Why Harvey Keitel was Fired from Apocalypse Now | Ep6 | Making Apocalypse Now
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- čas přidán 11. 08. 2020
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In Episode 6, we look at the difficult process of finding an actor to play Captain Willard--beginning with Steve McQueen, Martin Sheen, and finally landing on Harvey Keitel. We also explore the reasons why Francis Ford Coppola decided to replace Harvey Keitel only weeks into the production as well as how the story changed when Martin Sheen ultimately signed on to play the lead role.
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This video essay was written, edited, and narrated by Tyler Knudsen.
Affiliate Links:
(Coppola) Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now by Eleanor Coppola: amzn.to/3K9B9XH
(Cowie) The Apocalypse Now Book by Peter Cowie: amzn.to/3Zh8rZp
(Travers) Coppola's Monster Film: The Making of Apocalypse Now by Steven Travers: amzn.to/3ZybjS1
(Commentary) Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut: amzn.to/3npMry6
(Playboy)The Playboy Interviews: The Directors: amzn.to/40Ez8IO
(Martin) New Waves in Cinema by Sean Martin: amzn.to/3FSCdge
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse: amzn.to/40CnoGB
(Phillips) Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola By Gene D. Phillips: amzn.to/3lCPlzj
Sources:
Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now by Eleanor Coppola
Coppola's Monster Film: The Making of Apocalypse Now by Steven Travers
The Apocalypse Now Book by Peter Cowie
Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut (Commentary, 8mm Footage, Outtakes)
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse
[New Yorker] The Legacy of Robert Evans, a Vexing Hollywood Legend by Naomi Fry - bit.ly/2XLjr4i
[Phillips] Godfather: The Intimate Francis Ford Coppola by Gene D. Phillips
[LookDef] Powaba - bit.ly/2CdBI2C
Neon Magazine - Wham bam thank you ’Nam
(Cinephilia & Beyond) Incredible collection of resources on Apocalypse Now: bit.ly/35Mvv7M
(Great 'Lost Photographs' of Apocalypse) - Dutch Angle: Chas Gerretsen & Apocalypse Now (2019 dir. Baris Azman): bit.ly/2x6WCOf
Music:
Epidemic Sound - Zábava
I was travelling in the Philippines as a young man when they started making this movie. I managed to get a job as an extra during the battle scenes in the village and spent two months there. It is quite interesting seeing these videos about the making of the movie as I relate to what I actually witnessed. It was quite an experience that I will never forget. There is still three seconds in the movie of me, firing a 50 calibre from the side of the helicopter. Crazy days when I was a young 26-year-old. Now 73.
73 ? woah man you witnessed last 70 years of american history ? what was it like to witness 9/11 ?
I`m from New Zealand so I saw 911 only on the new feeds but having been a freelance photographer during the Vietnam and Cambodian wars before the Apocalypse movie job I knew that what was shown on the TV news broadcasts was a manipulation of the truth. Those wars were more about who controlled the 'Golden Triangle' drug trade than any other thing they tried convince the American public. From there, 911 was to get American support for the next area of war ... the Middle East.
@@emrecanarduc4378 Not him, but let's stay on topic.
God, do I love the Internet. Thank you for sharing!
Where was this at in the PI?
During filming, Sheen was going through a bad time in his personal life. Somehow it made him more authentic, soulful and tormented - which brilliantly mirrored the ugly chaos of Apocalypse Now.
He was actually drunk when he shot the hotel scene and cut his hand. His son actually was the perfect casting for Platoon too.
@Randall Mellott similar to Anthony Quinn, he's Irish and Spanish (Quinn's Mum was Mexican, while his Irish Dad was named Quinn). Sheen has dual citizenships, having homes here and in Ireland. Sheen's Dad was named Estevez. he is Irish on his Mum's side, choosing the Irish surname of Sheen, which came from TV's Bishop Fulton Sheen, an early broadcaster priest, who was Irish Catholic. it simplified things in the job market, as he found it difficult getting work, being Hispanic in the '50's & '60's.
@@tonym994 what? Mexican is not spanish... Martin Sheen's parents come form northwestern Spain (Galicia) which is in Europe... Anthony Quinn WAS Mexican as he was born in Mexico, which is in North America. Big Geographical and cultural difference between Spain and Mexico.
I said they have SIMILAR back grounds. not that Mexican is Spanish.
This is around the time he was diagnosed with inactive tiger blood. Sad.
I cant imagine Apocalypse Now, without Sheen
I can't either.
I don't think it would've been as good. Sheen's scene drinking, going mad, bleeding from punching mirror.... Can't see any of the others making it so relatable and real.
@@OvelNick Keitel already had that type of moment while filming Bad Lieutenant, I reckon.
I was just thinking this.
Back to the future also recasted the main actor.
The difference, to me, is that Martin Sheen had a clear, bright safe-looking face.
Harvey Keitel was always that lived-in look, a slightly dangerous bad boy.
This was Sheens movie, Bad Lieutenant was Keitels... both SPECTACULAR casting.
