Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse
An intimate chronicle of the chaos, ambition, and personal cost behind one of Hollywood’s most notoriously troubled productions.
Overview
A behind-the-scenes look at the chaos of filmmaking reveals the madness of artistic ambition.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- intimate
- tense
- melancholic
- film study
- cinephile viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the documentary as an exceptionally compelling and intimate account of the chaotic making of Apocalypse Now.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Francis Ford Coppola’s self-doubt, production pressures, and struggle to complete Apocalypse Now form the documentary’s central dramatic engine.
Eleanor Coppola’s secretly recorded audio and on-set footage provide unusually personal access to the troubled shoot.
Typhoons, government difficulties, actor illness, and escalating logistical problems threaten the Philippine production.
Coppola must negotiate actors, crew, governments, nature, financing pressures, and his own expectations.
Films like Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, and why
Lost in La Mancha
behind-the-scenes documentary about a difficult, ego-driven film production and creative crisis
Burden of Dreams
intimate filmmaking documentary focused on artistic pressure, production setbacks, and auteur struggle
The Disaster Artist
candid Hollywood production documentary combining industrial chaos with personal creative conflict
Movie Details
- Directors
- George Hickenlooper, Fax Bahr, Eleanor Coppola
- Release Date
- 1991-11-27
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (436)
Cast
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Eleanor Coppola
- John Milius
- George Lucas
- Sam Bottoms
- Albert Hall
- Frederic Forrest
- Laurence Fishburne
- Dean Tavoularis
- Fred Roos
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse about?
- An intimate chronicle of the chaos, ambition, and personal cost behind one of Hollywood’s most notoriously troubled productions.
- What is Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse as mild.
- What did critics think of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse?
- Critics broadly regard the documentary as an exceptionally compelling and intimate account of the chaotic making of Apocalypse Now.
- Which films are like Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse?
- Films with a similar feel include Lost in La Mancha, Burden of Dreams, and The Disaster Artist.
- How long is Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse?
- Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse?
- In United States, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
