20 Things You Somehow Missed In Apocalypse Now
7. Christopher Walken's Brother Glenn Delivered Mail To The Boat Crew
As Willard and the crew arrive at the Do Lung bridge, they come upon a scene from a nightmare circus, with colored string-lights, explosions that look like fireworks, and a lurching musical score. Lance reveals that he's dropped acid, and looks in bemused bewilderment at the chaos and pandemonium they are passing through. This passage emphasizes the psychedelic aspect of the Vietnam experience, with the younger crew smoking weed, taking acid and dancing with the colored smoke of the smoke grenades. The scene captures the end-of-the-road-to-hell terror and nihilism of the psychedelic war, as American grunts fire into the darkness at their taunting foes, without hope or leadership.
Willard receives further information for his mission, delivered by Lieutenant Carlsen, along with mail for the boat crew. Carlsen announces that this is the "as***le of the world," before disappearing into the darkness.
If Lt. Carlsen looked familiar to the audience, it was because of his striking resemblance to actor Christopher Walken. This is because Carlsen is played by the Deer Hunter star's brother, Glenn Walken, in one of his few film roles. Despite their equally impressive output during the same era, Christopher Walken never worked with Francis Ford Coppola.