What a load of horse💩
Find the odd one: McQueen, Sheen, Keitel.
Answer: Keitel. Especially since McQueen was the first choice, you know that Coppola was going for the pretty guy. Imagine the choices for a movie today being DiCaprio, Pitt and Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo is going to be the one who's fired three weeks in.
@@maxmeier532 McQueen is the odd one out because it's not an action star role, if you ask me.
Bad Luietenant was pretty good!
Sheen had the perfect ‘narrative’ voice for the role..deep in tone and highly expressive..none of the others (except for possibly Nicholson) would have had the same voice effect for the part, which in many ways was all about ‘narration’..telling a story. Martin sheen was perfect for this
Martin Sheen brilliantly under played his role. He should have won an Oscar for his performance.
Yah. He took us along with him because he was the right level of incredulity and or boredom. The narration too.
i agree...having the ability to that in the face of Brando's huge ego proved sheen was film god in his own rite.
Nah. He was miscast. No offense to Sheen - it wasn't his fault, at all. But they went with whomever they could get, obviously.
G A You are entitled to your opinion. No matter how wrong it is.
@@clayz1 Oh, I see. I'm entitled to my opinion. What a novel concept! Thank you for that. BTW, please provide the objective facts that demonstrate I'm wrong and that you are right....
Keitel was very gracious about his replacement. Seeing a scene or two of him as Willard would be fascinating.
To me, the character of Willard, as portrayed by Sheen, appeared stunned, throughout the film, almost as a man in shock. Not suffering from PTSD, because his abused mind knows he's still in Hell.
Nice. A walking shell who knows the game is lies and without meaning. He can’t fix it; he can’t go home. Profound introspection sleepwalking and killing.
Or it’s just he’s wooden
Ya i agree. Was in awe and disrespected by Duvall (who was great) right from the very beginning. Stealing board more an act of kid (Mr Clean/Fishburne) and way he laughed right after, looked silly. Actually only time he laughed in movie. Ya I agree with never ending dumbfounding look. 👍
Shell shock, not PTSD.
@Tony, he's right though.
Keitel took it like a champ.
Whys your cat so fat..?😆
@@keanowhitmore8009 Hearvy Catel
Seems rather odd to get rid of Keitel as he's 'too intense' an actor, only then to offer the role to Jack Nicolson!
According to the video, nicholson was first considered for the role than keitel.
Five easy pieces is quite an understated Nicholson performance
Nicholson has a 'real motor' as well...
By this point they were grasping at straws. Hey, Martin Sheen worked out BRILLIANTLY!
I agree, it would have been the same problem, if not worse. Thank god he was able to get Sheen, perfect casting at last.
Sheen delivers the " I don't see any method at all, sir." line perfectly. Keitel would have been confrontational.
And the director would have yelled, "CUT!" and they'd keep doing it until he got it right. That's what directors do. I can see a lot of actors playing this role. But since we got Sheen, who is great, we really don't know who would have done better. Fun to ponder "what if" though. Lee Van Cleef, Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, James Coburn, Sam Elliot, Fred Williamson, Harrison Ford(who's already in it), Charles Bronson, Bill Duke, Warren Oates, Christopher Walken, Tom Selleck, Carl Weathers, Nick Nolte, and many more could have played this role easily, in my opinion.
@@mikemorgan5015 O, is that what directors do. I had no idea. Actors do everything the directors wants them to do, do they? Temperamental, egotistical, highly competitive actors do just what the director wants. Just like Dennis Hopper and Brando. Coppola shot tons of footage of those two and salvaged what he could and cobbled their scenes from it. Directors just have to yell 'CUT!' It's all so simple.
@@johndavies5052 Where did I say that's ALL directors do? I didn't. But when the actor doesn't do the scene as the director wishes or is completely off of what the director's vision is, does the director NOT say cut, or something different now in the digital world and do it over with a bit of instruction? Do directors NOT do that? Those directors have egos too.
@@mikemorgan5015 We're talking about Apocalypse Now. I can see I need to choose my words very carefully least you have another psychotic episode. Your off hand remark about the ease of controlling actors is naive. Keitel walked off Eyes Wide Shut exasperated with Kubrick's endless retakes. Val Kilmer and Brando (again) in The Island of Dr Moreau uncontrollable, head strong lunatics, butting heads with one another and the director.. Frankenheimer: "Cut. Do it again." Kilmer: "F**# You!" Kilmer goes to his trailer for the rest of the day. - Yup, so simple.
@@johndavies5052 just because YOU couldn't control them doesn't mean I couldn't.
I couldn't imagine anyone else other than Martin Sheen now.
True, but McQueen would have been a very interesting choice.
Exactly, it's like trying to picture someone besides DeNiro in Taxi Driver.
I think Jan Michael Vincent at that time could have pulled it off.
Yup. God intervened because he knew it was Martin Sheen. Sheen IS Willard.
@@Varsityathelete61 I think McQueen has some similar traits to Sheen. He often plays a cool customer under pressure.
