Apocalypse Now (Zoetrope, 1979), Fred Roos' Personal Copy of John Milius' Original Screenplay Draft and Continuity Scr...

Description

Apocalypse Now (Zoetrope, 1979), Fred Roos' Personal Copy of John Milius' Original Screenplay Draft and Continuity Script Version (ca. 1975). When Francis Ford Coppola first asked screenwriter John Milius to write Apocalypse Now, he told him, "No one could possibly write this!" Milius took that as a challenge. He envisioned the story as a fusion of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Homer's The Odyssey, with characters representing mythic encounters. Colonel Kilgore stood in for the Cyclops, and the Playboy Bunnies as sirens, each serving as temptations meant to distract Willard from his mission. Milius' first draft included many elements that would define the final film. Offered here is Fred Roos' personal copy of John Milius' original draft of Apocalypse Now. The script is studio bound and bradded in an 8.5" x 14" cover, containing both 8.5" x 11" and 8.5" x 14" pages. The cover features a typed "Apocalypse Now" label with the word "Continuity" crossed out and "J. Milius Original Draft" handwritten, presumably in Roos' hand. The first page bears Fred Roos' name in the top right corner and the crossed-out name "Lou Whitehill" in the top left. Inside are 2-photocopied versions of the script, with scene numbers listed along the right margins and inserted screenplay pages. The format resembles an extended treatment, with scenes laid out in a style closer to a novelization. The first script begins with Willard's briefing, as in the final film, where he is assigned to assassinate Colonel Leighey, a name later changed to Kurtz for consistency with Conrad's novel. There are also references to then-President "Kenney" (sic) and his brother "Bobbie" (sic), who are ordering the mission. Also included is a later version of Milius's script, featuring many changes. Willard now appears alone in his room at the beginning, and some passages and character names are underlined in red ink, likely by Roos. On page 60, Roos appears to have added dialogue, inserting "That guy's" before the line "He's crazy." The final page contains extensive handwritten notes by Roos on the reverse, including questions about character placement, added lines for Willard's voiceover, and structural suggestions like "little more build up to RAGE W" for page 26. According to George Lucas, who was originally attached to direct before Coppola took over and later directed Star Wars, the early script included information about the Vietnam War that only veterans would know. Milius drew on stories from his friends who had returned from combat, and these details found their way into the screenplay, just as American pop culture was saturating the war zone. Lucas recalled, "It was strung together from anecdotes John's friends told, guys who were fighting over there. You would see it for the insanity that it was." In this draft, the ending featured a large battle with the Viet Cong. Willard and Leighey fought them off together. When helicopters arrive, Leighey shoots one down and declares, "No, I've fought too hard for this land." When asked why he fights, he responds, "Because it feels good." The script also includes a moment where Willard promises Leighey to report back to his wife, who demands to know her husband's final words. This is a significant production document that reveals the early creative intentions of Milius, Lucas, and Coppola, the evolution of the screenplay, and Fred Roos' role as a key creative force during development. This script, along with lots 38416, 38419, 38420, and 38421, reveals the many changes and creative decisions that shaped the film before it reached its final, celebrated form. Script exhibits notable production wear, including fading, aging, bumped corners, and light tearing. The back cover is constructed from two pieces of gray cardstock joined with scotch tape, with additional tape on bottom edge of front cover and at the top of brads. The poster is for reference only and is not included with this lot. Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions. From the Estate of Fred Roos.

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