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[Ad-Free] Why APOCALYPSE NOW Killed a Real Water Buffalo
Added 2025-07-30 19:19:16 +0000 UTCThis video tells the full story behind Apocalypse Now’s shocking ending—the real killing of a water buffalo—and how it became one of the most talked-about scenes in movie history. We break down how Francis Ford Coppola discovered the ritual, why it was filmed, and the editing trick borrowed from Soviet propaganda that gave the movie its powerful final sequence. You’ll also see how myths, production delays, and last-minute inspiration all led to one of the most unforgettable and controversial moments in cinema.
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related, found this interesting short article (that you may have seen already) about the score(s): https://www.npr.org/2018/01/06/576054095/heres-how-the-score-of-apocalypse-now-originally-sounded
zeroswitch
2025-07-30 20:52:25 +0000 UTCGreat episode as always!! Always fascinating how things come about, and the juxtaposition of the ceremony and Kurtz's death providing the final meaning that almost didn't happen. I do some video editing for art or music that uses montage extensively, but I never knew the origins. The PDF on it's history and types is super interesting, thanks for expanding it! Also very interesting comments on the connection between war and killing animals, how we outsource the 'unseemly' acts to other people, and the two ethical challenges faced when we see the footage for the first time. I recall thinking (waaaay back) "wait, is that actually real?" It's something we might've see in a National Geographic film or news reel, but as part of a movie was shocking, horrifying, riveting. Especially with the tense editing that intercuts the murder and crazy music. Excited for the remaining episodes. Interested how the airstrike scene was part of it at one point, and removed later; along with anything else that developed in the editing studio. (Plus. any tidbits about the 5.1 sound being created for the movie, the music, and the evolution of the film's music).
zeroswitch
2025-07-30 20:51:16 +0000 UTC
