrator of the novel, the plot is actually a quest to find this Kurtz guy and unveil his mystery life. This is a "river movie", see, like a road movie, like Easy Rider.
Hit me but u mnjb bbc
Kubrick: "Do something brilliant."
Coppola: "Willard is you - whoever you are - in this time, in this place..."
*Kubrick poking actor with a stick*
Come ooon, do acting.
@@mikejensen4238 Thanks, I didn't know that. I assumed it was all written by Coppola (or Brando for his own dialogue)
@@mikejensen4238 Ah, yes. Of course, Milius as well. I guess I presumed that Coppola wrote the voice over because what was in the final release would have likely been done (or changed) at the end of production.
I don't remember hearing about Herr before this video, if it was mentioned, I wasn't paying attention. Thanks for your clarity. I'm also loving this series.
Its kinda funny going back seeing him in Apocalyse Now after seeing him in all his movies since then (especially ones since the 90s) because hes kinda known for his deep voice and all that but in Apocalypse now he is clearly a kid with a young teenager sounding voice.
Morpheus!
Before Apocalypse Now came out, I was hanging in the village (NY) with the flute player in my band. His friend Laurence tagged along who had just come back from filming in the Philipines and we played frisbee in a park till it was time for Laurence to leave in the car he just bought to drive cross country to LA. I guess the rest is history.
Nice fanfic bro.
@@pepeishere7529 Had to Google fanfic. You're wrong.
@@victorbarnes6898 No shit.
@@victorbarnes6898 didn't he go by Larry then?
@@phillystevesteak6982 I don't remember. He was my friend's friend. We just played frisbee and then he drove to LA.
I love that scene you open with. Seeing Fishbourne watching the scenery pass and Sheen saying, 'Mr Clean was from some South Bronx shithole and I think the light and the space in Vietnam really put the zap on his head' struck me the very first time I saw the film. I don't think the proverbial 'fish out of water' has ever been described so well in a movie.
Rock n Rollers with one foot in their Graves.......
@@joekurtz8303 Willard fails to mention that he'll be the one giving them the final push into the holes!
The zap om his head from light and space is indeed perfect
"Rock 'n Rollers with one foot in the grave"--great line describing the teens and twenty yr olds fighting that war with little idea why.
Chief Phillips is not a Chief Warrant Officer but a “Chief” which is an E7 in the US Navy. He is the equivalently a Sergeant First Class in the Army or a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps. Just a little FYI.
Chief Petty Officer USN (E-7) good catch!
CPO in the RAN or RN (Chief Petty Officer)
Thanks super lifer 😑.....
Thanks, Scott!…I suppose I wondered about that.
I concur, glad to see we’re all on the ball. 🍻.
This is a quality production. Thank you for the care and attention shown in bringing this to us.
It's amazing to think how so much of this movie has become essential elements to any Vietnam war film and subsequently becomes a trope. The helicopter silhouetted in the orange sun; perfect use of voice over narration... As terrifying as the shoot must have been, it's interesting to see cast and crew still hold alot of pride in their involvement with the film.
I saw Cornbread on cable when I was an adolescent and I loved Laurence Fischburn in that and used to quote it all the time.
I remember the first time I saw Apocalypse Now and how the very convincing props lent great authenticity to the storyline. I served in the military from 1980-86 and the paperwork which Captain Willard examines on the PBR has a very realistic look that reminds me of that era. The dossier really fleshes out the character of Colonel Kurz and helps you realize the feelings Willard must deal with when faced with killing one of his own, "and an officer." Thanks Tyler.
Do you really think Willard would have received original documents? Did someone search the bodies of the dead double agents and take their laminated, in color ID cards? And include them in the dossier for what? And the original of Colby's hand written "sell the kids" note to his wife ? And original photographs rather than xexox copies of photographs? Oh, I get it - apparently they had multiples of everything because when they sent Colby on the same mission he must have got a dossier of original documents as well. I can't imagine what military you served in that would do anything like that.
@@colbatguano3958 You'd be surprised what the US military will do. When the Navy was processing my security clearance they actually sent people to my hometown and interviewed friends of mine....I didn't find out about this until later. But you're right, Coppola should have put grainy, xerox copies of everything in the dossier. That would have been more believable.
