Apocalypse Now - Blog Number 4

          In the outstanding film, Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) that was nominated for 8 academy awards, there are many things that the actors do to make their role essentially stand out. One of the biggest and most important roles played was also one of the shortest roles played throughout the entire movie, it was Brando Kurtz character. He had one of the most powerful roles but did the least amount of acting and wasn’t shown until the very end of the film. Although he wasn’t in the film much he would have won the most intimidating award from my point of view. The way he presented himself in this movie is what made him so frightening. From the lack of actual acting he did, to his eyes, to his facial expressions, or lack of facial expressions, just his body language in general.

          The entire plot of this movie was to assonate Kurtz, a soldier that had gone insane. He had become a lunatic. You don’t see Kurtz until the end of the movie and because of that, the film does a great job building the viewer’s opinions about Kurtz up and making you feel threatened by him without even seeing him. All you hear are the reason he is wanted and horror stories about how evil he actually seems. Because throughout the film, reaching the end of the river is so feared, you already have thoughts of what this man could look like.

          When you finally do see Kurtz, his body language is what makes him so utterly captivating and terrifying. When you see him the light always hits his face with some sort of way where you can’t see his face at all or it is partially visible. When you do see parts of his face you can always notice his eyes. They stick out because they seem so bitter and absolutely malicious. The people worship this man because they are so afraid of him. When you come to a place that you aren’t familiar with and you notice how worshiped someone is, that makes you feel obligated to approach the thought of him with the same opinion.

          At the end of the movie, some changed their mind about Kurtz and he isn’t such a bad person. But essentially at the end of the film Kurtz is so terrifying because of the way he is built up throughout the film. From everything you hear before Kurtz is even shown, you know this man is nothing but purely evil. When you do finally meet him, you notice how his body language is almost immediately. You hardly see his face because the darkness is always hiding it. His eyes always look so confident and frightening. Kurtz is fundamentally shown as a wicked, malevolent character that is not to be taken lightly.