8.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.9 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.9 |
During the Vietnam War, a U.S. army captain is sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade colonel who has set himself up as a god among a local tribe.
Starring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Sam BottomsDrama | 100% |
Epic | 51% |
War | 38% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Six-disc set (6 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Apocalypse Now was among the first really “big”, as in iconic, movies that came across my review queue here at Blu-ray.com, way back in 2010. That release got an almost completely perfect score from me at the time, and now Lionsgate is seeing if napalm smells any different in the morning in 4K UHD (that was said and/or typed with tongue firmly in cheek, lest that not be evident). It's been a running joke of mine that Lionsgate's 4K UHD releases seem to be tied to remainders of old 1080p Blu-rays they must find in various nooks and crannies in some Raiders of the Lost Ark-esque warehouse, but in this case (as actually as in a couple of other recent cases of "old" Lionsgate releases getting a 4K UHD upgrade), Lionsgate is providing presentations culled from new masters on both the 4K UHD and 1080p Blu-ray discs included in this nicely appointed package.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080p Blu-ray.
Apocalypse Now is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with 2160p transfers in 2.39:1. All three versions stem from the
same 4K restoration, and I frankly noticed no huge quality variances between them in either their shared or different footage. Before I get into my
reactions to the 4K presentations, I should take a moment to mention that our Forum devoted to this release has quite a few complaints about the compression on the 1080p Blu-rays included in this set, and so
for those concerned about those particular presentations, I refer you to some of our typically well informed members who have posted
about it, while also noting I'm docking my score for the 1080p Blu-ray presentations in this set when compared to the older 1080p Blu-ray release
from Lionsgate. The good news is whatever complaints some may have about the 1080p presentations, I can't imagine anyone harping too
much about any of the 2160p presentations, as I found them to be largely stunning, with clear upticks in detail and (especially) fine detail, some
interesting if subtle highlights added courtesy of Dolby Vision, and a definite improvement in shadow detail generally throughout the many dark
sequences in the film. The one niggling qualm some may have with this presentation is one that has "afflicted" (if that's the right word) previous
home video incarnations of this title (in any of its now many forms), namely a rather wide variance in grain thickness due to the prevalence of old
school opticals. Coppola uses quasi-montage repeatedly throughout the film, often superimposing images to create a near psychedelic ambience,
and as such grain expectedly spikes, sometimes quite significantly. The opening several minute sequence is just the first of several examples that
can be cited where grain is positively chunky, often colored either yellowish or brownish, and thick enough that it can mask fine detail. When, for
example, the film finally cuts out of this first set of opticals at around the 3 minute mark, an immediate improvement in clarity along with a much
more finely resolved grain field is instantly apparent, and aside from reoccurrences of similar opticals (and there are quite a few), the improvement
is consistent for the duration of the presentation. Detail levels are quite impressive throughout, and some of the fine detail upticks really surprised
me — for just one minor but telling example, you can actually read the text in the little plastic enclosed name tags that Lucas and Corman (think
about that for a minute) wear when they are recruiting Willard to go hunt for Kurtz.
The palette is often gorgeously suffused in 4K UHD, and some of the highlights are noticeably different, if subtly so, from earlier presentations and
even from the 1080p Blu-rays included in this package. Oranges and yellows in particular have some interstitial tones that I didn't notice as being
quite as prevalent in the 1080p presentations, and several scenes have an almost peach hue to them now. Some of the jungle scenes feature blue
and teal tones that are extremely evocative, and the final act with Kurtz sees more "mundane" yellows slowly being burnished into impressive gold
tones as the scenes continue. Shadow detail in this final sequence of scenes gives at least a little more information in frames that are often
shrouded in darkness.
While the grain field is rather widely variable, and there are the added "challenges" of huge wafts of dust and smoke blowing through many scenes
in addition to the "background" of grain, compression on the 4K UHD discs is excellent, with no major anomalies that I noticed. There are a few
very minor blemishes that have made it through the restoration guantlet, but in my estimation they're nothing of any real import.
As impressive as the video element is on these new 4K UHD discs, the Dolby Atmos tracks all three versions have are completely immersive, with floorboard rumbling LFE and nice verticality that's apparent from the very first panning sounds of a helicopter rotor clearly passing overhead and around the listener. Source cues like a certain Richard Wagner "hit tune" sound fantastic in this presentation, and the glut of explosions and gunfire also punctuate the soundfield with extremely directional effects that consistently maintain a realistic ambience. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout these excellent and hugely enjoyable presentations.
"One man's supplement may be another man's main feature" would be my maxim for this release, and so I'll detail the complete contents of each
disc below:
4K UHD Disc One
- Unit Photography (1080p)
- Mary Ellen Mark Photography (1080p)
- 1979 Teaser Trailer (1080p; 1:29)
- 1979 Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 3:56)
- 1979 Radio Spots (2:05)
- 1979 Theatrical Program (1080p) features images of the program.
- Lobby Card and Press Kit Photos (1080p)
- Poster Gallery (1080p)
There are a number of significant pluses to this release, along with one perhaps major minus: a lot of fans who have gotten this are less than thrilled with the compression on the 1080p Blu-rays included in this set. I personally found the 2160p presentations to be stellar for the most part, with an understanding that the prevalence of opticals leads to a rather wide variance in grain structure and resolution. Lionsgate has provided a release with solid technical merits on the 4K UHD discs and virtually all of the supplements from the previous Blu-ray release, along with a few new ones that are rather interesting. Highly recommended.
Full Disclosure Edition
1979
Two-Disc Special Edition
1979
Apocalypse Now/Apocalypse Now Redux
1979
Apocalypse Now/Apocalypse Now Redux
1979
Apocalypse Now / Apocalypse Now Redux / Hearts of Darkness
1979
1979
1979
1979
1979
Final Cut | 40th Anniversary Edition
1979
1998
1978
Collector's Edition
1986
1987
65th Anniversary Limited Edition
1957
1957
1968
1964
2008
1980
2006
1978
1967
1970
1977
2009
1971
1975
Limited Edition to 3000
1969
2020