@@kenanmorg4677 I lived near a fellow who worked for Northrup. As part of his annual security clearance the department of defense investigators interviewed me and the rest of his neighbors as to what he was like, what he said about his work, what friends of his we knew. It was weird.
Wasn't it specifically in the movie that Fishburne's character lied about his age to go to Vietnam too?
Yep. Its another eery detail in a deeply eery movie. Makes you think that character really could have been a 14 or 15 year old child soldier thrown into the meat grinder with everyone else.
A few went to nam as 16 year olds. Thats a another storie to never be told.
@@evh1734 my grandad was 14 when he joined the navy in ww2 he told them he was 18 and that was enough
@@Onthecouch-r5r He was one brave mofo. With Hitler's U-boats stalking the eastern side of the Atlantic, I would beg to be thrown into the army. The thought of a U-boat conning tower breaking the surface creeps me out. And I recall a U-boat piloted by Guenther Prien (U-47) committed one of the sneakiest attacks of the war: the surprise attack on HMS Royal Oak in her safe harbor Scapa Flow, the Orkney Islands. He was awarded the Knight's Cross for that.
Unless the World somehow resets and starts over from some point, a film will never be made this way again, and it's at a loss for humanity. This is pure art.
I just realized that the scene in Tropic Thunder where RDJ talks about being a saucier in St. Antoine was borrowed from this movie. Mind. Blown.
Chief Philipps, a Navy Quartermaster Chief Petty (E-7), depicted in this film in not a "Chief Warrant Officer" which is another rank system. His black subdued rank on his olive drab uniform is that of a Navy Chief. It was common for senior enlisted to have command of PBR's in Vietnam.
The details in the dossier were incredible. It's amazing how those little touches add a huge amount to the film as a whole.
For a film with a very dark story its cool that the production of it seemed pretty chill. Coppala seems like he is able to get such amazing scenes from his actors by empowerment, support, and giving them the leeway to make the part their own.
Every time I watch your articles on Apocalypse Now, I watch the movie again. Thank you for your great work.
I watch it once a week anyway.
I’m probably going to join this guy’s patreon just because his videos are so good, I would never consider that honestly
Thank you!
Lol I was the same age as Fishbourne when I snuck in to the theatre with my friend and saw Apocalypse Now for the first time. To this day one of the best movie experience of my life along with the first Star Wars movie. Also, raised my cred in school cause I snuck in and saw the movie.
I saw Apocalypse Now in 1988 in an English class taught by a progressive teacher named Mr.Kane. He taught his class to think, rather than do. He had many "self discovery" projects. Thirty five years later I still remember this thought provoking movie and his class. It makes sense the movie is called the Apocalypse- taken from the Bible, which in Greek means uncover, disclose and reveal. The movie themes uncover the heart of darkness of war and of the main characters. The ultimate depravity of man. A magnified view of man's descension and proclivity to evil.
I just watched the 4 hour uncut version, everyone of these actors deserves Hollywood's highest award. It would have been awesome to see Charlie Sheen Platoon, Martin Sheen Apocalypse Now do a Vietnam era movie together.
Brilliant videos, I've read all the Apocalypse Now books, and every version of the film, I still have my HBO taped vhs, that has the explosions over the ending credits.
Keep up the great Apocalypse documentary videos.
Cheers.
Oh. My. God. I love Apocalypse Now and Lawrence Fishburn both and I had absolutely no idea that was him in that move.
Also, Harrison Ford (briefly at the beginning), R.Lee Erney (few scenes as an Loach Pilot), even Coppola as the war corresponsal who is shouting the soldiers to "To move off from the camera, and acts like they are fighting".
Apocalypse Now, is now part of the history of the American Cinema Golden Era,, where the art was expressed on his maximum expression throught truly geniuses. An era unfortunately forever gone, actually taken by greed, forced agendas, and mediocrity in general.
Never get out of the boat. I've had the honor of meeting a few PBR guys in the last 20 years and their stories are amazing. What an awesome boat with excellent handling capabilities. This movie is a must for the home library. I first saw the movie at a theater on Goose Creek Naval Weapons Station S.C. when it debuted. Sad to know that type of boat had such a short military record. Oddly the 173rd Airborne brigade was reactivated after 9-11.
I can't even count how many times I watched this film not realizing it was Laurence Fishburne portraying Clean!! The only reason I caught on was the "Satisfaction" scene where Clean does a hilarious impersonation if Mick Jagger. I sat through the credits to find out who played that part because he had Jagger's moves performed perfectly!! If I remember correctly, I still had to do some more research because his name was listed as Larry Fishburne!
