Furthermore, even though colonialism affects the Mr. Kurtz in Heart of Darkness, it is war that creates the infamous Colonel Kurtz in “Apocalypse Now”. In one of the final scenes of the film, Francis Ford Coppola captures the psychological horror that has profoundly affected Colonel Kurtz, and converted him into the ominous character he is. Colonel Kurtz has experienced the devastating events of war and chosen to relent morality, allowing horror to engulf his consciousness. Although, Kurtz was once able to show compassion, this humanity soon escaped him as he realized that in order to win a war, soldiers must be mentally strong and capable of committing crimes against humanity. This change in Kurtz’s persona is illustrated in Coppola’s film,
