Clean's Death Scene: What This Scene is REALLY About | Ep18 | Making Apocalypse Now
Summary
TLDRThis episode of 'Making Apocalypse Now' delves into the ambush scene where the patrol boat crew is attacked while opening their mail. The video explores the deeper meanings, connections to Greek mythology, the experiences of Black Americans in the Vietnam War, and the challenges of filming this iconic scene. It highlights the parallels drawn by Coppola between war, leadership, and followers, as well as the eerie, surreal atmosphere that defines this part of the film. The video also touches on the significance of the French Plantation sequence and other behind-the-scenes details.
Takeaways
- đ„ The scene in 'Apocalypse Now' where the patrol boat crew is ambushed while opening mail is rich with subtext and thematic significance.
- đ The ambush scene was one of the last things filmed, allowing director Francis Ford Coppola to incorporate the film's conclusion into the scene's direction.
- đ Mail in the script symbolizes the last contact with home, with Willard receiving a letter revealing a predecessor on the same mission who fell under Kurtz's influence.
- đ° A newspaper article about Charles Manson parallels Kurtz's influence, suggesting a commentary on war as a brutal cause carried out by devoted followers.
- đœ The film uses subtle cuts and visual storytelling to convey its themes, such as the comparison between Manson and Kurtz, and the horrors of war.
- đż In an early draft, the crew's detour through a tributary filled with hyacinths is symbolic, with hyacinths representing jealousy, sorrow, and the request for forgiveness.
- đ” The soundtrack and visual effects during the mail-opening scene create a sense of foreboding, despite the crew's apparent lightheartedness.
- đ€ The ambush is depicted with surreal visuals of tracer rounds, which areććŒč that leave a visible trail, adding to the scene's dreamlike quality.
- đŹ The challenge of filming the patrol boat passing under a downed bomber plane involved creative problem-solving and adjustments due to weather and other production issues.
- đ€ The death of Mr. Clean and the subsequent lack of a funeral in the original script reflect the harsh realities of war and the disposable nature of soldiers, particularly young and minority soldiers.
- đ The script and film are layered with references to Greek mythology, historical context, and the experience of Black Americans during the Vietnam War, adding depth to the narrative.
Q & A
What is the significance of the mail-opening scene in 'Apocalypse Now'?
-The mail-opening scene in 'Apocalypse Now' is significant as it serves as a moment of connection to home for the crew and foreshadows the impending doom. It also reveals that Willard is not the first to be sent on his mission, hinting at the tragic fates of those who came before him.
How does the ambush scene relate to Greek mythology?
-The ambush scene is indirectly related to Greek mythology through the mention of hyacinths, which originate from the story of the Spartan prince Hyakinthos, symbolizing jealousy, sorrow, and the seeking of forgiveness.
What is the connection between the Charles Manson article and Kurtz in the script?
-The connection between the Charles Manson article and Kurtz is thematic, drawing a parallel between a cult leader with dedicated followers who commit acts of violence and Kurtz's influence over his followers in the movie.
What was the original purpose of the Do Lung Bridge sequence in the script?
-In the original script, the Do Lung Bridge sequence was meant to be a surreal and hellish depiction of war, serving as a gateway to the alien and primitive world beyond, symbolizing the point of no return for the characters.
Why was the scene of the patrol boat passing under the tail section of a downed bomber plane challenging to film?
-Filming the scene of the patrol boat passing under the tail section of a downed bomber plane was challenging due to the practical effects required, including the construction of the set piece, managing live monkeys, and dealing with weather conditions that affected the visibility of the support structures.
What was the role of Lance in the original John Milius draft of the script?
-In John Milius's 1969 draft, Lance had a more prominent role, including a backstory about joining the Navy due to unrequited love, which was later cut from the script.
How does the script suggest a parallel between the Vietnam War and the experiences of Black Americans?
-The script suggests a parallel by highlighting the disproportionate number of Black Americans drafted into the war and their placement in the most dangerous areas, reflecting the racial disparities and injustices they faced both at home and abroad.
What was the intended impact of Clean's funeral scene on the audience?
-Clean's funeral scene, which was added in the Redux version, was intended as a tribute to the youth of America, particularly the many young soldiers under the age of 20 who died in the Vietnam War.
Why was the French Plantation sequence cut from the theatrical release of 'Apocalypse Now'?
