Making History (Planet Of The Apes [1968] (DVD))

Name: spencer_hawken

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Product:	Planet Of The Apes [1968] (DVD)
Date:	27/02/08 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A really great family movie

Disadvantages: None

When it comes to milestones in movie making history there are few that can match up to the original Planet Of The Apes (1967), it handled social topics, cultural and religious issues, as well as creating the largest special effects spectacular the world had ever seen. Now in its 40th year Planet Of The Apes still manages to provide a stir of controversy while still looking clean and crisp; and most importantly despite the massive improvements in special effects make up, Planet Of The Apes still offers convincing looking visual imagery.

Based on Pierre Boulle's novel La Planète des singes translated Monkey Planet; Planet Of The apes caused its makers many sleepless nights in the making. Initially they could not find anyone who wanted to get involved in the movie. But the casting of Hollywood legend Charlton Heston in his most energetic role as astronaut Taylor soon swung the winds of change into the film-makers direction. Suddenly everyone wanted a hand, in what was going to prove to be the most difficult movie to make at that time.

The story revolves around four astronauts sent out from 1970's Earth to explore the galaxy, a special hibernation sleep would allow the travellers to sleep for many decades so they could reach some of the most outreached planets in the hope of finding new civilizations; or to at the very least colonize an previously uninhabited planet. Having accidentally overslept for a few hundred years the ship crash lands on an alien planet.

Having escaped the wreckage the team led by Taylor venture
through the planets desolate terrain in search of hope. That hope arrives in greenery and water, and shortly after the sight of other human beings. However in this topsy turvy worled our exploter have arrived in things are not as Earth. The human inhabitants cannot speak, and are mastered by Apes. These Apes talk as we do, setting up laws and creating an environment where humans are used sport (like fox hunting).
The arrival of the travellers is about to upset the balance of this unusual world, and for everyone things will never be the same again.


I have lost count of the times I have seen this movie, as a child it seemed to be on television every week in one form or another. There were 5 movies in all, two TV shows and a multitude of merchandise to go along with the movies. The birth of Video bought the movies back into everyone's home as the Planet Of The apes movies became too old for the sort of screenings they previously received on television. Again after several years they disappeared again, but the birth of DVD and the multitude of special editions brings the whole thing back to us again.

The Planet Of The Apes stands out against the four following movies simply for me as what I describe to be the horror of it. Although aimed at a family audience I find this first movie to be fairly horrific. The upside down world not being the biggest part of it, but the feeling of desolation, and complete lack of hope that surrounds the travellers. There are truly chilling moments in the movie, which I always think of when I cast my mind over the movie the chief ones being: The hunting of humans, the first sight of scarecrows used to separate the Apes world with that of the so called forbidden zone, the lobotomy of one of Taylors fellow travellers, not forgetting the nasty shock at the end of the movie; for those that had not already figured out the planets darker secret.


Time has been kind to the movie, as has I'm assuming a descent re-mastering process. The colours are crisp as is the imagery, with the exception of some dated fashion apparel the movie looks like it was literally made yesterday. The hundreds of monkey outfits created for the movie (including make up) still look as effective today as they did years ago. Every expression on the human characters playing Apes is easily noticed, the facial make up is not just a mask but an in-depth process of hours of preparation to adjoin the most telling human characteristics with the masks. The main Ape characters a pair of Chimpanzees called Zira (Kim Hunter) and Cornelius (Roddy McDowell) being the most expressive of all. More amusing still is the fact that if you have knowledge of the actors playing the roles you can clearly identify them in their Ape make up.

Planet Of The Apes was steep in controversy raising issues that concerned the public at the time. The 60's was a time of changing relationships between races, and this issue was colourfully portrayed on the screen. The social enclaves were clear to identify as Gorrila's, and Orangutans took all the major responsible issues and had a higher class system than the Chimpanzee. Right at the bottom of the barrel however was man, they were there to be slaves. The similarities illustrated between the world of the Apes and to that of our own world and the way black and white people treated each other, became the subject of many political agenda's of the day. I'd like to think that Planet Of The Apes gave the world the opportunity to reflect on actions carried out in the not too distant past.

Religion was the other issue that caused a stir, the Apes religion and the associated god or Law Giver; seems positively offensive as some religions do to others. Like for many people, religion seems to be a key factor in the lives of the Apes of this world. And the message is clear, we all need something to believe in regardless of what is right or wrong.

The movie is everything, it cant fit into one category there is fun, romance, horror, action, science fiction, and at times a really good laugh; all neatly rolled into one package. I defy anyone not to find something in this movie to love, I brought my children up in a brand new generation all of them loved the Planet Of The Apes movies and still do; I have a suspicion that their children will end up fans of the movies too.

Planet of the Apes gets a big thumbs up for me, and this DVD Special Edition that I purchased from HMV as part of their 3 for £20 deal is the best release I have yet seen.

Special Features:

Audio commentary from stars Roddy McDowell, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter plus make-up artist John Chambers - Lots of useful stuff comes up here especially from McDowell and Hunter, this was one of the last times that both actors did any work before they died; hearing them sounding so strong and jolly as they reflect on stories from the set that are now lost in time makes this alone a valuable asset for a fan.

Audio commentary from composer Jerry Goldsmith - a basic discussion of the constant musical store that stops only briefly as the movie plays and why certain instruments were used.
Text commentary from Eric Greene, author of 'Planet Of The Apes As American Myth' - I have to confess I found this a bit heavy going and quite boring so stopped looking at this after a few minutes.

'Behind The Planet Of The Apes' documentary - This docu-movie which last over two hours starts as the first Planet Of The Apes movie is in storyboard mode and goes through the casting situation and special effects for not just this movie but the four that followed as well as the two television series. Again a valuable thing for a fan as you get to find out about the real stories behind the cameras and controversy surrounding the movies.

Dailies and outtakes - Lots of fun here actors get annoyed with their lines and make up. As well as dome unseen footage.

Make-up test with Edward G. Robinson - This features was also shown in the Behind The planet Of The Apes segment, but now without the overlaping commentary. This scenes also includes a young James Brolin, Charlton Heston, and Linda Harrison who played Nova one of the mute humans as a chimpanzee,
'Planet Of The Apes' featurette - A short feature on the movie, but a lot of recycled information from the main documentary.

'A Look Behind Planet Of The Apes' featurette - As above again, but with the inclusion of some footage on the creation of the apes town.

Roddy McDowell's on-set home movies - A nice little addition giving you chance to see things through McDowell's eyes. McDowell filmed as much as he could during the movie with his recently purchased Cine-Camera.

Film reviews - Text reviews from over the years

Gallery - Lots of stills from the movie.

Don Taylor directs 'Escape From The Planet Of The Apes' - A kind of teaser to the third movie in the series where three Apes from the planet travel to our Earth to again reflect on the differences from the Apes perspective.

J. Lee Thompsons directs 'Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes' - A brief glimpse on this movie showing the domination of the Apes in the foundling years.

Theatrical trailers - Trailers from all the movies and TV shows.

Summary: Futuristic tale asking what if?