Shooting in the Philippines had itʼs own problems. Martin Sheen has since described the making of Apocalypse Now as ʻChaos”, and even told friends back home that he generally believed he was going to die. The director kept rolling, and the footage is now in the scene with Martin Sheen sitting on the edge of his bed. He got aggressive, punching out mirrors and even tried to attack Coppola. One day early on, Sheen got completely shitfaced and ordered the crew to film him. In the midst of a complete personal alcoholic breakdown, he walked into the Apocalypse Now production set which was riddled with alcoholism, drug-binges, tropical diseases and monsoons. Martin Sheen took the main role, but he was struggling from the outset. Harvey Keitel was hired for the lead, but after a short time was fired. When they all refused, Coppola, at the end of his tether and roaring like a wounded bull, hurled his five Oscars out of his window. He tried Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford and Al Pacino. He wanted Steve McQueen for the role of Willard, McQueen refused. It has gone down in history as the most chaotic, hellish nightmare of a production that there has ever been.Ĭoppola, the director, was in up to his neck from the very start. The filming of Apocalypse Now was eventful to say the least. Few who worked on the shoot would disagree, especially Dennis Hopper who said afterwards “ I felt like I had fought in the war”. “My film is not about Vietnam, it is Vietnam.” announced Francis Ford Coppola to the gathered press before they viewed the masterpiece that is called Apocalypse Now.

Apocalypse now