-The French Plantation sequence was cut from the theatrical release due to its length and the complexity of the scene, which included expensive and hectic filming conditions. It was later included in the Redux version of the film.
What is the significance of the 'sell the house, sell the car, sell the kids' letter in the script?
-The letter signifies the extreme disillusionment and detachment of the previous operative sent on Willard's mission, foreshadowing the psychological impact of the mission and the influence of Kurtz on his followers.
Outlines
đ„ 'Apocalypse Now' Mail Ambush Scene Analysis
This paragraph delves into the symbolic and thematic depth of the ambush scene in 'Apocalypse Now'. It discusses the crew's opening of mail, the historical and mythological references, and the technical challenges of filming. The scene, filmed last, foreshadows the movie's end and contrasts with earlier script drafts. It also connects to the Vietnam War's impact on Black Americans and parallels the real-life cult leader Charles Manson, suggesting a broader commentary on war and leadership.
đż The River's Resistance and the Hyacinth Symbolism
The second paragraph explores the crew's detour through a tributary overgrown with hyacinths, drawing a connection to Greek mythology and the symbolic meanings of the flower, such as jealousy and sorrow. The narrative describes the crew's experience as they navigate the river, with the music and visual effects creating a sense of foreboding. The ambush scene is analyzed, with the use of colored smoke and tracer rounds adding to the surreal and chaotic atmosphere. The paragraph also touches on the production challenges of filming the boat's journey under a downed bomber plane.
đ Reflections on Youth, Sacrifice, and the War's Impact
The final paragraph examines the aftermath of the ambush, focusing on the character of Clean and the emotional weight of his death. It discusses the original and workprint versions of the film, the significance of the funeral scene, and its implications for the portrayal of young soldiers in the Vietnam War. The paragraph also addresses the disproportionate impact of the war on Black Americans, drawing parallels to the crew's experiences and the broader societal context. Additionally, it provides insights into the film industry's challenges, such as the fate of certain movies and the implications of streaming services on cinema.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄApocalypse Now
đĄPatrol Boat Ambush
đĄDo Lung Bridge
đĄKurtz
đĄCharles Manson
đĄVietnam War
đĄHyacinth
đĄSurreal Imagery
đĄMr. Clean
đĄFrench Plantation Sequence
Highlights
The ambush scene in 'Apocalypse Now' symbolizes more than just a violent encounter, it is layered with deeper meanings.
An early draft of the scene connects to Greek mythology and the historical experiences of Black Americans in the Vietnam War.
Filming the boat passing under the tail section of a downed bomber plane was a challenging and innovative process.
The mail-opening scene was one of the last things filmed, providing insight into the movie's conclusion.
Willard's letter reveals a predecessor on the same mission, foreshadowing the dangers and psychological impact.
A newspaper article about Charles Manson parallels Kurtz's influence on his followers, drawing a connection to the nature of war.
Coppola's use of cinema to question the audience's sense of right and wrong in the context of the Vietnam War.
A 5-hour workprint included additional scenes and character development not present in the final film.
The symbolism of the Hyacinth flower in Greek mythology is used to convey themes of jealousy, sorrow, and forgiveness.
The ambush scene's visual effects and use of colored smoke bombs create a surreal and disorienting atmosphere.
Coppola's direction to mislead the audience about the timing and nature of violence in the film.
The emotional impact of Clean's death and the poignant moment of his mother's voice on the tape recorder.
The parody of the ambush scene from 'The Simpsons' offers a lighter take on a tragic moment.
The significance of the downed bomber plane as a gateway to an alien and primitive world beyond.
The challenges and creative solutions in filming the patrol boat passing under the bomber's tail section.
Coppola's vision of the scene as a surreal Disneyland ride for the crew, despite the difficulties.
The historical context of young American soldiers, particularly Black Americans, in the Vietnam War.
The observation that minority soldiers were often stationed in the most dangerous areas of the war.
The discussion on Warner Brothers' simultaneous theater and streaming release strategy and its consequences.
The mention of the 'Notebook' magazine and its focus on the art and culture of cinema, including the impact of weather in films.
Transcripts
The scene in Apocalypse Now where the patrol boat crew is ambushed while opening their
mail is saying a lot more than you might realize.
In this episode, Iâll take you through this scene uncovering what is really being said.