I don't know why, but the scene in Hot Shots: Part Deux always seemed so clever and such a great nod to their previous separate Vietnam movies and their shared Wall Street movie. Never fails to make me chuckle when I see it. 👍
I remember thinking at the time that it was easily one of the most subtle, clever and funny cameos I’d ever seen, and I probably wouldn’t see another one as good.
All these years later, and that remains the case.
@@thedudeabides3138I must put the Bruce Willis cameo in Loaded Weapon 1, up there with spectacular cameos.
"I loved you in Wall Street!"
absolutely great scene!
I think no actor has been so grossly underutilised as Keitel
Reservoir Dogs is a definite high point for him. Tarantino wrote perfect characters for him in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction and seems to "get" Keitel as an actor. I wish they'd done more films together.
You're so right. He absolutely kills it in everything he is in.
There's definitely some truth in your contention.
Oh, I don't know... I would say Trevor Spicane is even _more_ underutilized, to name just one.
The Duelists is possibly the most under-rated film ever!
I'm so thankful we got Sheen for the role instead of anyone else, I cannot fathom Willard being played by anyone else, the way he spoke, his expressions, just seeing the sweat bead off his face in those debriefing scenes on the boat where he's illuminated only by a flashlight. It's intense. And he did such a good job, sacrificed his life for the role. Outstanding movie.
Martin Sheen was definitely the right guy with the right inner demons for that role, and I think anyone can see that Keitel would be too dominating of a force to be an almost passive on-looker. On that note Robert Rodriguez has been quoted saying that the scenes in "From Dusk till Dawn", where the Gecco brothers (played by George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) holds Keitel and his family hostage, were incredibly dificult because Harvey has such a strong energy that it is hard to believe that he would ever be intimidated by Clooney and Tarantino. I do find it hard to believe however, that Keitel would have a harder time than others in the jungle. The guy is a marine. I just think that the jungle sucks no matter who you are and maybe he was more vocal about it than others. Remember that Martin Sheen had a heart attack/ heat stroke. The jungle is a motherfucker.
Harvey due to being a marine may have had more common sense about the dangers of such a place and pointed them out...
He would have known that keeping his feet in a swamp would have caused Trench foot etc...
The only story I remember about the movie is Sheen being a masive druggy who disappeared during filming for ages while high..
I guess you don't worry about ticks and malaria when your high all the time..
The jungle IS the antagonist of the movie if you ask me. And yeah, the jungle is trying to kill you as much as the enemy is....
I was also thinking that because Keitel was a Marine, he probably didn’t want to go back to the jungle now that he was making a comfortable living as a Hollywood actor. I remember my first trip into Iraq as a Marine in 2004 and how miserably hot it was.. I never quite forgot it and appreciate the rain and cold of the PNW
I'll take your word for that. 'cause I ain't goin' there.
Watched the whole film properly for the first time in 20 years, and had a much deeper appreciation for the mastery of this film. It's a true masterpiece.
Sheen was spot on in the role. As much as I like Keitel as an actor, and despite his Marine credentials, he isn’t Willard.
Part of the problem is the average person doesn't understand the difference between Army Special Forces and Marines. Willard was a commando and an officer, not a grunt. Playing him as a jarhead would have ruined his characterization completely. Animal Mother wouldn't have survived that boat ride.
Of course he isn't because Keitel is the real deal.
Sheen was right for a "holllywood" version of a soldier and for the film's more unrealistic ideas about the war. Keitel was too real. But once they cast Brando and he turned up too overweight to do much of anything other than sit around, realism was out the window and Sheen was the better choice.
The role of Capt. Willard is iconic and immortalized Martin Sheen. "Apocalypse Now" is one of the Top 10 pictures ever shot.
Agreed. The film is near supernatural in its accomplishments.. it’s soooo good
Mark Roberts
It isn't even in the top 200 movies.
Mark Roberts TOP 5
@@williamgill_esq.6487 Billy, the list does not include your favorite pornos.
I don’t care for it.
Years later Sheen publically admitted everyone was doing coke, which led to his heart attack & Coppola's weight loss
Is that true? Source?
At times I feel just like Cpt Williard; stuck on a boat of fools and misfits.
Hopper & Fishburne were too busy doing heroin to bother with coke.
did not know.
I was 16 when the movie was released and yes, that fits! I believe it
This exonerates Keitel. For decades it was rumored he was hard to work with. Untrue. Tyler uncovered the untold story. Riveting.
It doesn't necessarily exonerate him. It just explains that it wasn't a factor in this particular picture.
@@apseudonym Yes, exonerated from the rumors why he was fired.
This video doesn't touch on the big prevailing 'rumor' amongst Hollywood insiders that's persisted since the late-seventies the real reason why Mr. Keitel was let go immediately from production and, subsequently, why he had problems being hired for years. The same problem that would crop up again on Eyes Wide Shut and again why he was removed. It's the worst kept secret in Tinseltown. That being his situation shares a huge similarity in the public abonishment of Louis CK and if this happened today, Harvey would be cancelled. Behind the scenes, he was for awhile. In Hollywood jail anyway.
