The Planet of the Apes series has been an extraordinary one. From the first film to the last, Planet of the Apes has shaped the minds of millions using subtle and not-so-subtle socio-political commentaries and continues to do so, even today.
Planet of the Apes: The 40-Year Evolution (1968-73, Blu-ray)
Directors: Various
Producers: Arthur P. Jacobs, Mort Abrahams and Richard Zanuck
Writers: Rod Serling (script, original film) and Pierre Boulle (novel)
Features: * Commentaries * Documentary * Video Archives * Art Archives * Featurettes * PiP Science Track * BD-Java Game * ANSA PSA * Collectible Packaging and 200-page Book
Characters:
Roddy McDowall...Cornelius/Caesar/Galen
Kim Hunter...Zira
Natalie Trundy...Albina/Lisa
Charlton Heston...Taylor
Maurice Evans...Dr. Zaius
Linda Harrison...Nova
Genre: Science-Fiction
Review:
"Planet of the Apes" The 40-Year Evolution Blu-ray Review
I must make a confession. I am a massive "Planet of the Apes" fan. A dork, really. No, an uber-dork would best describe it. I’ve been a fan longer than I’ve been a fan of any other, more mainstream sci-fi franchise like "Star Wars," "Alien" or "Star Trek." It’s my favorite sci-fi film series, just slightly above the "Alien" series. I discovered "Planet of the Apes" when I was about six or seven and recall going to the local comic shop with my father to buy old "Planet of the Apes" comic books. I also scoured local book re-sellers searching for the then out-of-print original novel.
At the time, I only knew there were three films (the first, the second and the fourth), as those were the only ones on Cinemax. About a year later I managed to rent the other tales on VHS at my local library (who had them shipped in from another library specifically for me). When I was in fifth grade I wrote a sequel story ("War for the Planet of the Apes") which revived the character of Taylor, forcing him to once again face off against the brutal ape culture. It’s a dreadful story, I will happily admit, but I still have it on the shelf of my writing room to this very day.
Over the years, I’ve collected countless memorabilia surrounding the film, from toys to posters to comics to collectable cards to DVDs and VHS tapes. I proudly house my DVD collection in an ape head--a model of the great ape up-riser, Caesar. Unfortunately, I’ve never really met anyone who has shared the same enthusiasm for this franchise as myself, but given how successful this franchise has been over the years, I’m sure some, in not many, exist.
The "Planet of the Apes" series has been an extraordinary one. Beginning in 1968, from a story by French novelist, Pierre Boulle and a script by "Twilight Zone" creator Rod Serling and Michael Wilson, the film tells the haunting tale of a group of astronauts, lead by Taylor (Charlton Heston), who land on a backwards planet where apes have evolved instead of man. Taylor is captured and studied by the apes, but once the ape government discovers that, unlike the other humans, Taylor can talk, they grow weary of his existence as it could spell the end of theirs.
"Planet of the Apes" has explored our culture in ways few films have. From the first picture to the last, "Planet of the Apes" has shaped the minds of millions using subtle, and not-so-subtle, socio-political commentaries and continues to do so, even today. It’s hard to imagine that the filmmakers who brought us the first film had no idea what kind of symbolism had been infused into the picture. But, sometimes the best social reflection is the one that goes unnoticed by the artist.
"Planet of the Apes" has always been a series about race relations and fear of a nuclear holocaust, even from its humble beginnings as a novel. What’s surprising about the series is how timeless it is. What was once relevant in 1968 is still relevant today. The debate of evolution vs. intelligent design is argued in the first "Apes" film with a crisp satire that’s still quite biting, and honest. Rarely does the film skip a beat when discussing such issues.
It’s so wonderful to finally see "Planet of the Apes," and the other films in this franchise, arrive on high-def, presenting these films in the way they were meant to be seen. I can’t wait to introduce my children to this haunting, relevant, mind-bending franchise. Perhaps they will share my unbridled enthusiasm.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: A+
Film Value: A+
Final Grade:
A+
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
The Apes have decided to wage war against an underground band of human cave dwellers thought to be terrorists. The Apes also believe that these people have obtained a weapon of mass destruction. This one didn’t quite shock audiences as much as the original. However, compare it with today’s current war in Iraq, and the build up to it, and you might find some curious symbolism that makes it well worth watching.
Tragically, Rod Serling worked on a draft of the script, which featured a half-human, half-ape boy, but Fox rejected the idea, citing bestiality as their reason. They also rejected Pierre Boulle’s compelling screenplay, "Planet of the Men." I bet both scripts would have been quite intriguing, to be sure. Who knows what suggestions Serling and Boulle could have drawn? Regardless, "Beneath" is a worthwhile venture that’s more than stood the test of time.
Note: Roddy McDowall did not play Cornelius here because he was working on another film. His delightful candor is sorely missed.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: A-
Film Value: A-
Final Grade:
A-
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Cornelius and Zira, those anti-war, human-helping Ape scientists from the first two films, travel from their home to Earth of the present in this classic role reversal film. "Escape" actually bares a closer resemblance to Boulle’s original novel, plucking certain plot elements from his book. The comic moments make this one of the most entertaining fish-out-of-water films ever made.
