cultures for self-gain and validation of self-aggrandizement. As Said writes, “Both the traditional Orientalist and Kissinger conceive of the difference between cultures, first, as creating a battlefront that separates them, and second, as inviting the West to control, contain, and otherwise govern (through superior knowledge and accommodating power) the Other,” (47-48. In the revisionist account of history observable in the film Apocalypse Now, great affirmation of Said’s theory can be found.
In the film we see the West pitted against East, with little distinction among different Eastern cultures. Lumped together whether Cambodian, North Vietnamese or South Vietnamese, the film’s discourse primarily equates Orientals with “Charlies”. Above all else, Charlie is the enemy and the land where he resides is abominable. As Captain Willard maintains, “I was going to the worst place in the world and I didn’t even know it yet” (Coppola 1979). The film portrays Vietnam as a locale even worse than Hell. As Chef expresses at one point in the film, “I used to think if I died in an evil place then my soul wouldn’t make it to heaven. Well, fuck. I don’t care where it goes as long as it ain’t here,” (Coppola 1979). Thus, we see the depiction of Vietnam as an evil, hellish place.
Not content to depict Vietnam as the worst place in the world, the Vietnamese are also depicted as having a culture that is barbaric in comparison to Western civilization. As Captain Willard, who acts as the narrator of the film’s discourse, tells us, “Charlie didn’t get much USO. His idea of great R&R was cold rice and a little rat meat,” (Cop
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