Weâll also take a look at an early draft of the scene that seems to connect to Greek
mythology, the historical connection to the experience of Black Americans in the war,
as well as how important and weirdly difficult it was to film the boat passing under the
tail section of a downed bomber plane.
Directly after the surreal Do Lung Bridge sequence, the patrol boat crew opens the mail
they received from Willardâs contact there.
I was sent here from Na Trang with these three days ago, sir.
Expected you here a little sooner.
This is mail for the boat.
This scene involving the patrol boat getting ambushed and Mr. Clean getting killed was
one of the very last things that was filmed, so Coppola had the benefit of knowing how
the movie would end when he shot this scene.
But still, the scene that appears in the script and the longer version that appears in the
5-hour workprint shows us some interesting details that didnât make it into the final
film.
See?
You canât stop me!
The men opening their mail is absent from both John Miliusâs 1969 draft of the script
and Coppolaâs 1975 rewrite.
Instead, in Miliusâ version, we get Lance talking about his backstory of joining the
Navy because he couldnât be with the girl he loved.
This was the scene that was used during the casting process and was cut from later drafts.
She had this leather skirt.
Short leather skirt.
The Do Lung Bridge was the last army outpost on the Nung River, so this mail is the last
contact theyâll have with anything resembling home.
Mr. LB Johnson, here you go!
Far out, man!
All right, Iâve been waiting for this one!
New mail also means Willard has received more information about his mission.
He receives a letter revealing that he was not the first person sent on this mission.
Another man was sent and it is believed that he is now, like so many others, under Kurtzâs
spell.
The US Military intercepted a letter the man tried to send to his wife that shows just
how far gone he is.
It reads: âSell the house.
Sell the car.
Sell the kids.
Find someone else.
Forget it!
Iâm never coming back.
Forget it!!!â
Is there anything more terrifying than seeing the awful fate of someone just ahead of you
on the same path you are on right now?
Directly after, this is visually linked to a newspaper article Chef is reading about
Charles Manson, a real cult leader who, like Kurtz, has dedicated followers who have committed
brutal acts of violence in his name.
Charles Miller Manson ordered the slaughter of all in the home anyway as a symbol of protest.
Hey, thatâs pretty weird, ainât it?
And through making this connection to Kurtz and what we will later learn are his motivations,
I can see a parallel being made by Coppola to war itselfâa cause, in the eyes of leadership,
however rational or insane, that is believed and brutally carried out by its followers.
It must be a temptation to be god.
And through the grander context of the Vietnam War, it puts us in a perspective where we
can question our own sense of what is right by understanding that our opponent is fighting
for a cause that they believe is right.
And Coppola has boiled down the theme of the movie in a couple of subtle cuts.
The power of cinema.
At least thatâs my interpretation.
And keep in mind that Coppola had already filmed the Kurtz scenes by this point.
Are my methods unsound?
In the 5 hour workprint, instead of receiving this new part of the dossier, Willard gets
a letter from a random person who is part of a pen-pal program.
Dear Captain Willard, You donât know me but I drew your name from a list of servicemen
who requested someone to write themâŠ
There is also a bit where Lance reads that his friend dinged up his surfboard back home.
What?
I dinged up your board shooting the pier and had to shave off a little!?
Lance acts silly with the smoke bombs like in the final movie, but he also scares the
crew when he shoots a water buffalo.
Lance!
Lance!
Come on!
What the f*** are you doing now!?
Why did you shoot that water buffalo?
I kill water buffalo.
Thatâs a harmless animal!
It wasnât bothering you!
Itâs an animal!
Itâs got life!
I control the lives of every living thing thatâs set before my sights!
Itâs possible that this alerted the enemy to their presence, though the workprint is
missing the actual ambush.
In Coppolaâs 1975 rewrite of the script, it is raining heavily and the crew is hiding
under the boatâs canopy.
They are driving against the flow of the river and floating tree trunks are slamming against
the boat.
Chief says that the river wants them to turn back and this is where we get the exchange
between Chief and Willard that was moved to the end of the Do Lung sequence.
Just get us upriver!
Afraid that the tree trunks are going to crack the boatâs hull, they decide to detour down
a small offshoot of the riverâwhatâs called a tributary.
But when they go down the tributary, they find that it is completely overgrown with
Hyacinths making the boat crawl through them at a âsnailâs paceâ.
The name Hyacinth has its origin in Greek Mythology.
