Making a film can come with its unique challenges; a lot can go wrong, and in the case of Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film Apocalypse Now, everything went horribly wrong. Photojournalist Chas Gerretsen, who was invited to the sets of the movie to document and compare the set and the story to some of the real-life wars he had witnessed during his time, told the BBC during an interview, "Vietnam was insane; Apocalypse Now was only slightly less so." If you read about the film's shooting, or if you happen to watch the documentary, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, you'll understand that the fact that the movie ever got completed in the first place is a miracle in itself. The name of the documentary is obviously inspired by the book of the same name by Joseph Conrad, which served as the source material for the film. It truly turned into an apocalypse for Coppola, as little by little, every piece of inventory, whether it be mechanical or human, started showing signs of strain, and in some cases, they broke completely. Within the very first few weeks of the film's shooting in the tropic jungles of the Philippines, Coppola decided to part ways with lead star Harvey Keitel, reportedly because the two of them had very different interpretations about the character of Benjamin Willard. Then came along Martin Sheen, who had impressed Coppola during an audition for the film Godfather, when he tried for the role of Michael Corleone. Sheen became the iconic Willard, who was tasked to bring down a rogue US Colonel Walter Krutz, played by Marlon Brando. ALSO READ: Sydney Sweeney’s Americana director responds to ‘flop’ claims amid American Eagle ad controversy: ‘Got gobbled up by the Zeitgeist’ Martin Sheen wasn't chosen for one of the most memorable characters in movie history ever, but he bagged another main role in a Coppola film, but even that came with a price. The actor celebrated his 36th birthday on the sets of the film, and the scene in the film where Willard is struggling to stand up straight because he was drunk was because Sheen was actually drunk. The mirror he punched was also real, and just a few days later, Sheen was airlifted to a hospital in Manila after suffering an almost fatal heart attack, reportedly due to the alcohol and drugs. Other actors on the set weren't easy to work with either. For example, you would think casting an actor such as Brando would be reassuring as a director, but this time Coppola received no comfort from the actor, and the inconvenience was so grave that the script had to be changed. Krutz was a dominating, scary and downright maniacal character, and one of the things which helps get these characteristics through to the audience is the ability to actually be able to see the actor. That couldn't happen because when Brando showed up to the set, he was severely overweight and unprepared for the role. That is why the audience sees just a glimpse of Krutz during the scene which has now become as iconic as the film. Mother Nature had her way with Francis Ford Coppola as well; Typhoon Olga destroyed as much as 80% of the entire set, including the Playboy Playmate set, and the crew were stuck at various places, unable to contact each other. Much of the crew even returned to the United States for several weeks, and the shooting of the film was once again halted. The budget started getting really thin, and Coppola, who had already made every deal in the world to make this film, was afraid that the film would render him completely bankrupt if it didn't work. Because of the delays in principal shooting, the budget had now doubled, and the director had offered his car, his house, and all the profits from The Godfather as security to keep the line of credit open. Apparently, Coppola even asked George Lucas for a loan after Star Wars became a sensational hit. What was more problematic was the fact that even after being one of the greatest minds of filmmaking ever, Coppola couldn't think of a feasible way of ending the film. In Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, Coppola can be seen talking about this during the shooting of the film. He said, 'I call this whole movie the 'Idiodyssey'.'None of my tools, none of my tricks, and none of my ways of doing things work for this ending. I have tried so many times that I know I can't do it. It might be a big victory to know that I can't do it. I can't write the ending to this movie." Despite the terrible working conditions, such as geckos scaling the walls of people's rooms, terrible weather, insane levels of humidity and various types of viruses, the cast and crew stood with their director until the very end. Actor Damian Leake talked about the conditions of the film and why he chose to stay with the project after all. "The first thing I remember is getting off the plane, and the humidity hits you like a wet mop. Having been from New York, I know humidity, but this was unbelievable. The water was not safe to drink, geckos climbed the walls of the hut he stayed in, and the weather was biblical. Every day it would rain, he says. It would rain like it was mad at you. It would rain sheets like I had never seen before," he told the BBC. Through typhoons, several re-casts, drugs, alcohol, and severe money problems, Apocalypse Now was finally released in 1979. The film made $105 million worldwide, which when adjusted for inflation is equal to roughly $440 million (Rs 385 crore) in today's time.
