APOCALYPSE NOW COLLECTOR'S EDITION - OPTIMUM/STUDIO CANAL BLU-RAY

I was 17 years old when this film came out originally and I trolled off to see it at the ABC Cinema on Deansgate in Manchester. It's not there now, of course. It's now a Wetherspoons, inhabited by lots of people eating defrosted fish and chips with a pint of watery lager for a Fiver. I'd have quite liked it back in 1979, if you could have got lager with Fish and Chips whilst you watched the film, but that's now only possible if you live near Portobello Road in London where there is a very posh cinema that does that kind of thing for those who don't mind paying £17 quid for Line-Caught Cod with Chunky Artisan Chips with a free-range Belgian aromatic lager.(Prices and menu description not necessarily accurate).


For lots of men my age, Apocalypse Now is a special film. Lots of us like to re-enact Robert Duvall's "Napalm in the morning" speech, whilst emptying litter trays or squeezing more paraffin onto the barbecue at a weekend. Some of us bought the soundtrack album many years back, which mixed music, dialogue and sound effects way before Quentin Tarantino did it on his Reservoir Dogs soundtrack. This album would then be played very loudly, very late at night in Halls of Residence across the land, often making hordes of students run out in panic when the helicopters could be heard.


I am not about to review the film itself here as you probably know what it's about anyway, and if not, other people have done that numerous times already, so go and read what they wrote. What you need to know is if it's worth shelling out for this blu-ray or not, seeing as you probably have it at least once on some format already. (I have two dvds and a VHS tape of it myself).


The answer's a big YES. It's been all smartened up and looks cleaner than Pippa Middleton's security check. It's got shed loads of extras, some of which you may have already on afore-mentioned formats, but there are lots more besides. There's a lovely chat between Coppola and Martin Sheen which is both honest and affectionate. There's also the even-bloody-longer "Redux" version of the film which lasts for about two days and should come with a big cushion to rest on (although it does have a very funny bit not in the theatrical version, just after they get away from Colonel Kilgore). And tons of technical stuff, commentaries, postcards, missing bits and general film-spod stuff which I loved. I hate having to buy the same thing repeatedly, but this is that rare occasion when it's worth buying it again.


Best of all, it's got the "Hearts of Darkness" documentary which hasn't been available ever on DVD, pieced together from footage taken during the making of the movie, by the ever-patient Mrs Eleanor Coppola, who comes across as being very nice even if she did secretly tape some of her husband's phone conversations secretly and then stick them in the film. Even Rooney's hookers or the various members of the Giggs Love Triangle didn't do that.


I thought it was well worth the £18 I paid for it at Asda and it's meant the other versions are now on EBay, which may mean it only ends up costing me about 6 quid. Bargain.


If you already love this film and only have a basic version on DVD or VHS, then it's a must buy. And even if you have the Redux version already, you still will want this. And if you've never seen it or owned it, then do what you have to do to get this version. Sell one of your smaller organs or an unloved pet, if you must.


MRS D'S VERDICT: She hadn't ever seen it before and wasn't especially looking forward to watching it as war films generally make her pull out her own fingernails. But she really liked it, stayed awake for all of it and also asked what else the big fat bloke at the end had been in. Good result.


SUMMARY:
For best mixture of war stuff and philosophy in a war film -  5 out of 5
For best ever real life breakdown on a camera by an actor (Martin Sheen) - 5 out of 5
For most genuinely whacked-out-of-his-gourd performance ever 
by Dennis Hopper (and that's saying something)   - 5 out of 5
For making a film that's still good over 32 years later - 5 out of 5.


TOTAL SOFA RATING: 20. (Top marks. Very rare.)