Apocalypse Now’s Nightmare
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14738/aivp.1303.18808Keywords:
Adaptability, Apocalypse Now, Chaos management, Cinema, Leadership, Logistics, Organizational agility, Risk management, UncertaintyAbstract
The production of Apocalypse Now serves as a compelling case study in chaos management under extreme conditions. Confronted with a host of challenges—ranging from unpredictable weather and the health issues of cast members to financial and interpersonal tensions—Francis Ford Coppola’s project offers valuable insights. Risk management was crucial, particularly the creation of contingency plans to address unforeseen events like Martin Sheen’s heart attack and a series of destructive typhoons. Logistical flow management also faced significant obstacles, as filming occurred in a remote location with limited infrastructure. Finally, Coppola’s leadership under pressure, balancing crisis management, improvisation, and team motivation, underscores the importance of organizational agility. This research note provides an analysis of these challenges and highlights their relevance across various industries.
References
Ap, K.-W. (2020). Crisis and disaster management choice strategy. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(6), 732–744.
Barfield, C. (2019). Francis Ford Coppola explains why “Apocalypse Now” has been re-released so many times and why “Final Cut” is better than “Redux.” The Playlist, August 16. Available at: https://theplaylist.net/francis-ford-coppola-apocalypse-now-cuts-20190816/.
Benzon, W. (2017). Apocalypse Now: Working papers. SSRN Document, October. Available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1883826.
Bouty, I., Godé, C., Drucker-Godard, C., Lièvre, P., Nizet, J., & Pichault, F. (2012). Coordination practices in extreme situations. European Management Journal, 30(6), 475‒489.
Brown, S., & Eisenhardt, K. (1998). Competing on the edge: Strategy as structured chaos. Boston (MA): Harvard Business Review Press.
Buertey, J.-I., Doe, D.-A., Atsrim, F., & Sarfo, F. (2023). Managing construction project constraints: Towards an integrated risk management hub for efficient project delivery. European Journal of Applied Sciences, 11(5), 373‒392.
Cardullo, R. (2020). Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, Heart of Darkness, and the Vietnam War Redux. FilmHistoria Online, 30(2), 212‒222.
Conrad, J. (2023 [1899]). Heart of Darkness. New Delhi: Fingerprint Publishing.
Coppola, F. (2017). Live cinema and its techniques. New York: Liveright Publishing.
Dickinson, K. (2024). Supply chain cinema: Producing global film workers. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Flyvbjerg, B. (2014). What you should know about megaprojects and why: An overview. Project Management Journal, 45(2), 6‒19.
Ika, L., & Munro, L. (2022). Tackling grand challenges with projects: Five insights and a research agenda for project management theory and practice. International Journal of Project Management, 40(6), 601‒607.
Lévi-Strauss, C. (2021 [1962]). Wild thought. Chicago (IL): University of Chicago Press.
Malloch, H., & Kleymann, B. (2013). Francis Ford Coppola as bricoleur in the making of The Godfather: An alternative view on strategy as practice. Working Paper Series No. 2013-MAN-05. Lille: IESEG School of Management.
Mathijs, E., & Pomerance, M., Eds. (2006). From Hobbits to Hollywood: Essays on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. Leiden: Brill.
Norris, M. (1998). Modernism and Vietnam: Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. Modern Fiction Studies, 44(3), 730‒766.
Svejenova, S. (2005). “The path with the heart:” Creating the authentic career. Journal of Management Studies, 42(5), 947‒974.
Taylor, B. (2012). Apocalypse on the set: Nine disastrous film productions. New York: Abrams Press.
Thiétart, R.-A., & Forgues, B. (1995). Chaos theory and organization. Organization Science, 6(1), 19‒31.
Travers, S. (2016). Coppola’s monster film: The making of Apocalypse Now. Jefferson (NC): McFarland & Co.
Virilio, P. (2009 [1989]). War and cinema: The logistics of perception. London: Verso.
Young, M. (1979). Apocalypse Now. Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars, 11(4), 66‒67.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Gilles Paché
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
