Fiction to Film
In analysing a written text and a film based on that text, we should understand how each medium works to create its own meaning and impact, rather than to try to find one superior to the other. Compare and contrast the way the story and the film have dealt with a similar episode. Discuss the effectiveness of the treatment of this episode across the two mediums.
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Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola is a film based on the novella Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Both texts are acclaimed as classics in their mediums, particularly for their thematic content. Due to the different mediums of the texts, trying to find one superior to the other would be irrational. However, the manner in which each text presents these themes can be compared and contrasted, and the effectiveness of the themes in either medium can be discussed.
An episode apparent in both texts is the attack on the protagonist (Marlow in Heart of Darkness and Willard in Apocalypse Now) and his boat by natives (pp 64-67 in Heart of Darkness and 2:14:10 in Apocalypse Now). This episode portrays the three main themes of each text: the distortion of moral values, madness, and futile deaths - all of which result from the imperialistic (or at least imperialistic-like) context of the texts. The treatment of this episode in each medium will be discussed and compared in this essay.
The distortion of moral values caused by working for an imperialistic force is a theme explored by both texts. Throughout the stories the protagonist’s uncertainty about Kurtz mirrors the distorted and often contradictory ideas of an imperialistic force. The protagonists are unsure about Kurtz (who represents the extremities of imperialism) and this mirrors their uncertainty toward completing their essentially imperialistic task. Both Conrad and Coppola present this uncertainty through the use of fog and smoke.
In Heart of Darkness, smoke is used by Conrad once the ship has been attacked
The pilgrims had opened with their Winchesters, and we simply squirting lead into the bush [where the arrows were coming from]. A deuce of a lot of smoke came up and drove slowly forward. I swore at it. Now I couldn’t see the ripple or the snag either (p 65).
Conrad uses the smoke to symbolise the distorting impact of the imperialism on Marlow’s moral sense. The symbolic smoke comes from the Winchesters, dated guns which represent the violent and aged approach of imperialism. This metaphorically confirms that the blurring of Marlow’s vision is caused by imperialism. Marlow continues directing the boat blindly, symbolising how blurred his task’s significance is to him and representing his inability to decide if his imperialistic mission is right or wrong.
Coppola’s uses fog in Apocalypse Now for a similar purpose. Coppola begins the scene with fog over the whole screen, clearing away to reveal Willard, who is the main vessel of the theme in the film. The fog surrounds the boat and symbolises the blurred views and thoughts of Willard. Like Marlow in Heart of Darkness, Willard is unsure if what he is doing is worthwhile. Chief’s dialogue emphasises the theme when he says ‘you don’t know where the hell you going, do ya?’ (2:16:30). His question is proposed with a metaphorical impact: Willard does not know where he is going because he is so unsure about what he is really doing. The smoke and fog at the end of the episode shows that Willard and his men’s judgement is still clouded; it envelops them just like the imperialistic nature of their journey is distorting their judgement.
Fog and smoke are used in both texts to effectively to symbolise the theme of distortion of moral values and how it affects the characters. The shrouding and blurring nature of the fog and smoke is portrayed more clearly in the film due to the visual advantages of the medium. However, this does not necessarily make the use of the fog more effective. Both texts also use metaphor well to increase the effectiveness of the episode.
Another theme illustrated in the episode is madness caused by the distorting affect of imperialism. In both texts, the characters travel up the river and journey further from comfort and further toward the mad Kurtz, who represents complete madness caused by imperialism. The characters slowly fall into madness as they travel closer to Kurtz and experience what he has. Conrad and Coppola both use the driver of the boat (Chief in Apocalypse Now and the helmsman in Heart of Darkness) to illustrate the theme in the episode.
In Heart of Darkness, Conrad brings attention to the helmsman’s descent into madness as soon as the natives attack.
That fool-helmsman, his hands on the spokes, was lifting his knees high, stamping his feet, clamping his mouth, like a reined in horse (p 64).
Conrad makes the helmsman’s mad reaction obvious by giving him animalistic qualities. By doing so, the reader is instantly positioned to consider why the helmsman instantly reacts in such an insane way. As the attack continues, Conrad uses Marlow to confirm the helmsman’s insanity and also provide a contrast between the helmsman and the natives.
Looking past that mad helmsman, who was shaking the empty rifle and yelling at the shore, I saw vague forms of men running bent double, leaping, distinct, incomplete, evanescent (p 65).
Marlow’s confirmation makes the theme blatant for the reader. Marlow’s description also provides criticism of the imperialism that has warped the helmsman. The natives, who in the text are furthest from the cultural goals of imperialism, are described positively in the episode. Yet the helmsman, who is a native converted to imperialism, goes mad while trying to cope. Despite the imperialistic attempts to ‘civilise’ the helmsman, the ‘uncivilised’ natives appear much more sane and civilised and this presents the reader with evidence of the maddening effect of imperialism.
