Apocalypse Now: Final Cut – To Release In IMAX Theatres Nationwide 23 August 2019

Francis Ford Coppola’s exhilarating masterpiece returns to the big screen in all its cinematic glory with a striking brand-new 4K, Dolby Atmos©, Dolby Vision© version

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Oscar-winning Vietnam cult war epic this summer, Gravel Road Distribution Group will release a special, never-before-seen cut, restored with breathtaking realism by Coppola himself, to the highest and finest audio and visual standards, for a truly visceral cinematic experience.

Forty years after its original release, South African audiences will get the chance to experience Apocalypse Now: Final Cut, a never-before-seen and newly restored cut of Coppola’s spectacular cinematic masterpiece in a way which the director believes “looks better than it has ever looked and sounds better than it has ever sounded”. Coppola said that he is “thrilled beyond measure to present the best version of the film to the world.” It will release in all seven (7) IMAX theatres in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal, from 23 – 29 August 2019.

Restored from the original negative for the first time ever, Apocalypse Now: Final Cut is Coppola’s most complete version of his multi-awarded classic, a haunting journey into madness that fascinated generations of movie lovers and now feels even more monumentally alive than ever before. Ranked as one of the best films of all times, the film stars Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Albert Hall, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford, G.D. Spradlin, Dennis Hopper, Sam Bottoms and Frederic Forrest.

Apocalypse Now was nominated for 8 Academy Awards® (including Best Picture) and won 2 Academy Awards® for Best Cinematography and Best Sound, 2 BAFTAs for Best Direction and Best Best Supporting Actor and the Palme d’Or in Cannes. Starring Academy Award winner Marlon Brando (1972, Best Actor, The Godfather), Academy Award winner Robert Duvall (1983, Best Actor, Tender Mercies), Golden Globewinner Martin Sheen (2001, Best Actor – TV Series, “The West Wing”), Academy Award nominee Dennis Hopper (1986, Best Supporting Actor, Hoosiers), Academy Award nominee Laurence Fishburne (1993, Best Actor, What’s Love Got to Do with it), and Academy Award nominee Harrison Ford (1985, Best Actor, Witness).

The film follows Army Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), a troubled man sent on a dangerous and mesmerizing odyssey into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade American colonel named Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has succumbed to the horrors of war and barricaded himself in a remote outpost.

The best visual and sound technologies have been used to present Coppola’s true vision of the film: one that delivers deep, visceral visual and auditory impact. “The audience will be able to see, hear and feel this film how I always hoped it could be—from the first ‘bang’ to the final whimper” said Coppola.

This is the first time the original negative has ever been scanned and over 11 months and 2,700 hours were spent on cleaning and restoring the film’s 300,173 frames. The Apocalypse Now: Final Cut restoration has been brought to life through ultra-vivid picture quality with Dolby Vision®, delivering spectacular colours never before seen on a screen, with highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker.

Apocalypse Now Final Cut has been mixed in Dolby Atmos® to offer a truly immersive sound experience and it has been enhanced Meyer Sound Laboratories’ newly developed Sensual SoundTM, a technology engineered to output audio below the limits of human hearing.

The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on 28th April 2019 and will celebrate its 40th anniversary in the following IMAX theatres, in South Africa on 23 August 2019: Bay West, Cape Gate, Cradlestone Mall, Eastgate, Gateway, the Grove and Mall of Africa.

SYNOPSIS: APOCALYPSE NOW

Apocalypse Now is a retelling of Joseph Conrad’s short classic Heart of Darkness, set in 1969 during the Vietnam War. The story traces the journey of a special forces captain (Willard) through the violent combat zones of Vietnam on a secret assignment to terminate the life of a field commander called Kurtz, who has set up a ruthless dictatorship. As Willard travels through the insanity and absurdities of the American involvement in the war, he is more and more drawn to the jungle itself, its primeval mystique and immense power…

ABOUT GRAVEL ROAD DISTRIBUTION GROUP:

Gravel Road Distribution Group is a Cape Town based entertainment company that focuses on sales and distribution of quality filmed content across all market channels, in all territories.

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By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb