Hearts of Darkness 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Hearts of Darkness 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 3, 2025

"Hearts of Darkness" (1991) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the release include new program with Francis Ford Coppola; archival interviews; short films and documentaries; trailers; and more. In English, with optional English SDH and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

After viewing Hearts of Darkness, most people will rightfully conclude that it is an unmissable documentary, as it effectively reveals what a monumental project Apocalypse Now was. It is a fascinating time capsule, too. It captures the management of a wide range of creative choices and working methods that Hollywood studios no longer tolerate -- for a variety of different reasons. Simply put, films, not just monumental projects like Apocalypse Now, are no longer conceived as described in Hearts of Darkness.

A great question to ask is whether this is a good or bad development. I thought I had a quick answer. However, twenty-four hours after revisiting Hearts of Darkness, I am struggling to declare that I do.

A part of me that usually feels very strongly about the way Hollywood used to make films is convinced that it is a bad development because it made it impossible for creative geniuses like Francis Ford Coppola to emerge during the 1980s and the decades that followed. Technology helped tremendously, but there is a reason Coppola’s generation was the last to produce great auteurs. Back then, when Apocalypse Now was conceived and shot, films were character-driven, and the people who made them, the directors and writers, had plenty of freedom to craft special characters that all great films need. Nearly two-thirds of Hearts of Darkness is dedicated to the complexity of this practice -- crafting the special characters and the authentic environment in which they must be placed to impress. Today, films are made differently. They are not character-driven. They are digital containers for the latest special effects that the newest computers can produce, which means that people like Coppola, or the version of him that went to the Philippines to shoot Apocalypse Now, are no longer needed.

There is another part of me, however, that feels a change was needed. The evidence that supports its decision emerges in the second half of Hearts of Darkness, where Coppola is informed that Martin Sheen has suffered a massive heart attack. Coppola’s reaction is stunning. He instantly declares himself the ultimate judge on Sheen’s condition and vows to continue shooting Apocalypse Now. It is a very odd moment. It is also a sad moment because it reveals where Coppola was stuck without realizing -- in the abyss, which Friedrich Nietzsche once warned would gaze back if you gaze into it long enough.

Eleanor Coppola, who shot the most interesting documentary footage, casually confirms that this is precisely where Coppola was stuck. However, the confirmation is meaningless because there is a short segment in which Coppola can be seen pointing a gun at his head. Various cast members were next to him, in the abyss, too. Several recall boozing hard and taking drugs to keep them going, and sensing the presence of Death.

John Milius’ comments summarize perfectly the film Coppola was shooting in the Philippines. Milius explains that in the middle of a seemingly collapsing production, he was brought back to put the screenplay for it together, and, before Coppola, who had dramatically revised it, he felt like the notorious German Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt facing Adolf Hitler in 1944. While Milius could see that Apocalypse Now had become a strange, mad film, Coppola effectively dismissed his fears and sold it to him as a future Nobel Prize winner. It was too big a film not to be admired.

Hearts of Darkness 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

StudioCanal's release of Hearts of Darkness is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the two Blu-rays are Region-B "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-17 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #21-38 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release introduces a new 4K restoration of Heart of Darkness on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray. I viewed the 4K restoration in its entirety on 4K Blu-ray and later spent time with its 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

Eleanor Coppola's original footage from the Philippines looks incredible. There are a few bits that are extracted from archival sources, like the material from the Cannes Film Festival, whose quality fluctuates, but this is understandable. Also, there are numerous inserts from the fully restored Apocalypse Now that look terrific. I thought that the HDR grade was gentle yet quite effective, especially during the action material, where there are large explosions that look almost as good as those seen in Apocalypse Now. (This is not an exaggeration. Delineation and depth are often outstanding). Unsurprisingly, all close-ups look great as well. Occasionally, grain exposure can be either slightly more pronounced or toned down, but this is quite common in documentaries where plenty of diverse footage is used. The entire film looks very healthy. I sampled various areas of the 1080p presentation and thought that they looked equally impressive. I suspect that the Blu-ray release and its presentation of the documentary will surprise a lot of people.

