Apocalypse Now And Drug
Peter Cowie shares the results of a Pentagon study, which estimated that “nearly 30% of American soldiers in Vietnam had taken either opium or heroin” (147). These psychedelic extracurricular activities ended up extending beyond the screenplay and onto Coppola’s set. Most of his cast and crew were indulging in some form of mind-altering substances, including, apparently, some of the Filipino helicopter pilots. The chaotic atmosphere of the film reflects both the circumstances of the war, and of the shoot itself.