Daily Dialogue — July 23, 2012

“The horror… the horror.”

— Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Marlin Brando), Apocalypse Now (1979), screenplay by John Milius and
Francis Ford Coppola, based on a novel by Joseph Conrad

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is famous last words, suggested by Vic Tional. Today’s suggestion by Lloyd Morgan.

Trivia: George Lucas was originally set to direct “Apocalypse Now” from a screenplay by John Milius. Lucas’ initial plan was to shoot the movie as a faux documentary on location in South Vietnam while the war was still in progress. Francis Ford Coppola, who was to be the executive producer, tried to get the film made as part of a production deal with Warner Bros. The deal fell through, and Coppola went on to direct The Godfather. By the time both men were powerful enough to get the film made, Saigon had fallen and Lucas was busy making Star Wars. Milius had no interest in directing the film. Lucas gave Coppola his blessing to direct the film himself.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Lloyd offers this observation on Kurtz’s famous last words: “It echoes the words of his earlier tirade, almost justifying the path he took in life, simultaneously warning his killer and accepting his own fate.” 

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