Some would argue that inside every human soul, lies a savage, evil side that remains hidden and repressed by society. During times of seclusion from culture, or when cultures collide, this evil side emerges. History is riddled with examples of heinous acts that have occurred when cultures collide; from the Holocaust to slavery. During these times, a person may discover more about their true self, and often causes perceived madness by the rest of society.
Apocalypse Now, like many other films inspired by a novel, lacks the impact of its predecessor; Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. The basic elements of imperialism and human nature remain, however the characters of the film bare very little affinity to their counterparts in the novel. Francis Ford Coppola's changes in the setting and plot structure however, force the film to glaze over character development that one can only get from the novel and detracts from the overall effectiveness of the film.
The main difference between the film and the novel is the development of the main characters, Willard and Marlow. In Heart of Darkness, the reader is introduced to Marlow through his multitudinous cogitation's regarding imperialism, human nature and morality. He learns of Kurtz through first hand accounts of his accomplishments and bizarre behavior. As Marlow spends more time in the jungle, his preoccupation with Kurtz becomes an important refuge from the brutality of the Belgians. Even though Marlow is critical of their bureaucracy, Conrad never explicitly describes Marlow's true feelings, and forces the reader to surmise his feelings towards the Belgians immoral practices and their incompetence and inefficiency.
However, Willard is an obvious wreck from the very beginning of the film. The opening scenes are an internal monologue where he confesses his own imbalances as a result of prolonged tours in Vietnam. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow is defined by his complacency, while in Apocalypse Now, Willard behaves aberrantly, and his fascination with Kurtz is more impressiveness than awe as in Heart of Darkness.