Title: THE PSYCHOLOGICAL JOURNEY INTO DARKNESS IN APOCALYPSE NOW (1979) BY FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
Authors: Louis Mathias FAYE, Senegal
Abstract:

This article shows war as an expression of humanity’s own perversity. That sounds just about right for a film that explores the madness of war. In Apocalypse Now, Characters like Colonel Kurtz and Willard have seriously experienced it, embracing atrocities and unrestrained brutality as a necessary winning strategy. Kurtz is also fine with his followers worshiping him as a god. Coppola’s movie depicts a bloody, dark might of the soul for the American myths. It is an ambiguous antiwar film that unveils the social and political absurdities of the Vietnam conflict. The film reveals the brutality and purposelessness of war, amplifying its dire effects on human nature. This paper mirrors the psychological and traumatizing journey of Willard into darkness to assassinate Kurtz, which results in a groundbreaking epic that continues to be revered as a masterpiece. Through a series of episodes up to the river, Coppola brings through an intentional sensory journey where the audience is left with the ultimate unsetting aftertaste, witnessing the struggle of the protagonist, Willard. In the film, Coppola raises issues from the social-historical context of the Vietnam War, debunking myths of heroism and victory. He underscores the horrors of war and its impact in the world.

Keywords: Humanity, Madness, Vietnam War, Myths, Heroism, God.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59009/ijlllc.2025.0108

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