francis ford coppolas masterpiece great ending golden decade american cinema s atmosphere tolerance openmindness progressiveness among studios allowed making major films best directors united states ever had historian events preceded decade a violent deaths major figures american political cultural scenes racial struggles emergence s counterculture increase violence death streets seemed influence vision filmmakers willing dare different create entertaining intelligent motion pictures coppolas film strange blend humanistic thinking skillful filmmaking following parameters war adventure films time subverting flowing reflections value life reason death ethics war also passionate work made odds chronicled  documentary hearts darkness filmmakers apocalypse motion picture went beyond previous reflection vietnam war ever reach screen may definite vietnam motion picture dealing coppola defied formula classic melodrama found two vietnam movies made simultaneously the deer hunter coming home latter ones platoon casualties war vietnam became starting point make products genre horror jacobs ladder comedies good morning vietnam among respectable coppola courage take economic political conflict background search answers questions faced man every day life without betraying dramatic consequences war