Happy 84th Birthday, Eleanor Coppola! Born today in 1936, this American artist, writer and documentary filmmaker is married to American film director, producer, screenwriter, film composer, and vintner Francis Ford Coppola.
Among her credits, Coppola is best known for co-directing the 1991 American documentary film 'Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse'.
The documentary chronicles how production problems—among them bad weather, actors' poor health, and other issues—delayed her husband's filming of his 1979 American epic war/drama film 'Apocalypse Now'.
The documentary was begun by Eleanor, who narrated behind-the-scenes footage.
The film also covered how Matin Sheet had to be rushed to the hospital to get stitches after punching a mirror, having to call in an overweight and unrehearsed Marlon Brando for his role as Colonel Walter E. Curtz and 237 days of filming. This was long past the film's original shooting schedule.
Among other difficulties, the documentary also depicted the film's increasing costs and nearly destroying the life and career of her husband's work. Throughout all of this, Eleanor believed more in her husband than he actually did in himself.
The title of the documentary is derived from Polish-British writer Joseph Conrad's 1899 graphic suspense psychological Roman à clef fiction novella Heart of Darkness, the source material for 'Apocalypse Now'.
In 1990, Coppola turned her material over to two young filmmakers. These were American narrative and documentary filmmaker George Hickenlooper and American screenwriter Fax Bahr (co-creator of MADtv).
Hickenlooper and Bahr subsequently shot new interviews with the original cast and crew, and intercut them with Eleanor's material.
After a year of editing, Coppola, Hickenlooper, Bahr debuted their film at the 44th Cannes Film Festival in May 1991 to universal critical acclaim.
Eleanor is also known for her documentaries, of which chronicle the films of her husband and children.
Eleanor’s children include American film producer Gian-Carlo Coppola, French-born American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and entrepreneur Roman Coppola, American screenwriter, director, producer, and former actress Sofia Coppola (‘Lost in Translation’).
Eleanor’s children include American film producer Gian-Carlo Coppola, French-born American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and entrepreneur Roman Coppola, American screenwriter, director, producer, and former actress Sofia Coppola (‘Lost in Translation’).
Coppola has been active from 1963–present.
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