Apocalypse Now
- The highly-publicized delays and catastrophes in the gruelling shoot (scheduled for about 17 weeks but ending up lasting about 34 weeks), along with extra-marital affairs, a grandiose and suicidal director, drug use and other forms of madness, were mostly due to a rain-drenching typhoon (named Olga) and a star-debilitating, near-fatal heart attack for star Martin Sheen
- The setback, mentioned in first bullet-point, meant film wasn’t released until 1979. 6 years after the Peace Agreement of 1973.
- The war was still fresh in the minds of the US public (first televised war), who mostly held a negative view of the conflict.
- Americans lacked the passion and drive to win Vietnam, and hence it had been a mistake to become involved with one hand tied behind their back.
- Was considered to be a political comment on the involvement of the US in Vietnam; one of the first few movies to deal with the subject directly after the war.
- Loosely based on the novel, Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad. There were significant changes, many relevant themes were kept in light to relate to the US involvement in Vietnam. Setting of Congo changed to Vietnam.
- 4 years before 'Apocalypse Now' officially debuted as a screenplay.
- minimum amount of Vietnamese civilian deaths was 250,000 ranging to 450,000.
- Vietnamese won through the use of guerilla warfare; and by slowly drawing US troops into the Jungle [territory that natives knew well - used to their advantage]
- The Vietnam war was the longest in US history until the Afghanistan war (2002-2014)
- Because of the US' failure to achieve military victory, the Republic of South Vietnam was ultimately taken over by North Vietnam. Which resulted in "the only war America ever lost."
- Widespread belief in America that "the media cost them the war in Vietnam." Never before or since have journalists been given such complete access to cover a war.
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