As with all "Apes" films, "Escape" reaches a tragic climax supplemented by an amazing, blood-curdling twist that will shock you almost as much as the original. The film mainly works because of Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter’s perfect and charming performances as the lovable Cornelius and Zira.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: A
Film Value: A
Final Grade:
A
Conquest for the Planet of the Apes
Caesar, also played by Roddy McDowall, the son of Cornelius and Zira, hides among non-talking apes, enslaved by humans. But he can no longer sit idly by and watch his fellow brethren be beaten, tortured and slaughtered, so Caesar mounts a grand, albeit low budget, revolution against his human captors with violent and catastrophic results--ironic given what his parents stood for in the first two films.
Many think this is where the "Apes" series went downhill, but I wholeheartedly disagree. This is a film about revolution; a film that stories like Alan Moore’s "V for Vendetta" strongly mirrored themselves after. It also mirrored the thoughts and spirits of its era, from the revolution of African American culture to the revolution of the 60s and 70s hippie. If you want an escapist revolution film, "Conquest" is exactly that film to watch.
A NOTE ON THE UNRATED VERSION:
The newly restored unrated version, cut by the studio shortly before release, proves to be a vastly different experience than the theatrical cut. Gone is the wayward optimism of Caesar’s final speech. Restored are copious amounts of R-rated graphic violence and a haunting finale that sent chills down my spine. It’s not an easy film to forget. If you’re ever liked this film, this new cut is a must-see.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: A
Film Value: A
Final Grade:
A
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
It’s been several years since Caesar fought his revolution. He’s now living in peace with the humans, all except for a small band of underground terrorists, seemingly the same folk from "Beneath," who are fighting for human dominance. Will this world end up being the same one that Taylor damned in the original, or will Caesar manage to bring peace to this "Planet of the Apes?"
Now, this film is where things go downhill. The budget is cut down to almost nothing and the epic final battle between man and ape is fought using school busses, mopeds and apes with nets, sling shots and rocks. No, this isn’t what fans were waiting for. They wanted war, but money was all Fox was really out for and they got it (kind of), but they also killed the franchise in the process.
A NOTE ON THE UNRATED VERSION:
"Battle" has been presented in an extended cut previously only available in Japan. It’s extended by nearly ten minutes and fills a few plot holes and subplots forgotten in the theatrical print.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: A-
Film Value: B
Final Grade:
B+
HD REVIEW:
Video:
Fox presents each film in 2.35:1 widescreen at 1080p/AVC video on a BD50 disc. The last special edition DVD box set, released a few years back, was pretty impressive considering the age of the source material, and this Blu-ray seemingly ports over the very same transfers with solid results. There are a few specks of dust and dirt on the prints, but nothing too distracting. Colors are vibrant and strong. Black levels are inky and deep, giving each film a nice sense of depth, though I felt "Conquest" looked a little too dark in spots (possibly intentional). Details are impressive and representative of the film stocks of each era.
DNR does not seem to have been applied to the prints, so a nice natural haze of grain evenly coats the frame, giving the films an additional layer of texture and vibrancy. The encodes themselves are pretty stable, without a single digital blemish such as artifacting or edge enhancement marring the proceedings. The image on each film is sharper than the DVDs as well. Overall, these transfers are a decent improvement over the original DVDs, accurately representing the original theatrical quality of the print. Good job Fox!
Audio:
Fox gives each film a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix. Despite being a dated franchise, this newly redesigned set of mixes is surprisingly vibrant, with light, but well placed discrete effects popping and zinging in the front and rear surrounds. The near-classic scores of each film, Jerry Goldsmith’s being the best, is equally well represented in all surround channels, surrounding the listener with an organic, haunting musical experience. Center channel dialogue is clean and clear, though a touch hollow and mono-sounding. Make no mistake, this mix isn’t quite up to par with one of Fox’s new releases, but as far as catalog titles go, these mixes are pretty great.
The films original mono tracks are also provided.
Extras:
Fox packs an impressive batch of extras onto this Blu-ray set. This, my friends, is the definitive edition of these films! My only complaint: where is the live-action TV series, the cartoon series and the remake? This set is billed as "The 40-Year Evolution," so where’s the other material that came out in the 40-year era?
Planet of the Apes:
• Commentaries -- The first features Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Natalie Trundy and makeup artist John Chambers. This commentary is likely culled from the interview with McDowall on the other DVD that I mentioned above, as well as other archival interviews. The second commentary is an isolated score with comments from composer Jerry Goldsmith. I’m a massive fan of Goldsmith so listening to him here was an absolute delight. If you’re a fan of the series, the music or Jerry Goldsmith, this will be a treat for you. The final commentary is a text commentary from Eric Greene, author of "Planet of the Apes as American Myth". This commentary explores the various socio-political notions the film suggests. It’s very interesting for fans, and non-fans alike.
