I finally saw “Apocalypse Now Redux” on video. Was hoping to see it on the big screen, but never got around to it. The two all-new scenes — Capt. Willard’s crew’s sexual encounter with three USO-touring Playboy models and a visit to a plantation owned by French colonists — are interesting, but “Apocalypse Now” was not substantially worse for their absence.

The whole notion of a “director’s cut” is tough to grapple with. In a necessarily collaborative medium such as filmmaking, directing necessarily involves compromises. There are commercial considerations and there are compromises with actors, set designers, costumers, uncooperative locales, etc. A fantastic amount of chaos was especially present during the making of “Apocalypse Now,” as documented in “Hearts of Dearkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.”

So what do we make of things when 20 years later a director decides to reimagine the whole movie, re-editing it from scratch? Moreover, to what extent does this ownership really exist? The old movie is firmly implanted in the public’s mind. It was shown at festivals, awarded Oscars and has had a long life on home video and in film classes. To what extent is the movie really Coppola’s to tinker with? Though he would like “Redux” to be viewed as the “Apocalypse Now,” it’s not likely to happen.

That’s primarily because the two new scenes are not revelatory. The scene with the Playboy models is confused and tackles the subject of objectification of women in a rather clumsy way. After Capt. Willard trades two barrels of fuel for the women’s time, one of the models prattles on about how being a model is so difficult because no one expects her to have any independent ideas. Meanwhile, Lance paints her with war makeup and paws her relentlessly. A rather heavy-handed way to make the point, and lacking any of the frenzy and excitement of the USO show where the riled up crowd forces the Playboy models to escape via helicopter.

The French plantation scene is an interesting diversion, but instead of adding to enigmatic nature of the film detracts from it. There is a rather involved dinner-table conversation about France’s history in Vietnam as compared to America’s — how they differ, how they are similar. It’s worthwhile as a kind of educational aside, but it’s precisely because of its visceral power that “Apocalypse Now” has such an impact on viewers. The French plantation scene disrupts the overall psychedelic flow of the film which builds to a crescendo when Capt. Williard & Co. finally reach Kurtz’s compound.

The best addition is some more dialogue from Kurtz which better explains what the character is all about, why he went insane and how his insanity relates to war in general and the Vietnam War in particular. I don’t know why so many critics think Brando sleepwalks through the role. I think he’s really compelling as Kurtz, and gives him just the right air of arrogance bordering on pure evil.

Still, “Apocalypse Now Redux” is worth seeing. It will be interesting to see if the original or “Redux” is the one which lasts in cinematic history.