Review of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991) by Jeff Q — 20 Jun 2009

Hearts of Darkness (the making of Apocalypse Now) is easily the most riveting "making of" documentary ever. Back when reality TV was actually based in reality filming for this documentary truly captures the anguish, self doubt, and overall lunacy without feeling forced one single bit. Concerns revolving around budgets, drugs, actors, schedules, weather, civil war, and any other host of issues are detailed in extremely personal exhibition.

The aspect I found the most fascinating is the how Coppola really didn't have any idea if he was making a great film or a pretentious film or something in between. To spend your entire life savings and dedicate years of your life to a project and not know if it would turn out any good would make any of us go insane.

One drawback to the film is, Do we really want to see the making of this masterpiece? Sometimes the finished product is its own reward.