@@pablosonic892 He's weak. So fucking weak.
@@pablosonic892 If you are talking about that ridiculous internet nonsense that was going around in the early days of the net, that Eyes Wide Shut rumor, that has already been completely denied as false by everyone involved, and even the guy who started that rubbish on the internet even later admitted he'd been trolling. No such nonsense ever happened.
As always, for a film fan of 50+ years who has delved deeply into the world cinematic canon and off-canonical works for decades -- and having seen so many facile documentaries and amateurish "reviews" by people who have barely seen anything -- it's seriously satisfying to see the art and craft approached with this much depth and breadth. These videos are like memorable, fulfilling meals. Always a fan and always looking forward to new installments of whatever you are covering.
I once saw an interview with Robert Conrad. He was saying how he thought he would have been better as Captain Willard, than Martin Sheen.That's one of those things that we'll never really know about. Ultimatelly, I still think Martin Sheen did a really great job! Did anyone recognize one of the helicopter pilots, during the helicopter assault on the beach? One was R Lee Ermey, in a bit role. He wasn't listed in the credits, but if you pay close attetion, you can hear his voice in the radio communications between the pilots! Just thought I'd throw that in there!
interesting!
Robert Conrad wasn't a great actor, but come to think of it he could have been okay.
gunny was the helicopter pilot in the beach attack scene, mic'd out to small chopper
You can see him piloting the chopper during the beach assault...
OH-6 Pilot
Sheen was perfect in my opinion: we see everything filtered through his character (as intended) & he underplayed it beautifully. That meant we connected with Willard: he's the 'normal' one, like us, seeing this insane world of the Vietnam war. He can't fully process the madness, gets sucked into it & we go with him!
That is an excellent insight. He was caught off guard by the mission itself and the crap that was going on around him. He played it cool but was deeply affected by the chaos and the whole idea of having to kill an American officer of such amazing achievements. Once he arrived I sensed he realized, yeah this was the right call but was still conflicted. Sheen was absolutely the right guy for the part, totally believable.
Martin Sheen was the perfect casting choice to play 'Willard'
Because that's your reference. If one of the other considerations had played the role you'd be saying the same thing about them, despite the film feeling different.
@@RexOrwell You can only speak for yourself, not me..
Absolutely David, I watched the movie many time and again the other day! I think this was some of sheens best work!
Steve McQueen was the original choice before he was turned down by Coppola as he couldn’t afford have McQueen with his high salary demand. Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino were offered the role but each it turned down and Nick Nolte wanted the role and thought he had it when Harvey was fired before Coppola went with Sheen as Willard. Clint Eastwood was even offered the role early on but turned it down.
@@RexOrwell But look at how Coppola recasting after starting production allowed him to reframe his take on the character, and the whole production. It would have been a totally different movie
"....I would have had them shoot so much they couldn't fire me."
Tell that to Eric Stoltz.
One of the greatest decisions in Cinema History. Martin Sheen "IS" Captain Benjamin Willard . Born to play that role.
Nothing at all against Harvey. Love Mr Wolf
Женя Марик
What?
Brian Jones lmfao, agreed fully!
I second that👍
Absolutely!
Martin Sheen is a top notch actor ... he is great in everything he does. McQueen was a prima donna awhole
Martin Sheen brought a complex character to the role , I’ve always thought that special ops guys must have a slightly unhinged side to them , whilst also being able to be ice cool under extreme pressure , Sheen did a great job . The voice overs of Willard’s thoughts were a compelling insight into the psyche of the war , the conscience of a nation spilled out . Wrestling with the morality and puzzling over his target played by brilliant Brando . A lot of great cameos by the boat crew and not forgetting cavalry hatted commander who strode into the shore like john Wayne ignoring explosions and a hail of ammo . To then exhalt “ I love the smell of napalm in the morning “ im a huge fan of the Huey helicopter and the incredible sound it makes , to see so many in full flight along to that music was a pure delight , the attention to detail and Coppola’s insatiable desire for realism makes me believe this film to be a cinematic triumph a true depiction of the Vietnam war and all that came with it .
Yea, i can't imagine Willard being played by anyone else. I don't know if Keitel would have been able to pull off the haunted thousand yard stare as well as Martin Sheen did.
Martin Sheen was perfect as Willard - his deep voice was great narration that kept the story going nicely.
Sheen had big innocent eyes.
@@davidthompson2189 imo, not deep, as much as nasally. And gravelly, from all the smokes. Perfect, really.
@Wise and Free Agreed, and that was the beauty of it: Sheen's Willard was an assassin -- or 'errand boy' -- but he still had an almost naive quality to him giving him a great reaction to the madness of war around him. Brilliant performance in a genius movie.
@Wise and Free Hmm, yes that's why I said Willard had "an almost naive quality" in that Willard WAS a covert assassin who'd committed assassinations during the war...that's why the military/CIA sent him to kill Kurtz in the first place.
But as you say Willard's eyes show his observer status in the movie as well as his reaction of shock and amazement at the war's circus-like insanity and of course hypocrisy...killing a rogue general for murder during an active guerilla war which killed hundreds of thousands if not millions of people...especially Vietnamese.
