‘The best war movie of all time’ is airing on TV tonight

It’s also one of the best films of all time.

The film is set in the late 1960s in Vietnam and tells the story of Captain Willard (Martin Sheen), a US soldier who is sent to find and terminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a once-promising officer who has reportedly gone "insane".

In the company of a Navy patrol boat filled with street-smart kids (including Laurence Fishburne), a surfing-obsessed Air Cavalry officer (Robert Duvall), and a crazed freelance photographer (Dennis Hopper), Willard embarks on an increasingly perilous and hallucinatory journey into the "heart of darkness".

Indeed, Apocalypse Now is loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s legendary novella Heart of Darkness, updating its setting from 19th-century Africa to the Vietnam War.

Dennis Hopper on the set of the film Apocalypse Now

Its cast also includes Frederic Forrest, Scott Glenn and Harrison Ford, with the latter making a memorable cameo.

Just as famous as Apocalypse Now itself are the disastrous stories from the project’s production. These include severe weather destroying the sets, Brando reportedly turning up to film unprepared, and Sheen suffering a near-fatal heart attack during production.

Despite these incredible difficulties during shooting and the polarising reviews the movie received upon release, the film is now considered one of the greatest ever made.

This is due to its jaw-dropping set-pieces, its hypnotic imagery and its odyssey-like story, which all combine to capture the madness of war.

The movie has been acclaimed by retrospective critics and viewers alike, with The Guardian naming it in 2010: “The best action and war film of all time.”

Apocalypse Now is airing on TV tonight on RTÉ One at 11.40pm. It's also available to rent on Apple TV, Rakuten TV and the Sky Store.

Apocalypse Now trailer

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story - Comedy Central - 9pm

'If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.'

A Quiet Place Part II - RTÉ2 - 9pm

Cillian Murphy joins the cast of this hit horror thriller franchise set in a world invaded by blind monsters who hunt based on sound.

The Bourne Supremacy - Sky Showcase - 9pm

Matt Damon returns in this brilliant spy thriller sequel.

The Contractor - Film4 - 9pm

Chris Pine headlines this action thriller about a former soldier who lands a contract with a private military, only for things to go south during his first mission with them.

Battle: Los Angeles - Legend - 9pm

A Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) leads a platoon of U.S. Marines defending Los Angeles from an alien invasion in this decent sci-fi action flick described as 'Black Hawk Down meets War of the Worlds'.

Welcome to the Punch / Vendetta - Legend Xtra - 9pm / 11pm

A double bill of London-set crime thrillers. The first one is very good. The second one is pretty average.

District 9 - TG4 - 9.30pm

This Oscar Best Picture-nominated sci-fi action flick about aliens who land in South Africa remains one of the coolest movies of the 21st century.

The Zone of Interest - Channel 4 - 9.45pm

This haunting Oscar-winning drama from writer-director Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast, Under the Skin) is set during World War II.

It details the lives of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) as they raise a family next to the concentration camp.

Sweet November - RTÉ One - 10.40pm

A 2001 romantic drama starring Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves.

Strangers with Candy - Comedy Central - 10.50pm

A movie spin-off of the cult comedy series of the same name starring Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert.

Emma - Virgin Media Three - 11.05pm

The adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel starring Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong.

Infinity Pool - Film4 - 11.05pm

This very dark sci-fi thriller stars Alexander Skarsgård (Succession) and Cleopatra Coleman (Cobweb) as a wealthy couple holidaying at an all-inclusive resort on a fictional island.

Guided by a seductive and mysterious fellow vacationer (a scene-stealing Mia Goth, Pearl), the couple breaks the rules of the resort and ventures outside its grounds, opening the door to unexpected horrors…

For a Few Dollars More - Sky Arts - 10.25pm

The legendary Clint Eastwood Western we recommended last week.

Transporter 2 - Channel 4 - 11.25pm

Jason Statham is... the transporter (again).

Rush - BBC One - 11.55pm

The excellent biographical sports drama focusing on the ’70s rivalry between Formula One drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl).

Sicario 2: Soldado - Film4 - 1.20am

An underrated action thriller sequel, which we also recommend, along with Apocalypse Now.

Turn your home into a cinema with this projector 

Do you love movies? Have you ever dreamt of turning your home into your own cinema?

If so, then you may be interested in a home theatre projector we spotted on sale on Amazon with “impressive quality”.

The 4K projector has the likes of YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video built-in, so you can access thousands of films and shows without an additional TV stick, and you can also connect it to bluetooth on your phone and laptop.

It’s currently priced from €36.99 on the Amazon website.

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