the helicopters: cinematography in Apocalypse Now

The points of view in the scene of a helicopter carrying Willard, Lieutenant Kilgore and other soldiers, accompanied in the air by several other American helicopters, created a sense of beauty and excitement that was ironic considering the damage they were about to bring to a school of children.
At times, the camera gave the impression that I was looking out from inside of the helicopter. The shots alternated between the men’s faces. I could see the men situated in various positions and calmly interacting with one another as the sky rushed past their heads. This gave a sense that these men were in control, especially with Willard’s casual body language.
In one of the most impressive shots, the camera was in front of the band of helicopters – pulling away at the same speed that the helicopters were approaching. The background was clearly moving past, but the helicopters remained steady in the frame, pointed towards camera – giving the impression that the helicopters and I were face-to-face. The helicopters were identically dark in color, contrasting with the light sky behind them. I suppose if I wasn’t approaching the scene from the American side, so to speak, this image would be intimidating. Rather, it felt empowering. The number of helicopters and their strong, unwavering approach indicated the authority and power.
The shots of the school, soon to be under attack by the American helicopters, were at high-angles making the Cambodian teachers and students look vulnerable and small from the dominating overhead perspective. There were no close-ups of these individuals – all of the shots were long shots, creating an image of these people as not only small but also anonymous. If we saw their faces, we would know them like we know the American soldiers. Instead, the long shots show individuals running but they stop short of becoming too personal.
This scene, while I remained unsure of the purpose of this short mission, gave a clear indication of the authority and pride of the American soldiers. The scene framed the Americans’ faces, glorified the approach of the helicopters, and trivialized the people under attack.