I Am An American By Francis Coppola Analysis

Furthermore, Francis Coppola similarly critiques the values of his context at the end of this text through Dennis Hopper, a creative minded, drugged up photo journalist broadcasting the atrocities of war Vietnam. Hoppers sporadic costume design of multiple cameras dangling from his neck as well as the low angle shot and dialogue to Willard “I’m an American” illustrates the emphasis Coppola had on showcasing the dominance and impact media had on the war which consequently formed the anti-war protest against U.S. Militant troops in Vietnam. To illustrate irony inherit by the U.S. army as well as the power of darkness , Coppola uses a shot – reverse – shot of Colby (an American soldier who succumbed to the temptation of darkness) and Willard to showcase a this sense of connection between them, that the same brainwashed corruption could happened to Willard through the enticement offered by Kurtz. In the same way Conrad in Heart of Darkness critiques the dangers of imperialism as it affects your overall identity and character. …show more content…
Finally Coppola challenges the ideological war effort supposedly being fought by the Americans through the U.S corruption filtered through the military ranks. The chiaroscuro lighting positioned across Kurtz’s face combined with the dialogue “I went down that river once when I was a kid” showcases capacity for corruption the further you travel into the dark wilderness that is the jungle. Likewise in Heart of Darkness the repetitive symbol of darkness combined with dialogue “The horror! The horror” furthers the idea there is still savagery and corruption in the world and all of humanity has that capacity for violence within