- 1. Screenwriter John Milius was inspired to write Apocalypse Now because of his college English professor.
- 2. Apocalypse Now was supposed to be directed by George Lucas.
- 3. Apocalypse Now’s title came from John Milus making fun of hippies.
- 4. Apocalypse Now’s opening shot was created from leftover footage that was sitting in the trash.
- 5. Harvey Keitel was the first actor to play Willard.
- 6. Francis Ford Coppola risked every cent he had on Apocalypse Now.
- 7. Apocalypse Now went famously over budget and way over schedule.
- 8. Harrison Ford appears in a (technically) pre-Star Wars role.
- 9. Apocalypse Now was shot on location near Vietnam.
- 10. Coppola has a quick cameo in Apocalypse Now
- 11. Author Michael Herr wrote the narration for Apocalypse Now.
- 12. Francis Ford Coppola was friends with The Doors, which is how their music ended up in Apocalypse Now.
- 13. Francis Ford Coppola had to get creative while shooting Marlon Brando.
- 14. Brando did Apocalypse Now for the paycheck.
- 15. Dennis Hopper’s Apocalypse Now character was improvised.
- 16. Francis Ford Coppola made up the ending to Apocalypse Now as he went along.
- 17. Coppola didn’t want Apocalypse Now to have any credits, but a credits sequence does exist.