20th anniversary of "Apocalypse Now Redux" - August 3rd

There hasn't been an anniversary that has covered an alternate version of a popular film before.  Why not give it a try with a famous alternate version of a popular film like Apocalypse Now Redux?  While most people, myself included, find the theatrical cut of Apocalypse Now superior to Redux (and even the Final Cut), Redux does have its supporters.  However, I find most of the footage doesn't really add anything to the film.  In fact, some scenes, like the French Plantation, the second Playboy Bunny scene, and the surfboard stealing, hurt the film a bit.  But they don't greatly damage the film since the rest of the original film is kept intact which means what works with Apocalypse Now is still effective and greatly makes up for what doesn't work.  In the end, Redux may be the worst version of Apocalypse Now, but on its own terms it's still Apocalypse Now and Apocalypse Now, in whatever version, is still a landmark film.  


Leonard Maltin Movie Guide Review:

Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) - 3.5 out of 4 stars

"Francis Coppola reedited his 1979 film and put back in footage he'd cut at the time, including a major sequence set at a plantation (featuring Christian Marquand).  This is now the "official" version of his still-powerful film.  Technovision."