Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This review is based on my August 2019 screening of this completely restored, remastered and recut 40th Anniversary "Final Cut" edition of Apocalypse Now. I will not waste time on reviewing the film, itself--if you're even considering buying this 4K version, you're likely a fan of it already, and the question is whether investing in this latest release of MANY versions is worth your money? In a word, YES!!! This is totally different from many 4K releases of older films, which are often little more than studio money grabs that involve minimal investment is a poorly done uprez of the existing print. For this "Final Cut" of Apocalypse Now, Coppola went back and did a meticulous restoration of the film from the original negative (first time ever), then a 4K remastering with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos sound. (It's worth remembering that Apocalypse Now was groundbreaking in its time for its use of a 5.1 soundtrack.) The results of all this work are absolutely stunning, and so much more than just a higher pixel count. HDR reveals a depth of details, especially in highlights and shadows, that have never been seen before, giving the film a whole new level of visual richness. As for this "Final" cut of the film, what it amounts to is a shortened version of Redux, but still significantly longer than the original theatrical release. Two scenes added for Redux were cut from this Final version: sex scene with the Playboy Bunnies and the ghost sampan filled with wild monkeys. The plantation scene that first appeared in Redux is still in, but shorter. And that's about it. But this Final Cut release also includes a bunch of new extras that fans of the film will want. So what about that "one exception" that I mentioned in the headline for this review. It's harder to say if this new version is worth your money if your 4K set lacks Dolby Vision HDR capability (most sets sold do not have it) and if you don't have at least a "good" sound system. For the "completist" fan of this film who wants to have all versions of Coppola's vision, it's still an obvious yes. But for others without a high end 4K set or sound system, you'll still get to see the great restoration work on the film and, of course, the increased resolution of 4K--but you won't see the incredible visual and sound improvements from Dolby Vision HDR and the remastered soundtrack. Well, at the current $22-ish Amazon price, I still think it's worth it, especially with the new extras--but that decision can only be made by you. Thanks for taking the time to read my review, and I hope you find it helpful in making a buying decision. As time allows, I do try to respond to questions in the comments section.