And yes, the errand boy line I put in quotes too as it was a line from Kurtz. I think more as an insult to those "clerks" -- mainly, those in the US military and Pentagon -- who sent Willard (and others before him) to "collect a bill" and stop him despite all the destruction wrought by the Americans and North Vietnamese during that conflict.
Talking about the making of Apocalypse I often think about Werner Herzog making "Fitzcarraldo" as detailed in "Burden of Dreams". Movie making can be truly crazy stuff.
@Captain Brandon Cinema Lover Kinski..You should read his autobiography. Disturbing.
Both of Herzog and Coppola seemed to have gotten a bit off track after making those two films, as if it had drained something out of them creatively that they never quite got back again.
The Department of Defense says they would "never order the death of a member of the military." Of course they'd say that. They wouldn't even admit they were doing it in the movie.
loose ends?
Of course. Those missions don't exist, nor will they ever exist . . .
nope, they announce the target is a turncoat. Those sent to clean up the loose ends are told they are patriots taking out a traitor.
"Heart of Darkness" might be the most interesting documentary ever. I still have my VHS tape of it.
I'm only half way through watching this and I have new found respect for Harvey Keitel. Thank you for this video. I was only 15 when AN came out in 1979 and of course, I didn't even know Keitel was initially attached to the project. I've always loved Keitel's acting. I've never seen him do a bad job. His portrayal of The Wolf in Pulp Fiction is stellar. So I've always liked his work. But to see him describe this as a learning experience, while acknowledging the hurt... just such a life lesson for anyone.
Impossible to imagine anyone else in that role. Martin Sheen never topped that performance.
No way! Haven’t you seen Sheen starring in the new SingleCare commercial??
It's pretty hard to even imagine anyone other than Sheen in that part.
He made the tough but right choice going with Martin Sheen, the man's eyes in this film (the thousand yard stare) do tell the story & make you a passenger. His son Charlie was also perfect in Platoon. Spielberg had to make a hard choice just like this in Back to the future, and fire Eric Stolz as Marty Mcfly & went with Michael J. Fox,cost the film alot of money, but the result was epic.
@@dudejrryan yes he was perfect for the role he had the 1000 yard stare
casey sheehan says 'aye,aye,capn."
Well its hard to imagine anyone else in the role because you didn't see anyone else in that role. The other actors might've given a different type of performance but that doesn't mean they would've given bad performances.
@@dudejrryan McQueen wouldve been pretty amazing. Pacino wouldve been good, also
I saw the documentary Heart of Darkness about making Apocalypse now. It's amazing to see the young Laurence Fishburne begin his career. He has done well with the opportunity. My hat's off to Coppola, he started many young kids and that grew to be major actors.
was it Laurence Fishburne or Samuel L. Jackson? 😁
I can see this. Keitel is the kind of actor that you can't look away from. He's the center of the scene every time. If Coppola wanted someone more subdued, yet with passion, Sheen fit into that nicely. Still, I wish we could have seen Harvey Keitel somewhere in this film. He's such a dominating force.
You could almost imagine him as Kurtz..
@@casinodelonge YES! That's right.
Funny, since I think Harvey Keitel nearly completely wrecks every movie he's in, making the movie unwatchable.
In all due fairness, it could be my tastes in movies are different than the majority's.
@@casinodelonge I think you're on to something there.
@@casinodelonge When I saw the CZcams thumbnail, my first reaction was indeed: "Oh? Was Keitel the initial choice for Kurtz, then?" I didn't and don't see him as Willard at all.
I'm glad Coppola made the decision to go with Martin Sheen. I was stationed in Hanza, Okinawa during that time and often watched the B52's take of with full loads of bombs. Viet Nam was a very different situation. there seemed to be a disconnect between the upper level military directing the war and the soldiers fighting the war. Whether true or not it makes me think of arm chair generals and Monday morning quarterbacks. The soldiers were different. I thought Sheen fit quite well.
*"Terminate with extreme prejudice"* the most cold blooded line in movie history.
As a theater major at Hofstra University in the late 80's we were still chanting "Puwaba" three times before a show.
That Hot Shots clip made me cry laughing lol "I loved you in Wall Street!" xD
As much as I like Harvey, he's just TOO intense. Electricity constantly shoots off him. Whereas Sheen has this duplicity about him. He could be the nicest shoe salesman, and secretly hide an insane foot fetish. To the customer, they wouldn't suspect a thing - but to the audience, they'd sense his timing and focus while in action. Perfect for Willard - who had to play 'different roles' in his duty, but keep them all closely guarded and secret still. And as quiet as he was on the boat with all - he really wasn't. The audience knew HE knew his shit, and was like a powder keg just waiting to be ignited.
Yeh but Harvey can do both. He can be intense and observant.l ❤️ Marty in the role though. I think Harvey would've Equally great imo. Coppola is just a ruthless genius.
The very first time I saw this movie (Director's cut, 2019, 40th Anniversary, IMAX) I had the EXACT same thoughts.
