Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

Following the massive success of The Godfather, director Francis Ford Coppola set out in the late 1970s to film Apocalypse Now in the Philippines. The budget relied on both investors and his own capital, which included mortgaging his house. However, the shoot ran far over schedule, the lead actor was replaced, the replacement collapsed, and the set devolved into a drama as intense as the one on screen. Eleanor Coppola, the director’s wife, documented the behind-the-scenes events on 16mm film. A decade later, with directors George Hickenlooper and Fax Bahr, this footage was transformed into the documentary before us: an intimate, direct, and unflinching portrayal of the creative process and its descent into near-madness. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse is now considered one of the greatest documentaries in history. This restoration, featuring newly rescanned 16mm footage, offers a renewed opportunity to experience this cinematic masterpiece.