Join this week’s guest The 13th Grade author of The 13th Grade Substack & The novel The New World and I on the eighteenth episode of In Kino Veritās — a podcast where the guest picks a film, we both watch, and discuss.

We don’t simply review films but dive deep into their themes, characters and cultural context. In this episode we discuss the grand, graphic, and gory masterpiece Apocalypse Now — released in 1979 and directed by Francis Ford Coppola — the film explores mans descent into madness.

Where you can stream Apocalypse Now

(Use your local library to get a physical copy for free)

Main Points

* Why World War I as the setting for 13th Grades’ novel?

* Synopsis of Apocalypse Now

* Reflections on Apocalypse Now and Oscars Controversy

* Harrison Ford's Role and the Film's Staying Power

* Comparison of Apocalypse Now and Heart of Darkness

* The film’s incredible Practical Effects and Filming Realities

* Colonel Kurtz and the Descent into the Self

* Analysis of Willard's Mission Orders

* Kilgore as Inverse Kurtz

* The Influence of John Milius's Script

* Kurtz as a Tragic, Nihilistic Figure

* Interpretation of the Film's Ideological Core

* Discussion on the Vietnam War

* The United States' Role and Order

* US Involvement in Vietnam and European Imperialism

* US Policy Changes and "Not Agreement Capable"

* Soviet Influence and Anti-Vietnam Sentiment

* The New World: A Southern Gothic Retelling

* Alternate History Setting of The New World

* Book Setting and Name Meanings

* Lecourt's Character and Comparison to Willard

* Interpretation of Willard's Actions in Apocalypse Now

* Symbolism of Willard Dropping the Machete

* Lance as an Example of Innocence and Mental Scathing

* Homecoming as a Central Theme in War Stories

* The New World as Alternate History

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