Love Laurence Fishburne’s character in this movie. Actually all his roles are entertaining, great actor.
The actor who played CHEF makes me think of TOM HARDY look and way he holds himself.
exactly
Agreed When I first watched the film I thought he looked like Hardy I think I only watched this for the first time within the last 3-4 years. I was late on this film
It's just cuz Hardy had that mustache in 'Bronson' lol
Tyler this is the best channel I've discovered in years. Each episode is phenomenal. The hours upon hours of work it takes you to make one of theses... damn man. Keep it up.
Been too long since the last vid, Cant wait
I remember Fishburne from "Cornbread", his performance was amazing.
My favorite character he portrayed was Jimmy Jump in the King of New York starring Christopher Walken.
A trully excellent film, with some great lines from the main character Frank White.
If a nickel bag gets sold in Central Park, I want in. Sorry I know it's 2 yrs later, but that was a great line.
Im loving this series great job brother Coppola and Kubrick deserve this recognition you give em best directors ever
Well-rounded PBR crew to be sure - especially Ball. He played the part of Chief to perfection.
again. this is the best documentary ever made about any topic. ever
I still remember back in the 1990's i had apocalypse now on laserdisc and the arc light was the highlight of the disc because i had a dolby stereo 5 speaker system and the arc light scene was awesome the rumbles of bass it felt like it was coming from all around the room. Apocalypse Now gets my vote as one of the best experiences in Dolby Surround ive had even in regular dolby stereo sound. The arc light is a blast for surround sound.
This series is as detailed as the dossier, keep it up Tyler!
@@mikejensen4238 seeing in more detail how it was put together would be awesome. All that detail in those dossiers remind me of all the types out pages in the shining. It makes it so much more real when you know his secretary was just banging out page after page for days.
I would love to see 1 episode dedicated to the nightmarish editing process of the film.
Someone could easily make a two hour documentary on the editing (or three if you want to include Murch’s participation), but hell yeah, I would very much dig a 20 minute episode!
There is a documentary out there that does detail the making of it..
It's called "Hearts of Darkness: A film maker's Apocalypse "
Apocalypse is my favorite movie.
Few movies delve deeper into the American soul.
So much crazy shit went on with this film its a major miracle that it even got made.
Wonderful as always Tyler, keep rocking the film world with your magnificent essays!
Thanks so much!
These videos are terrific, can't wait for the next episode. Appreciate the hard work you put into them!
this is without a doubt the best youtube channel on this entire platform.
You are too kind!
I love the Arclight scene. It's so real and frightening to think about. It kind of signifies the far off destruction and horror they have to venture into.
Sounds like a miracle that the film is even completed.
Excellent job, as always, Tyler!
Thanks!
This series really is incredibly interesting and informative. Its something I genuinely look forward to when you post an episode. Apocalypse Now is a film that really cemented my love of cinema. Thank you and keep up the stellar work.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate it!
I remember seeing this movie for the first time and exclaiming, a young Harrison Ford is in this, wow nothing can surprise me anymore now! How wrong I was
You know what man , THANKS ,it was like very well made documentary , straight to the point without water. And i am going up to press that 'thumb up' button with a furious joy :))
I really appreciate your work on these videos. Apocalypse Now is a masterpiece and easily my favorite film of all time. Well done!
Thank you so much!
Excellent work Tyler!!! Can't wait for the next episode.
Thanks!
The casting was mostly dead accurate, especially Laurence Fishburn, whose extreme youth happened to be a byproduct of someone that ultimately turned out to be a very skilled actor. And Martin Sheen melted into the role of Willard so well, its impossible to imagine anyone else playing him - not the likes of Harvey Keitel or Pacino! (Hoo AHH) Captain Willard drives the movie as we see everything through his eyes, in a way so relatable and compelling we easily identify with him. This happens because we are immediately shown a war-torn soul almost shattered by war, such that he feels "normal" nowhere else - and Sheen is completely plausible as tough enough to be what the film says he is (a seasoned Special Forces trained SOG soldier who has already seen and done too much)
But the character of Chef always seemed a bit out of place and somehow not totally belonging in the story, just for the actor choice. I understood Coppolla had a fondness for the actor and wanted to cast him since he is unique; but Frederick Forrest was over 40 at the time and looked it. Most people in Vietnam of that age bracket were senior NCO's and officers and wanted to be there, or had to be, for their careers, none were draftees! Although it's not unusual today for a 40 year old to volunteer for the military (who raised the maximum enlistment age to 42 in 2005 due to manpower demands of "war on terror"). But in the late '60's when the story is set, for there to be a 40 year old E-3 sent to Vietnam against his will, would be very unusual and would involve a whole bunch of waivers - and Chef made it clear in the movie the last place he wanted to be was in Vietnam.
Chef doesn't look 40s ish (as the actor real age). He looks early 30s to me.
You make a Good point. While watching the movie, I never considered Chef’s age; So it didn’t cross my mind that he was older. I didn’t think he looked 40ish.
The CHIEF WAS a SENIOR NCO. E-7 to E-9 are the senior NCO Ranks. He was an E7 not an E-3. The Navy does NOT give E-3's a PBR to run and be responsible for.
E-3's don't get paid enough to think. They are there to just DO.
Excellent series, can t wait for pt9
Chief introduces himself as a Chief Quarter Master (QMC) which is the Chief Petty Officer rank in the Quarter Master rating, not a Chief Warrant Officer (CWO).
5:14 - The Last Picture Show is SO good...
When I was maybe 11 or 12 my dad let me stay up late on a school night just because it was going to be on and he wanted me to see it.
I cant get enough of these essays, keep it up mate. Have you ever seen an Australian film based on our involvement in the Vietnam war titled, The Odd Angry Shot.. Some great aussie actors from the period including a comedian who gives it a special edge, Like how modern directors cast comedians into serious roles.. Also shows Australias commitment along side US troops as both challenging and antagonistic
Fredric Forest is a very underrated actor …he’s incredible in Andersonville
When I first saw AN in the theater it didn’t have the air strike during the closing credits. I was also disappointed in the movie since I thought it would be based a little more closely to Hearts of Darkness. The only scene that reminded me of HoD was when Willard (Sheen) is sitting on the boat with the sunset glow behind him like a Buddha which matched what Joseph Conrad wrote.
Later in retrospect, and reading about a missing tiger cage scene where the photojournalist talks to Willard it ties the movie together. I asked Dirk Halstead about that since he was on set shooting photos for TIME Magazine. It’s a great movie with great actors.
"not supposed to know where we're going... but 1 look at you, and I know it's gonna be hot"!.....classic
He was fantastic , I enjoy all Larry’s work
I saw him on One Life to Live, a daytime drama on ABC, just a few years before.
Greatest film series on RUclips so far
Keep going please
Thanks! More is on the way!
0:17 and here I thought PBR stood for Pabst Blue Ribbon.
@Jingjing Saduay so I guess you could say...
Willard and his crew were up Shulz creek without a paddle?
Professional Bull Riding.
The PBR Skipper was not a chief warrant officer..
He was a Chief Quartermaster.
That is an E7 and a quartermaster is a rating.
The insignia for a quartermaster is a ship's helm, or ship's wheel if you prefer
Great video man. This piece of High Art is very special to me and I really appreciate your analysis.
Hi CinemaTyler! Thank you so much for making such detailed and instructive videos about some masterpieces of cinema history, especially Apocalypse Now (its 3 versions) which outside the U.S. is not as well-known as it should be, so please keep describing and analyzing all the aspects, elements, moments and techniques of movies in this way, from production steps (with pre- and post-) to screenwriting, acting, directing, cinematography and every other essential part.
I suggest you, depending on your knowledge, to talk about specifications like lenses, cameras and aspect ratios, and within the possibilities of your workflow you should explore at least one great movie of other important directors (Hitchcock, Tarkovskij, Kurosawa, Fellini, Truffaut, Orson Welles, etc.); as next movie, with the same approach used for Apocalypse Now, consider talking about "Blade Runner".
Waiting to see new videos of yours, thank you again!
Been waiting a long time for the next episode
Please, I’m begging you Tyler. Do another “What I Learned From Watching”
The Vietnam War was not fought by 16 year olds. There were five boys killed at the age of 16 but each of them was a fraudulent enlistment because of falsified birth certificates. Had their true age been known, they would not have been there. And the skipper of the PBR in the movie was not a Warrant Officer; he was a Chief Petty Officer but the boats were normally commanded by First Class Petty Officers.
