Heart of Darkness the Apocalipse now - Research Paper Example

?Parallel Between Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now Table of Contents Introduction 3 Thesis ment 4 Parallel Between “Heart of Darkness” and “Apocalypse Now” 4 Conclusion 6 Works Cited 7 Introduction There has been an age old debate pertaining to the fact that reading a book is always better than watching a film and vice verse. Linda Costanzo Cahir in her book entitled, “Literature Into Film: Theory and Practical Approaches” argues that, “A movie based on a literary source is often seen as a secondary work and, consequently, of secondary value” (Cahir 13). Contrary to this argument, there are also film critics who pounce upon the fact that many dramas and novels would have remained under-read if not transformed into great movies. However, the adaption of literature into film is a very old phenomena and it has greatly allured the film-makers to take up a good literary piece with their own hues at times display it through the reels with quite honest translation and at times end up adding their own perceptions and twists in the screenplay. Whether a movie is more over-rated than a novel or a drama or vice versa is a debatable topic that will launch the discussion into a different dimension. In this essay, we shall focus on the influential part of the literature or film rather than straightway taking adaptations into consideration. “Heart of Darkness” is a novel written by the great writer from the modern pantheon, Joseph Conrad. Published in the year 1899, the story of the novel focuses on the trajectory of the ivory exporter and the protagonist sailor of the novella, Charles Marlowe and his encounter with Mr. Kurtz, a man who procures the ivories. The relation between the good and the evil, the savage and the civilized world is so stark in the novel that it arouses a volley of inquisitions in the mind of the readers. And after so many years since the publication of the novella, “Heart of Darkness”, film was released titled “Apocalypse Now” in the year 1979, which centers round the Vietnam war and is treated as one of the epic war films in the history of world cinema directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The film traces the experience of a man Captain Benjamin L. Willard who is set off on a mission to kill the traitor and so considered lunatic Colonel of the American Special Forces named Colonel Walter E. Kurtz. It can be thus easily determined that the novel, “Heart of Darkness” and the film, “Apocalypse Now” centers round the trajectory of a man through the exotic, wild and dark path of Africa and Vietnam respectively consequently cruising the gruesome and dark abbeys of hypocrite and civilized society. Thesis Statement This essay intends to explore the subtle areas of both the novel, “Heart of Darkness” with the film, “Apocalypse Now” and set a parallel matrix between the two aesthetic pieces from different age, and medium. Moreover, the essay tries to strike a hint upon the meticulous use of symbols in both the works and compare them. Parallel Between “Heart of Darkness” and “Apocalypse Now” A deep delineation into the plot of the novel and screenplay of the film will launch its readers and viewers into a conclusion that the themes of Imperialism like a thread running through both the pieces. One who has comprehended both the novel “Heart of Darkness” and the film” Apocalypse Now” will definitely launch themselves into a realm where they would be compelled to accept the fact that “Apocalypse Now” is not a film with complete individuality. On the contrary, it is at places mere transportation of the plot of the novella, “Heart of Darkness” into silver screen. However, a deep delineation of certain factors imbibed within the structure of the film will definitely indicate that “Apocalypse Now” is a film that was merely inspired by the novella, “Heart of Darkness”. There are many aspects which can be said simultaneously running through the film and the novel. In the film, “Apocalypse Now” barring the sequence of the main mission, the plot of the film is entirely adapted from the novel. The narrative of both the film and the novel is same, being the first person narrator only with their changes in name. In the novel, the first person narrator is Marlowe and in the film it happens to be Willard. The phrase which builds the sense of gruesome foreboding eclipsing the entire scenario of both the novel and the film is the pertinent phrase “the horror”. And both Marlowe from “Heart of Darkness” and Willard from the film “Apocalypse Now” use the phrase repeatedly to explain their situations. Interestingly, both the novel and the film have their antagonists bearing the same name Kurtz. A scene from the film, where Marlowe finds a note after he kills Kurtz inscribed, “Exterminate all the brutes” reiterates a same sequence from the plot of “Heart of Darkness.” The cinematography of the film also could not escape the influence of the novel. The description of the places and situations in the novel if thought hypothetically will hint towards the scheme of colors, setting and sequence which appear in the film. Scenes like the death of the helmsman by a native with the help of the spear or the last wish from Kurtz appear from the book without any modifications almost. Only difference that can be drawn at this juncture is that the film ends earlier as in the novel we find Marlowe sets off to search Kurtz’ s wife. As regards the layer of symbols or allusions used in the film which is mostly implemented by Coppola to draw a parallel with the novel, there are much hints delivered through the film to establish the parallel connections with the novel. These allusions are operated within the film through themes and messages put forth through the film. The theme of degeneration of human value in the modern world holds a concrete place in both the novel and the film. Furthermore, the real meaning of civilization and the consistent battle of evil versus good is being projected through both the pieces at different levels, at times with the help of stark metaphors and at other places through myriad symbols and icons used as prototypes in the film and novel. Nevertheless, in this respect the film appears clearer with the projection of message imbibed within it through allusions than the book. Like in the film, Willard gets arrested and after his arrest, he is mal-treated with brutal tortures. “Apocalypse Now” is a film that projects the stupidity associated with war; on the contrary “Heart of Darkness” is a novel that stands as a critic to colonialism but the real intent of the book remains grey forever. There seem multiple lines of thoughts which were being intended through the plot and the theme of the book. Coppola very subtly picks up one of those themes which hinges on the dehumanization and plunged to make a film from a different dimension. The gut of the film and the book lies on the thesis of Kurtz’s philosophy. The film, “Apocalypse Now” provided a bigger space for the expression of Kurtz and his set of ideals through which much of the thematic content of the film gets displayed. Here, Kurtz can be treated as an icon, a symbol that becomes the true spokesman for the condition of modern man in the post-war situation. On the other hand, the book, “Heart of Darkness” did not put forward a bigger or a stronger space to Kurtz through which he can testify his thoughts (Giacomo and Christoph, “The Book Heart Of Darkness And The Film Apocalypse Now: A Comparison”). Conclusion Undoubtedly, the film “Apocalypse Now” is greatly inspired from the novel “The Heart of Darkness”. There are areas where the book seems stronger as in the case of characterization. And also there is space where the film takes over the book as in the case of description. Nevertheless, both the pieces are gem of aesthetics and capture intense socio-political issues which shall continue to enchant minds till eternity and raise a volley of thoughts and debates across the globe throughout the ages. Works Cited Cahir, Linda Costanzo. Literature Into Film: Theory And Practical Approaches. United States of America: McFarland, 2006. Print. Giacomo and Christoph. The Book Heart of Darkness and the Film Apocalypse Now: A Comparison. Booksweb, 2004. Web. 06 Apr. 2013. Read More