Willard needed to be JUST passive enough, as he is; and there are moments where his frustrations get the better of him, but for the most part, his performance mirrors the mentality of the character from Heart Of Darkness. Keitel would not have brought the 'same' quality to the screen.
In the same vein, Shawshank Redemption. Tim Robbins was considered too boring by the studio, but the movie was made and is now a classic beyond comparison.
sometime when you don't want to be in shitty work.. getting fire is only way out...
@@campkira being the lead in AN is Shitty work?
James Caan was really the only other suggested actor that I thought would be good in the role.
I really appreciate you sourcing the footage. It's not only important to the creators, it honors their contributions to the history of this film (and to your video).
Former Vietnam Vet (70-71 Navy) that disliked the movie first viewing, but have since gone 180 and agree with so much portrayed... My time in Olongapo during ship refueling had ALL the drug taking and insanity in the script. The Horror, The Horror.
It was a great call by Coppola but he was also fortunate in having some others turn him down. I was never a big Martin Sheen fan but nobody could have played Willard better. I have watched _Apocalypse Now_ many times, and probably will again.
I agreed w/ Siskel & Ebert, when they did a segment about how easy it seemed to come to Sheen, playing stone killers, like this, and 'Badlands'. and it does. he'd take a life, then have lunch. playing Starkweather as he was in life. he always had a rifle w/ him, but shot more people than game.
Can't imagine the movie without Sheen. It's like it's solid in my head. Gregory Peck IS Capt. Ahab.
OH YE DAMN-ED WHALE!
@@slappy8941
Yeah man! He was pissed at Moby Dick.
..and Willem Defoe IS Jesus!
🙄
@Randall Mellott shows how far-off _your_ thinking is... Willard was a Green Beret... you ever see John Candy?
next...
@Randall Mellott i hear you... that's just hollywood, i guess... i was military dependent 18 years... never met a military many _anything_ like brando... (or nicholson in _a few good men)_ and i'm sure doctors n pilots etc etc say it's all wrong... ☮️💟🌍
I think Coppola's objections were on the spot 100% describing the attitude of a quiet inactive observing character more suitable for Martin.
On a whim I decided to watch your Apocalypse Now series and I am very pleased that I did. I really enjoyed how thoroughly you went behind the scenes. It makes me appreciate the film so much more!
Sheen said recently (2020) that Willard was his favorite role ever. Even though it almost cost him his life -
I read it's badlands.
@@kman1289 IDK the answer, I read the favorite role on some other site i can't remember. Yours could be so.
Surprised that Sheen didn't say Jed Bartlet was his favorite character of all time, unless he's only talking about film roles.
Love Keitel but Sheen was Willard: the observer and narrator who carries the audience along with him and boat crew down the river til the horrific end.
Absolutely. Exactly how it would have been played out in real life. Martin Sheen plays it perfectly.
I think Keitel could have pulled it off. Come to think of it Sheen looked too green-looking to be SF in the movie. He had deer-in-the-headlights look about. He looked like a tourist awed by the place.
@@adventuresincrt1376 I believe that was sort of the point of Sheen being cast as Willard: A man on the verge of his own insanity who found insanity all around him. I love Keitel but I don't think he could have portrayed that in his face...too hardcore for that type of character. That's just my humble opinion though.
You have no idea how much I appreciate this series. It's, like, a whole buncha appreciation.
I never realized my deep emotional connection to captain Willard till now. He was my vehicle to experience the Copella Odyssey!
Perfect use of those Pulp Fiction and Hot Shots: Part Deux clips!
For me, Bad Lieutenant is one of the finest edgy performances ever.
As good as any Oscar winning performance
I think very few people would disagree that Keitel is a FANTASTIC actor, but it doesn’t seem odd at all to say that he is a very active presence in his roles, especially in comparison to Sheen’s mesmerizing performance of the character... of course, you can’t definitively call what could have been, but it makes total sense how it’s explained
Granted, the same could be said for Jack Nicholson, but he has enough on his reel being passive in scenes that it’s believable he could do it... but Sheen was remarkable in his stillness. Think of the scene when he finally snaps and grabs the guy by the throat at the military base. I can’t imagine any other actor being so still and still so powerful, borderline scary, in that silence and stillness.
@@dillonwalshpvd He DID play an Angelopoulos lead
because it it more real than most people want to believe. cops are a very strange breed. nothing against the police ,which i support, but they are not that much different than serial killers. they disguise their work as normal when it is anything but normal.
When the film was initially released it came with a program. I have one those autographed by Martin Sheen. Definitely one of the coolest things I own.
Was there an intermission in the original theatrical release? I know they used to do that back in the day.
@@bluecollar825 probably but from what I understand this program was handed out before the show began.
@@hotstepper1649 oh my bad, I thought you were saying you seen the original theatrical release and got it then. Sorry friend.✌
You do an amazing job researching and presenting these segments. Thank you for all your hard work and for sharing it with us. Looking forward to checking out more of your content.
