FEST 2020: Review of the Final Cut

40 years after the premiere of the film "Apocalypse Now," a new, never-before-seen restored final version of the film will be celebrated. The film "Apocalypse Now: Final Version" will be screened at the 48th FEST on March 7th and 8th.

The program of the 48th FEST includes over 300 screenings. On March 7th and 8th, the film "Apocalypse Now: Final Version" will be featured. You can watch the film at Sava Center and the Yugoslav Film Archive.

On the same day, FEST will present films such as "Bus Station," "White as Snow," "Bull," "Enchantment," "Voice," "Jojo Rabbit," "Rainy Days in New York," "Murky Waters," "Possession," etc. The films will be shown at Sava Center, Kombank Hall, Cultural Center of Belgrade, Youth Center, Yugoslav Film Archive, "Fontana" and "Cineplexx" cinemas at Ušće.

Director Francis Coppola once said, "My film is not about Vietnam, my film is Vietnam." Probably the best film ever made about the Vietnam War - tense from beginning to end, one of those films you must watch.

The film "Apocalypse Now" is based on Joseph Conrad's book "Heart of Darkness." A complex story of descending into darkness, murder, violence that shakes you every 10 minutes. The film was shot in the Philippines while the Vietnam War was still ongoing. Because of the length of the shoot and the problems that occurred during filming, the film gained the reputation of being cursed. Martin Sheen plays Captain Benjamin Willard, a troubled officer trying to recover from the breakdown caused by his last tour in Vietnam. Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission to Cambodia to assassinate the rogue American Colonel Kurtz, who has barricaded himself deep in the jungle. With Brando's performance, you can identify with almost every character, despite the difficult and extraordinary subject matter.

The psychedelia of the late '60s and early '70s is perfectly captured in the film, and the excellent music, which combines the best of The Rolling Stones, The Doors, and Richard Wagner, highlights the most memorable parts.

The main roles are played by Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, and Robert Duvall.

The Final Cut

After 40 years, "Apocalypse" comes with its final cut. Coppola has removed some sequences from "Playmate" that were in his 202-minute "Redux" edition from 2001. However, "this cut" retains the extended dinner scene with the French plantation in the jungle, like the encounter with angry ancestral spirits.

"The film now looks better than it has ever looked and sounds better than it has ever sounded. The audience will be able to see, hear, and feel the film as I always hoped it could be - from the first burst to the final whisper," said the filmmaker.

Brought back from the original source, "Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut" is Coppola's most complete version of his multi-award-winning classic.

"Apocalypse" won 2 Oscars, 2 BAFTAs for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor.

Tickets for FEST can be purchased at the box offices of all festival venues and online.