The story goes that the beautiful Spartan prince Hyakinthos was loved by both the sun
god Apollo and the wind god Zephyrus.
But when Hyakinthos chose Apollo, a jealous Zephyrus caused a discus to fatally strike
him.
From Hyakinthos' blood emerged a flower, which Apollo named "hyacinth" in his honor (Bouqs).
Hyacinths have a couple of different symbolic meanings based on their color, one is jealousy,
but another is sorrow and asking forgiveness which could potentially be Coppola asking
the audience for forgiveness for what he is about to do to Clean.
In the final film, there is a general sense on the boat that they are having fun opening
their mail and reading letters from home while Lance goofs around with colored smoke bombs,
but the music is mysterious and keeps us on edge.
Purple haze, look!
Clean plays a tape recording that his mother sent.
It seems they were able to forget about the Sampan massacre, but they wonât be able
to forget whatâs coming next.
We get the surreal image of a boat shrouded in pink smoke daring anyone not to notice
it.
Suddenly, what looks like a bottle rocket flies out of the jungle straight toward the
camera.
The ambush has begun.
Coppolaâs script describes these as tracer rounds, which are bullets that have a pyrotechnic
charge that ignites and helps you see where your bullets are going so you can aim better,
but it is obvious that those wouldnât be able to be practically fired at the cast.
If you want, you could see them as bottle rockets to confuse the crew while they are
being shot at.
We donât even know if this is the NVA soldiersâit could be Kurtzâs army.
Either way, this is an incredible visual of colored lights and smoke trails whizzing all
around the boat.
When Coppola was making notes on this part of the screenplay, he wrote, âMislead the
audience into thinking they know when and where and how the violence will come, then
do it sooner and differentlyââ (Cowie 37).
We see Clean get shot before the crew realizes whatâs happened.
All of the noise of the attack ends and all thatâs left is the sound of Cleanâs mother
on the tape recorder telling him to stay safe and planning for his return.
Granny and Dad are trying to get enough money to get you a car, but donât tell them.
Because thatâs our secret.
This does not appear in either of the script drafts Iâve seen.
Itâs an absolutely devastating moment,
Whereâs the dog?
We gotta go back and get the dog!
so to lighten the mood a bit, here is a parody of the scene from The Simpsons.
Sending your chick a valentine, huh?
Yeah.
Johnny.
Johnny!
Look, you can literally see a photo of Kurtz next to Skinner and Chef and Clean in the
background.
We see dead bodies and fire on the nearby riverbank.
When the patrol boat passes by scenes like this, it reminds me of a 1967 movie by Jean
Luc Godard called Weekend which takes place in a hellish version of France where everywhere
is littered with fiery car wrecks and dead bodies.
A horrifying scene that has been sitting in an indifferent world waiting to be discovered
is a great way of creating a hellish atmosphere.
In Miliusâ 1969 draft, we get a spooky scene at night where they hear strange noises in
the jungle and see human skulls on pikes and determine that it was not the work of the
Viet Cong.
Lance shoots at them and they explode, revealing that they were mined.
Then they pull up to a fort and find Colonel Kurtz and the Kurtz section begins.
But we still have a ways to go.
The idea was that the Do Lung Bridge was the point of no return and shortly after Cleanâs
death, there is another gatewayâa downed bomber plane with its tail section sticking
out of the water.
Beyond the bomber plane, everything is alien, and time almost seems to be going backward
as things get more and more primitive.
Getting the shot of the patrol boat passing under the tail section was very difficult.
Interestingly, production designer Dean Tavoularis said that they based it on drawings that they
got from the toy company Mattel (Cowie 96).
Mattel owns Hot Wheels, so Iâm wondering if it was from a Hot Wheels toy.
They built it [quote] âpiece by piece in a little fabrication shop in Manila, and then
assembled [it] out on locationâ (Cowie 96).
Coppola had wanted it to be covered in monkeys but it would be too difficult to keep them
from running away, so they leashed a few at the top, but occasionally one would fall and
dangle from the leash ruining the shot (Cowie 96).
The weather was difficult the first time they shot it and they had to reshoot because you
could see the beam holding the tail section in place (Cowie 97).
Coppola wanted it to feel like a surreal DisneylandÂ
ride for the patrol boat crew (Cowie 97).
F***, man!
This is better than Disneyland.