• Documentary: ‘Behind the Planet of the Apes’ (SD) -- This is the same documentary contained on the Image Entertainment DVD release. It’s an exhaustive examination of not just the first film, but the entire series. At nearly two hours, this feature alone is worth the price of admission. A promo for this documentary is also found on this set. I’d still suggest buying the Image version of this documentary as it contains an insightful 90-minute interview with Roddy McDowell that’s yet to be found on any release (though some is of it is used elsewhere).
• Archives of the Apes (SD) -- This is a catch all of goodies including the NATO presentation, makeup tests (with actor Edward G. Robinson), Roddy McDowell’s home movies, dailies, outtakes and vintage teasers, TV spots and trailers for the film.
• Gallery of the Apes (SD) -- An equally exhaustive catch-all of goodies including artwork, stills, behind the scenes photos, posters, lobby cards, the Ape newspaper and an interactive pressbook. Some of this stuff is truly awesome. Kudos to Fox for delivering such an impressive collection.
The Sequels:
• Escape: ‘Don Taylor directs Escape from the Planet of the Apes’ archival featurette.
• Conquest: ‘A Look Behind the Planet of the Apes’ and ‘J. Lee Thompson directs Conquest for the Planet of the Apes’ archival featurettes.
HD Content:
To sweeten the pot, Fox has provided a few new Blu-ray exclusive goodies.
All films:
• Law Giver Opening/Introductions -- The Law Giver, from "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" gives a fun little introduction to each film that sets the stage for each chilling tale. He also opens each disc with a little history about the actual film. A nice addition for fans.
• Isolated Score -- An isolated version of the score for each film is provided in awesome DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio.
• D-Box Motion Control -- Each film contains this feature, for those rich enough to enjoy D-Box Motion Control-enabled chairs.
Planet of the Apes:
• ‘Science of the Apes’ PiP Track (profile 1.1 players required) -- Several scientists discuss the film’s facts and science fiction as well as the scientific impact the film has made on that community. It’s a fairly informative new take on the material but not quite as expansive as I had hoped. Still, it’s worth a view.
• Featurettes: ‘Evolution of the Apes’ and ‘Impact of the Apes’ (HD) -- Running roughly 35 minutes collectively, these two new featurettes further explore the franchise as a whole (and its origins) and it’s impact on our culture. Some info is repeated, but these featurettes do provide a few new nuggets of trivia here and there.
• Public Service Announcement from ANSA (HD) -- A newly "unearthed" fictional PSA featuring the "Project Liberty" crew.
• Beyond the Forbidden Zone BD-Java Game -- Another rather pointless BD-Java game from Fox. Its fun for a little while but, like all of these sorts of features, wears thin pretty quickly.
New Featurettes (for each sequel):
Each featurette explores the production in some detail, but a lot of the material has already been covered in the previous documentary found on the "Planet of the Apes" disc. Still, each of these featurettes is worth a watch, if only to soak up the minute details, and touching bios of the series performers, that make this franchise so wonderfully great.
• Beneath: From Alpha to Omega (HD, 22 minutes)
• Escape: ‘The Secret Behind Escape’ (HD, 16 minutes)
• Conquest: ‘Riots and Revolutions’ (HD, 20 minutes)
• Battle: ‘End of an Epic’ (HD, 16 minutes)
Archive/Gallery of the Apes (for each sequel) -- An equally exhaustive catch-all of goodies including artwork, stills, trailers, behind the scenes photos, posters, lobby cards, Ape newspapers and an interactive pressbook. Some of this stuff is truly awesome. Kudos to Fox for delivering such an impressive collection.
Unrated/Extended Versions -- Both "Conquest" and "Battle" get two different cuts. "Conquest" gets an unrated version and "Battle" gets an extended version. Each film also contains the original theatrical cut. Both films are greatly improved by the new cuts (see review). And both cuts run several minutes longer than the theatrical coutnerparts.
Packaging:
I’m not usually a fan of overly elaborate packaging, but Fox has truly outdone themselves with this set. Packaged in a cardboard sleeve, inside you’re immediately treated to a wonderful timeline of events in the series. Open of the sleeve, and you’re treated to five discs and a wonderful 200-page book that’s sure to stun any "Ape" fan. My only complaint, and it's a big one, is that the discs are annoying pinned to the cardboard sleeve with sticky, rubber blobs instead of hard plastic. I worry that this will eventually cause wear and tear on the discs (two of my discs arrived moderately scratched). Below is the photo of this wonderful set. Again, great job Fox!
Final Thoughts:
"Planet of the Apes," and it’s sequels, are seminal motion picture events that are sure to be just as relevant, albeit dated, 40 years from now as they are today, 40 years after the series began. Thank you Fox for giving fans a truly extraordinary Blu-ray release to compliment this extraordinary series.
Blu-ray Report Card:
Video: A-
Audio: A-
Extras: A+
HD Content: A
Packaging: A
Recommendation. Fans should own this set.
On Blu-ray: November 4, 2008.
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----R. L. Shaffer