Hearts of Darkness 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three standard audio tracks on this release: English LPCM 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and German LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH and German subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I decided to view Hearts of Darkness with the remastered 5.1 track. It is very obvious that this track was remastered to make the transitions between the original documentary footage and the footage from Apocalypse Now more even and effective. It is a fine effort, but I can see why some viewers may conclude that the 5.1 track changes the tone of the documentary. After all, the original footage is not supposed to be as polished and fluid as that from Apocalypse Now. The dialogue and narration are clear and very easy to follow.

Hearts of Darkness 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• The Making of Hearts of Darkness - in this new program, Francis Ford Coppola discusses the various challenges he faced during the production of Apocalypse Now, including Martin Sheen's heart attack, and the creation of Hearts of Darkness. Also included are clips from interviews with Sofia Coppola, Roman Coppola, and Fax Bahr. The program was directed by Derrick Scocchera for StudioCanal. In English, with German subtitles. (38 min).

• Eleanor Coppola: Art is All Around Us - in this new program, Eleanor Coppola recalls her work on Hearts of Darkness and role as the Coppola family's "documentarian". Also included are clips from interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia Coppola, and Roman Coppola. The program was directed by Derrick Scocchera for StudioCanal In English, with German subtitles. (24 min).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola in 2007. In English, with optional German subtitles.

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• The Making of Hearts of Darkness - in this new program, Francis Ford Coppola discusses the various challenges he faced during the production of Apocalypse Now, including Martin Sheen's heart attack, and the creation of Hearts of Darkness. Also included are clips from interviews with Sofia Coppola, Roman Coppola, and Fax Bahr. The program was directed by Derrick Scocchera for StudioCanal. In English, with German subtitles. (38 min).

• Eleanor Coppola: Art is All Around Us - in this new program, Eleanor Coppola recalls her work on Hearts of Darkness and role as the Coppola family's "documentarian". Also included are clips from interviews with Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia Coppola, and Roman Coppola. The program was directed by Derrick Scocchera for StudioCanal In English, with German subtitles. (24 min).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola in 2007. In English, with optional German subtitles.

BLU-RAY DISC TWO

• Eleanor Coppola Short Films - all films are fully restored.
  
  1. Peeling a Potato is a Work of Art (1976). In English, with optional German subtitles. (1 min).
  2. Victorian House (1976). In English, with optional German subtitles. (4 min).
  3. Joyce Goldstein (1976). In English, with optional German subtitles. (2 min).
  4. Refrligerator (1976). In English, with optional German subtitles. (1 min).

• Eleanor Coppola Documentaries - all films are either fully restored or remastered.
  
  1. Coda - Eleanor Coppola Introduction. In English, with optional German subtitles. (2 min).
  2. Coda: Thirty Years Later (2007). In English, with optional German subtitles. (63 min).
  3. Makingof Marie Antoinette (2007). In English, with optional German subtitles. (26 min).
  4. FCC Directs The Rainmaker (2007). In English, with optional German subtitles. (28 min).
  5. On the Set of CQ (2002). In English, with optional German subtitles. (10 min).
  6. Making of The Virgin Suicides (1998). In English, with optional German subtitles. (31 min).
  7. A Visit to China's Miao Country (1996). In English, with optional German subtitles. (37 min).
  8. Circle of Memory. In English, with optional German subtitles. (8 min).

• Trailers -
  
  1. Apocalypse Now - theatrical trailer from 1979. In English, with optional German subtitles. (4 min).
  2. Hearts of Darkness - 4K restoration trailer from 2025. In English, with optional German subtitles. (2 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Booklet - 64-page ollustrated booklet with brand-new essays and techncial credits.

• Posters - two posters.

• Book - an exlcusive edition of Eleanor Coppola's book Notes.

Hearts of Darkness 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hearts of Darkness chronicles a creative process that was genuinely mad at times, which is why Apocalypse Now turned out such a special film. For this reason, Hearts of Darkness is also a fascinating time capsule. This combo pack release introduces an exclusive new 4K restoration of it with plenty of interesting bonus features. If you decide to pick it up for your library, please keep in mind that the two Blu-ray discs are Region-B "locked". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.