Milius: âI remember when I wrote that scene and of course, you write stuff that can never
be done, but I wrote that they go under the tail of this B-52 and the river widens and
there is all of these beautiful waterfalls kind of circling and then at the end where
it widens, it goes dark again into this sort ofâ the trees go over and itâs like this
hole thatâs going to hellâ (Milius Interview).
In Coppolaâs 1975 rewrite, there is no funeral scene.
Instead Chief places Cleanâs body in a plastic sack and somberly pushes it into the river.
In the workprint, we can see them wrapping Cleanâs body as they arrive at the French
Plantation.
The funeral scene didnât appear in the theatrical version of the movie and was added back in
for the Redux version during the French Plantation sequence that follows this scene.
Coppola explained to Laurence Fishburne that Cleanâs funeral was meant as a tribute to
the youth of America (Actors Talking).
How old are you?
Seventeen.
Almost ten thousand US soldiers under the age of 20 died in the war (Archives).
And alongside that, there is the added context of black Americans fighting and dying in a
war for a country that didnât treat them well at home.
And black Americans were more likely to be drafted into the war than white Americans
with 16.3% of draftees being black while the black population in America was 11% (Wiki).
You drafted or did you volunteer for this?
Drafted.
Acemagalor2519 made a great observation about the previous scene at the Do Lung Bridge saying,
âA detail I love about the bridge scene is how it's undoubtedly the most actively
dangerous part of the river we see and it's primarily stationed with black men.
I think it acts as a reference to how the government would often view minority soldiers
as even more disposable than white ones and how they'd often be shipped to the most dangerous
areas of the war.â
Albert Hall: âHere we were, in this case, me and Larryâboth black.
And here we are fighting for our country and I lose him.
Reflecting on the fact that there were more blacks in the war and perhaps, the inequity
of that.
And that was very good juice and substance to use emotionally right there.â
This episodeâs companion PDF features some more context on the involvement of black Americans
in the Vietnam War to better understand how it is referenced in the movie.
Itâs just a dollar and will go into the five-dollar archive on Patreon when my next
video goes up.
I was reading this really interesting article in the newest issue of Notebook about the
issues with Warner Brothers releasing movies in theaters and streaming on HBO Max at the
same time in 2020 and getting sued by people like Christopher Nolan.
And now they are being used as a loss-leader for the streaming service.
For the fledgling streaming service.
Partially because of that WarnerMedia was bought by Discovery.
This is a fantastic collection of assets.
There was a nearly-finished Batgirl movie and a Scooby Doo movie that were shelved after
the merger because Discovery was able to reassess the value of assets and, in order to save
money, decided that these movies were worth nothing.
But they had to prove it by not monetizing them.
So the movies were put on the shelf, never to be seen.
This is also why a bunch of content was removed from HBO Max.
The story gets even weirder and you can read about it in Issue 3 of Notebookâthe print-only
magazine devoted to the art and culture of cinemaâcreated, prepared, and published
by Mubi.
This issue is called The Flap of a Butterflyâs Wings and is devoted to the depiction of weather
inside and outside of movies, and the ways in which film culture and industry can be
sabotaged.
There are articles about shooting in extreme weather, tips on how to make a movie that
is unstreamable, and tons more.
A subscription is $40 a year and comes with two huge issues and two exclusive surprise
gifts for subscribers.
Shipping is free, wherever you are.
You can subscribe at mubi.com/magazine.
And the current issue can be found in select stores around the world.
On the next episode of Making Apocalypse Now, we are taking a look at the expensive and
hectic French Plantation sequence that was cut from the theatrical release and seen for
the first time when the Redux version was released.
This video is particularly fascinating and gets into Coppolaâs method for creating
scenes.
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
Smell The Napalm: The Story Behind This Incredible Scene | Ep11 | Making Apocalypse Now
Playboy Sequence: The WILD Story Behind Filming This Scene | Ep14 | Making Apocalypse Now
Jim Morrison and Beginning with 'The End' | Ep4 | Making Apocalypse Now
The French Plantation Sequence FINALLY Explained | Ep19 | Making Apocalypse Now
Meet Kilgore: The Story Behind One of Coppolaâs Most Complex Scenes | Ep9 | Making Apocalypse Now
Medevac Scene: The CRAZY Story Behind Filming in a REAL TYPHOON | Ep15 | Making Apocalypse Now
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)