If this is not the ultimate documentary on Apocalypse Now I don't know what else is. I guess you're entitled to add YOUR direct interview to Coppola (if already not on the way) as last episode of this masterpiece.
You are too kind! Thanks!
My grandfather helped in the production of this movie. His red fishing boat is actually seen in the movie just as they're about to land on the docks. He helped on set too but he never got credited. My mom wrote an email though, we got a signed photo in the mail a few weeks after.
I remember Mr Fishburne from “ONE LIFE TO LIVE”. You showed a picture but you didn’t mention it.
Fishburne was also pretty magnificent as Ike in What's Love Got to Do With It. That's the role that I associate with him as a great actor.
There are so many...check out a little nondescript indie-like film he did 1998 named, "Always Out Numbered".
Tyler your research and precise commentary is beyond exceptional! The attention to detail is just great! I am slowly watching all these and then all your other movie reviews 😍🤩🤩
I like with this film, as you watch them go upriver you feel the heavyness of war, stress, threat and madness.
This series is invaluable ... thank you!
Awesome videos. Can’t explain how much I love this series. Thanks!
Thank you! More is on the way!
1n 2023, this film NEVER gets a green light. Thank the Goddess for the old days...
Interesting piece! Correction - “Chief” was a Navy Chief Pettty Officer, not a Chief Warrant Officer.
I recognize the text of that letter from Kurtz to hia wife... It is a poem written by Jim Morrison to his wife!
“Cinema Tyler” is back, baby!
After all these years, I've just learned the obvious symbolism of Willard breaking seven seals
wow.. I never noticed the 'seven seals' thing. as in the seven seals of revelation leading up to the apocalypse. gotta be the most subtle shoutout to the title of a movie I've ever encountered.
Coppola mentioned it as a plan in a memo, but I don't think they did the full seven in the final film. The ones where I show Kurtz's uniform and the torn up materials didn't have their own session of Willard opening and reading.
Yeah ! Another vid , fantastic xxx
Has no one else picked up on there being seven seals opened for the dossiers like in the book of revelations, each bringing on more severe judgement of mankind than the last?
laurence fishburne was one of the major stars in John Carpenters "the thing" hes the one on roller skates saying "maybe were at war with norwary?" but if you type in the thing stars he is blacklisted from the credits
i love you so much for making these, i will give you all the money i can
PBR Street Gang, this is Almighty.
My Father was a PBR boat skipper River Division 512.
He visibly laughed out loud at some scenes.
Pointed to the scene where they dropped the boat into the water and you can see the upper deck collapsing into the lower deck.
This video encouraged me to go read the book Dispatches. Fantastic read. Thank you.
This channel is awesome.
Welcome back! Was wondering where you been
Granted the movie came out AFTER the vietnam war but the fact that it was written and planned to be produced in during the war is pretty fucking insane, small things like this may have actually played an important role in history, the highs and lows, the horror portrayed, the brutality and Killgore's almost "invincible" air cav, the playboy bunnies, if this was released during the war it may have persuaded people to either not join the military or join, we have to remember contrary to popular belief more people volunteered for vietnam than were drafted, this is a common misconception with WW2 where more soldiers were draftees, rather than volunteered, by quick research 20% of the selective service was drafted for ww2 with only around 7-9 % for vietnam, I'm sure these numbers changed late in 69-72
A real dope-ass video, CT crew! You can be proud of this.
"Youth is the Gift of the Ages!!"
- St. Lord."
I think it's "If You WANNA' Dance, You Gotta' Pay the Band". I watched it as a teen. My favorite "After School Special" movie. About a kid who adopts a lost kitten, more or less.
Wow, for the longest time I never realized that was Sam Bottoms of Last Picture Show !!
Hey i was just thinking the other day - There should be a new Cinema Tyler video out soon?.... :)
Very well done. This monumental film reminds of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Even when you've seen/heard them both dozens of times.....you can not absorb all the content. Not one beat is left to chance.
Hope we eventually get an episode focused on the plantation scene.. lots of people dont like that part of redux as they feel it slows down the film but i see it as a much needed break before the madness of the finale act its honestly one of my favourite parts of the film
I see It as dream sequence of Willard. Its like Willard dreaming about Heaven but quickly snaps back to harsh reality of his mission as Hell is awaiting him as final destination.