Apocalypse Now draws heavily on Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Eliot's The Hollow Men, in exploring the corrosive effects on human beings of imperialism, colonialism, and the racism implicit in the conception of the "white man's burden." These notions, rooted in the Renaissance "doctrine of discovery" and philosophical works like Thomas More's Utopia supported and permitted Western European nations in exploiting the people we often refer to with euphemisms like "the third world" and "underdeveloped nations." The wars of national liberation that have characterized much of the twentieth century are the price we have paid for such notions. In class, you will see a scene that was cut from the film that explores these issues.

Given these assertions, read and respond to Roger Ebert's review of Coppola's film. Feel free to agree or disagree with Ebert, who is often right and often wrong, like most of us. (This review by Roger Ebert can be found in the Cinemania CD-ROM, ©1996 Microsoft Corporation.)

You can get some ideas about how to respond to Ebert's review by visiting other sites that deal with the film. Use the Google or Yahoo search engine to find sites that deal with Apocalypse Now. Visit some of the sites listed, choose one and make sure you include the URL for the site in your commentary.