Oh yes!!! I am so happy you continue with this series (especially after the "Music-Incident") Thanks Tyler- you just made my evening! :-D
Watching Milius you realize how spot-on John Goodman was. The voice, the cadence, the hand gestures!
Were they separated at birth?
@@marknewton6984 no, it’s called an impression.
i’ve been waiting for someone to make a program on this subject for so long
Sheen and Keitel have always reminded me a bit of each other. They have that zero to 100 ability in common which is great on screen. I really think the main thing Sheen had over Keitel was boyish looks and charm. Both could play the tortured soul who does his duty because that's what he signed up for, but Sheen would be much more likable simply because half the audience will want to be him, and the other half will want to sleep with him. Regardless of the reasons, Sheen was perfect
and he looks younger than 36, which he was at the time. there are continuity issues in the film. his hair is bangs one scene, and sort of brushed back in others. he and Keitel are both great. just saw Reservoir Dogs again, where he is told by 'the rat' Tim Roth ,"I'm a cop" I'm still not 100% sure he had the strength to take out the rat. some say Buscemi made off w/ the jewels, judging by voices and gunfire from outside. but I don't get tired of it, even though I don't understand the ending. anyone?...
and he looks younger than 36, which he was at the time. there are continuity issues in the film. his hair is bangs one scene, and sort of brushed back in others. he and Keitel are both great. just saw Reservoir Dogs again, where he is told by 'the rat' Tim Roth ,"I'm a cop" I'm still not 100% sure he had the strength to take out the rat. some say Buscemi made off w/ the jewels, judging by voices and gunfire from outside. but I don't get tired of it, even though I don't understand the ending. anyone?...
Not a single mention of Clint Eastwood...
Even during the IMAX 40th anniversary showing that I attended, in which Gray Fredrickson was in attendance, freely speaking to anyone and everyone, there was much talk about how Clint was talked about and approached for weeks, but that he soon declined when asked to play Willard.
Just imagine Dirty Harry telling Kurtz to 'Go ahead... Make my day.'
Thanks for the info! I can totally imagine him carrying around a .44 Magnum the whole movie!
Clint Eastwood turned down the role to play Willard as felt the film was too dark and Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino also both turned the role of Willard. Nick Nolte really wanted the role of Willard and was upset when didn’t get it.
Thank you Tyler that you continue making this series.
I recently rewatched the last 10 minutes of “Sling Blade” written, directed, starring Billy Bob Thornton.
I was struck by how similar this was to the climatic moments of Col. Kurtz’s death. Willard’s quiet determination, the captivating music that crescendos, the slaughtered bull. &etc.
Carl’s quiet, thoughtful determining expression, the captivating music, the lawn mower blade being sharpened, the sound of Doyle’s head being split.
I wondered if Thornton intentioned those similarities.
Great ask for support at the end of your video! Felt very nice and friendly of you. Hope you continue making content!
Oh wow, my best buddy and I were just discussing Keitel's miscasting for Apocalypse Now 3 days ago. I'm so glad Marty Sheen got the role. I briefly met Sheen on The Departed film set here in Boston back then and gave him praise by stating that the AMPAS had snubbed his fantastic portrayal of Capt. Willard in Apocalypse Now.
So cool! Thanks for sharing!
was you part of the prod crew?
3:16 that kiss/pop sound effect was hilarious.
Don't usually comment on videos, but this video is brilliant. The guy clearly has researched this whole film and subject. The guy gives a great explanation without being loud or OTT like other youtubers do. Plus the title and thumbnail aren't low quality clickbait but actually deliver exactly what is in the video. I'm definitely going to be watching more of this guy. Because of this video I'm going to go back and rewatch apocalypse now. Keep up the good work!
This series is the first thing I've watched on this channel and subscribed off the strength of just that. Amazing work dude!
Good job! I think FC was 1000% correct. Not about "city guy" but about stillness. He was able to completely change his film after a month and fix his own mistakes before they became suicide. He was 1000% correct.
This was awesome!! For Apocalypse Now junkies like myself this went far deeper then anything released by Zoetrope! As for Sheen vs Keitel you need to do a split screen of the same scene to make the final evaluation. As stated by others I can’t see anyone else but sheen playing that role. As for Brando I wondered if that part could have seen filled by another actor. But Coppola gave all his power to Brando so he was stuck with him.
I like Brando but he was anticlimactic in AN.
it's always a good day when i find out you put up a video! thank you!
This was an amazing video, I'm buying that PDF now and I'm more than happy to support your upcoming videos. thank you so much for providing this really fascinating content. I've learned more from CZcamsrs like yourself, and other Cinema CZcamsrs, then I did in film class.. it's reminded me of how amazing the subject of film study is.
Man the making of older films have such great stories as the stories they actually tell. You seldom hear of these types of stories with modern films. I suppose that's partly why they're forgotten so easy.
ULTRAWIDE it’s the auteur ideal, no one younger director has that kind of juice now. Additionally, movies were made relatively cheap; most of that generation of icons apprenticed under Roger Corman at AIP and understood the business as well as the vision.
