“The Horror…The Horror!” Apocalypse Now and the Complexities of War

Warning: the following article contains major spoilers and some disturbing content.

No dialogue can be heard, nor do any credits or titles appear. The film fades in from black to a simple image of a primeval forest. Helicopter blades whir distantly. A brief billow of smoke appears. “This is the End” by Jim Morrison (The Doors) begins to play. Black landing skids enter the frame. The entire…