41. Coppola Cast #23: Gardens of Stone

We’re back from summer hiatus to discuss Francis Coppola’s little seen Gardens of Stone (1987). This Vietnam War drama is about as far from Apocalypse Now as a movie about Vietnam could get. The plot follows Sergeant Hazard (James Caan) who runs the “Old Guard” that performs military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery and takes a young recruit (D. B. Sweeney) under his wing. We discuss the differences between Gardens of Stone and other Vietnam War movies of the era, whether the appearances by actors from Apocalypse Now are distracting, and try to figure out why, despite the talent in front of and behind the camera, the individual aspects of the movie don’t seem to add up. We also talk about the tragedy that occurred during filming: the sudden death of Coppola’s son, Gio. Finally, we get started planning our Shocktober schedule. This episode’s Coppola wine was: 2018 Black Label Claret 1910 Type.