1. Apocalypse Now
In 1976, Francis Ford Coppola disappeared into the jungles of the Philippines to perform an agonizing shoot that lasted over a year and one which saw actor Martin Sheen suffer a heart attack on set. Coppola returned with one of the most complex, extraordinary, and memorable movies of not just the war genre, but in cinematic history. U.S Army Special Operations Officer Willard is dispatched on a mission to kill the renegade Colonel Kurtz. On the way, he witnesses events that would shake even the best of men. From an an attack on a Viet Cong village, to being attacked by bow and arrow while traveling down a river, Willard is tested over and over again and when he finally reaches Kurtz hideaway, things become even more treacherous. Apocalypse Now succeeds on multiple levels, Marlon Brando delivers one of his best performances despite having limited screen time, Martin Sheen likewise is at his best. Coppola strings together brilliant scene after brilliant scene: a helicopter attack set to Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, the haunting finale, the mesmerizing opening scene set to music by The Doors, and the scenes with Brando's Colonel Kurtz all rank among the most striking scenes in modern cinema. Apocalypse Now is one of the most beautifully shot movies ever made, and the glorious visuals make a brilliant contrast with the madness going on around the characters. Above all, the pervading tone of quiet horror makes Apocalypse Now one of the most memorable films ever made. Apocalypse Now is among the darkest of all war films. It sees war as irrevocably horrible, something which destroys men both physically and mentally. No film before or since has examined war with such bold honesty and few films have matched its technique, its passion, and its depth.