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Apocalypse Now Redux

The rating is: not as good as the original theatrical release.

The stuff that got cut tended to be brighter moments, PBR streetgang horsing around, stealing Kilgore's surfboard, meeting up with the bunnies again, Brando ranting, but in the sunlight... Even the legendary French Plantation bit is a lighter, especially Sheen making it with Aurore Clement. It seems that they were working on contrasts here -- she's in white, talks about life, prefers sex over violence, but the film works better without it. I also liked the original's credits much better.

I liked the darkness of the original release -- it is an adaptation of the Conrad novel after all. The French Plantation ties the film's themes into the history of colonialism and is therefore a good idea, but it just doesn't come off right. Too much talking, i think, and Aurore Clement was a wierd bit of casting. She's too sweet for this movie.

One problem with these director's cuts and other such projects is that the cut out bits aren't as polished as the rest of the film. For example, the music in the French Plantation section is pretty annoying.