Lionsgate’s new Hearts of Darkness 4K release allows fans to own the acclaimed documentary by Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper that was shot by Eleanor Coppola. It is an inside look into the making of Francis Ford Coppola‘s Vietnam War movie masterpiece, Apocalypse Now. Showing a chaotic filming period and the sheer ambition of Coppola, it’s a remarkable look at what goes into making an epic film.
“Hearts of Darkness chronicles the chaos and turbulence from disastrous inclement weather to actors’ health crises to local political upheaval that plagued the marathon production of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. Filmed by filmmaker-screenwriter Eleanor Coppola, this extraordinary documentary features behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with cast and crew, and secretly taped conversations with the tormented Coppola as he grappled with every imaginable (and unimaginable) obstacle,” says the synopsis.
“We were in the jungle, there were too many of us, we had access to too much money, too much equipment, and little by little, we went insane,” says Coppola of the Apocalypse Now’s production. There’s never been a more honest look at how a film was made, especially with a production as troubled as the 1979 classic (a trend Coppola continued with Megadoc last year). Taking a warts-and-all approach, this is a remarkable film that shows how the film almost destroyed Coppola’s career by going completely off the rails. It’s a remarkable watch and one that every fan of Apocalypse Now should experience.
The Hearts of Darkness 4K release is the best the film has ever looked at home, with HDR and Dolby Vision support included. Some of the footage isn’t quite as detailed, just due to how the footage was captured, but the overall look is often quite impressive. The audio is also stellar, as it features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that gives a clear listening experience and a really immersive one whenever clips from Apocalypse Now are shown.
The only area where the Hearts of Darkness 4K release disappoints is when it comes to bonus features. There’s one addition here, The Making of Hearts of Darkness. This is a meaty 37-minute video that gives a lot of background on how the documentary was produced. However, there’s no commentary track included, which is a shame since the previously recorded one had both Eleanor and Francis discussing the film. So it’s not quite the definitive release in that regard.
Hearts of Darkness 4K Review: Final Verdict
The Hearts of Darkness 4K release is a wonderful way to experience one of the greatest documentaries ever made. The only unfortunate part is the lack of bonus features, as other releases have had a more robust offering. However, it looks and sounds great and is a doc you’ll want to revisit.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from the distributor for our Hearts of Darkness 4K review.