Like Conrad, Coppola makes the theme directly evident for the viewer, by using Chief’s dialogue. Chief reveals his anxiety early in the episode. “I can’t see a thing Captain. I’m stopping this boat. I ain’t risking no more lives” (2:14:40). When Willard can not give him an answer about where they are going, Chief falls to madness. Chief could not bear the fact that Willard’s imperialistic mission was so absurd that not even Willard knew where they were going.
Coppola pairs Chief’s actions with subtle cinematography to further emphasise his madness and the theme. As Chief concludes that Willard’s imperialistic orders and attitudes are hopeless (2:16:30), the screen is split, Chief’s side is dark and gloomy while Willard’s is light and green. This contrast mirrors Chiefs mad state contrasting with Willard’s sanity. Coppola uses the technique again to contrast Chief’s madness with the clear sky and sun which shines past Chief at the viewer (2:16:44). The skies are calm but the Chief obviously is not, emphasising Chief’s insanity further.
Madness is an important theme for both texts and both Conrad and Coppola effectively present it with prominence. Both texts use the boat driver character to portray the theme and also use subtle contrasting techniques to pair the madness with imperialism. Conrad and Coppola use similar ideas and effectively execute the presentation of the theme with the medium of their text.
The futility of death caused by imperialism is the final theme presented in this episode. This theme is explored through what the protagonist experiences. Distorted judgement and impending madness cause each protagonist to re-assess their journey and question if the deaths they witness are futile or not. This question, and thus the theme, is symbolised by both Conrad and Coppola through the death of the boat’s driver.
Despite its significance, Conrad presents this theme more subtly than the other themes in the episode. He uses literary techniques to position the reader to consider the meaning of the helmsman’s death. The helmsman dies from a native’s spear but his death, which is essentially caused by and for imperialism, goes without real acknowledgement
The fusillade broke out again. He [the helmsman] looked at me anxiously… I had to make an effort to free my eyes from his gaze and attend to the steering (p 66).
The lack of acknowledgement illustrates the futile nature of the helmsman’s death. His life has little value to the imperialistic-minded Marlow or his imperialistic cause. However, Conrad’s optimum illustration of the theme is expressed through Marlow’s description of the helmsman’s dying moments.
…he died without twitching a muscle. Only in the very last moment, as though in response to some sign we [Marlow and another white man] could not see, to some whisper we could not hear, he frowned heavily, and that frown gave to his black death mask an inconceivably sombre, brooding and menacing expression (p 67).
The helmsman directly presents Marlow and thus the reader with the thematic concept. The futility of his death and inevitability of the boat’s journey as well are the sign and the whisper that Marlow does not notice. The helmsman recognises the futility and frowns because of it but the imperialistic Marlow cannot. Conrad leaves the reader to understand the symbolism Marlow cannot.
Coppola treats the theme quite differently by comparison. His is a much more obvious and prominent treatment. Firstly, Coppola uses the spear symbolically, unlike Conrad. The spear represents the natives and their simple ways, which the imperialistic Americans claim to be superior to in all ways. However, Chief’s life is taken by the natives, and for nothing. Chief’s death has no purpose, not even for imperialism. He is killed by the ‘savages’ not the Viet Cong. Chief even asks: ‘a spear?’
Coppola uses cinematography to make Chief’s symbolic death more obvious. As Chief is speared (2:16:50), Coppola calms the previously frantic shots and sounds to make Chiefs dying moments the focus of the scene. The shots are only of Chief and Willard, the birds and the hum of the engines are the only sounds.
However, Coppola’s most drastic change from the novel in the episode is the manner in which Chief dies. Instead of simply passing away with a frown like the helmsman, Chief chokes Willard who represents (to him) the imperialism that put him in danger and caused his death. In self-defence, Willard has to hasten Chief’s death, confirming that imperialistic ways end Chief’s life. This significant change by Coppola makes Chief’s death, and thus the theme, the sole consideration for the viewer as the episode concludes.
Regardless of the theme’s significance to both texts, illustrating them is approached very differently across the two mediums. Conrad presents the theme subtly, leaving the reader to interpret and understand the symbolism he uses. Conversely, Coppola changes how the episode ends and uses cinematography and symbolism to reinforce the theme. Both Conrad and Coppola effectively utilise the techniques of their medium, albeit in different ways, to portray the theme.
In conclusion, the events and themes of this episode are almost identical in each text. Coppola even uses the same symbols as Conrad: fog and smoke as well as the boat driver’s madness and death. Both Conrad and Coppola also utilise their mediums to add to the expression of the themes. However, the use of symbolism and their medium’s techniques are often approached differently. For instance, Conrad’s subtle expression of the final theme compared to Coppola’s more obvious expression. However, both texts do execute their intended treatment effectively and create a meaningful impact from them.
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