They are forgotten because they are complete, crap!
@@tiptopdadddy True, and studios have become corporate conglomerates, with productions so expensive now that there's no longer room for an independent, free-wheeling 'auteur-with-a-vision' like Coppola or Kubrick.
Personally, I would call it "replaced" and not "fired."
Yea and sovereign citizens aren't "driving" they're "traveling" 🙄
@@alexanderarkum4793 no... there is a difference between "fired" and "replaced"... you know that, right?
I agree. "Fired" sounds like he was grossly incompetent and/or causing trouble. In reality this wasn't the case, just the director fell uncomfortable with him on the part. Similar case with Eric Stoltz in Back to the Future.
@@drstrangelove09 In this case none whatsoever troll asshole, since it was a lie.
@@mikevaldez7684 are you calling me a "troll" and an "asshole"? and what is the "none whatsoever" an answer to?... is this in response to my back and forth w/ "alex arkum" above? if so what did I say that is trolling or assholish ? and what is it that you are claiming is a lie? that Keitel was fired? even of that is a lie then how does that make firing the same as fired? and what is making you so hostile? seems to me that the one acting like a troll and an asshole is you, not me...?
I like both actors, but I cant imagine Willard played by anyone except Martin Sheen.
I would've preferred Belusi
It took a lot of courage and vision for Coppola to do what he did . He had to fight the studio to have Al Pacino in the Godfather. It seems to me he has an intuitive sense of who is right for a role and will lay it on the line to get what he wants. The studios were about to pull out of American Graffiti ,directed by his friend George Lucas, and Coppola offered to buy it himself and put it out .
Boy do Charlie and Emilio look like their Dad, wow.
Great movie, you don't see those anymore.
Emilio's playing is more like Martin's than Charlie...
I am very much enjoying your work CinemaTyler. 👍🏿
Thanks Tyler, this has been an amazing series into my favourite film of all time
It's a long time since the film was made, this amount of time has proven how right it was to cast Sheen. He played & got the feeling of the whole project. The film has to be one of the best films ever created that stands up to the test of time perfectly. I must of watched the film 5 times over the years, my opinion of it only gets better with each viewing.
for all the trials in production - it's a masterpiece
Please God do one of these kinds of videos for a Scorsese film (hopefully Raging Bull)
Randall Mellott "Didn't know where it was going"? The whole film heads straight towards the endgame from the moment Willard accepts his mission. Almost like it's following a,... river, perhaps?
Oh Yeah! Time to bring out the popcorn! Thank you CinemaTyler 😁👍👍👍
Well done. I grew up in the 1960s during the Vietnam War with the draft still looming over the heads of our generation. In high school I had a teacher who had just returned from the war, who taught our American history class and offered us extra credit for seeing Apocalypse Now in the theatre which I did and was blown away by what I saw. My Mom made me come inside to watch Richard Nixon sign the end of the draft in the USA. I didn’t realize until years later when I saw the film again what I had actually been spared...
Great work Tyler. Look forward to part 2.
Hands down one of the greatest high quality channels on CZcams. Great job as usual Tyler.
Thanks!
I like to think I have an encyclopedic knowledge of film but this video just humbled me. I never knew Harvey Keitel was cast in Apocalypse Now. You learn something new every day. Thanks, Tyler.
That scene from Hot Shots Part Deux has got to be one of the best scenes in cinema history.
Great job Tyler keep doing the good work!
Finally Apocalypse Now series is back.
Outstanding video, im amazed at how in depth this is.
This series is incredible. Thanks for all your hard work and scholarship ❤
Sheen's next movie was starring with Keitel.
Eagle's Wing?
The character Willard requires no acting. He's a professional killer; which is why he was selected for the mission. The scene where Willard draws his .45 Government and finishes off the wounded Vietnamese in the boat with an "I told you not to stop" is all that we need to know about that character.
yup that was really a great scene. just cold and calculated . nothing was gonna get in the way of willard on his mission. it laid it out for the boat captain and the crew that he was no one to be fucked with.
I served with the 1st Air Cavalry in Vietnam. For fat Toad Coppola to state it was more dangerous to make a film in the Philippines than serve in the Vietnam War, was disingenuous, insulting, and self serving. Platoon was realistic because it was made by somebody who had walked the walk!
the flow and editing on this is superb
Terrific episode, Cinema Tyler. This (Keitel's departure) has for a long time been an inscrutable footnote in Apocalypse Now lore: Here, you've given us all the full SP. TY! (starting price, thank you)
Francis made the right choice, Martin Sheen nailed the Willard role, he was perfect..
Absolutely love this series. Always rewatch every episode before I watch the new one.
Hey....Colts fan here from Houston Tx......yes...Houston....we had a great season....we beat ourselves against the Bills....i think.
@@digidrum2003 100% agree. Not taking the field goal at the end of the second quarter is when we lost the game
Mr.Keitel is one of the best exponents of the Method Acting School. Thanks for “The Painted Bird”!One sliver of
the pain and history of the many!Mac.
Another great one, Tyler.