Planet of the Apes [DVD] [1968]

 

 

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Franklin J. Schaffner's original Planet of the Apes is in a class of its own - superb, serious filmmaking with an incredibly strong script which manages to encompass everything from the creationist/evolutionist debate to the Hollywood blacklist (all five films feature heavy presences from blacklist victims both in front of and behind the cameras). And John Chambers' make-up is still quite miraculous, convincingly simian while still retaining much of the identity of the players underneath the masks. Unfortunately, the edition in this 6-disc boxed set misses the excellent extras from the later 2-disc DVD edition.

Unlike the Star Trek films, this is one franchise where the odd `numbered' films are better than the `evens.' Beneath the Planet of the Apes suffers heavily from the loss of writers Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, and perhaps more so from Schaffner's replacement with talented but often uninspired journeyman Ted Post. The first half hour is a rushed recap of the first film, with Charlton Heston-lite James Franciscus taking the lead to little effect. There are interesting jabs at Vietnam era America - peace protesting chimps, militaristic rabble rousing gorillas - and civil rights - Thomas Gomez's prayer is actually a KKK blessing - but it lacks the wit, character or detail of its predecessor. Heston's insistence on no more sequels (or so he thought) also adds a somewhat needlessly nihilistic ending.

Much better by far is Escape From the Planet of the Apes, which is when Paul Dehn really took over the series by proxy and created the mythology which would see it through to the short-lived TV series. Roddy McDowall may get top billing, but it's actually Kim Hunter who easily dominates the film, and it's a wonderfully imaginative and witty inversion of the original. Funky score by Jerry Goldsmith too, a million miles from his savage primitive work on the original but still recognizably the same musical universe.

The quality drops again with Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Despite some interesting plays on slavery and race relations - the final carnage is based closely on the Watts riots - it's mildly uninvolving, not helped by a poor DVD transfer that makes the scenes shot in Century City even duller than they were meant to be. Don Murray's hysterical overacting doesn't help - at times the film cuts away from him to inanimate objects as if embarrassed to linger on his performance.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes is easily the least ambitious, toning down the violence for what the producers admitted was just `a kid's film.' Yet on its own terms its extremely well made, often dryly amusing and particularly well shot, with J. Lee Thompson showing a good eye for the Scope frame that's almost completely absent in Conquest. It's a shame that Dehn's much, much darker take - in which Caesar's attempts to build a world where apes and men can live in peace leads to his murder and the birth of the hardline regime of the original film - was abandoned, but it's a surprisingly enjoyable movie in a cowboys and Indians, or rather, apes and mutants kind of way. And where else can you see John Landis playing horsey for a young ape? Unfortunately, the version in this boxed set is quite heavily cut - for the uncut version you need to pick up the 2006 DVD reissue on NTSC.

Aside from the poor Conquest, the 2.35:1 widescreen transfers are good but not outstanding, with extras limited to the excellent two-hour documentary Behind the Planet of the Apes and the original trailers for the films.

It is a blessing that the Planet of the Apes films have finally come to DVD, and all the more satisfying that they have been released as a whole boxset. Now all five films can be watched one after the other with a clear picture and improved sound quality.

PLANET OF THE APES is teh pinnacle of the whole series. While being the best of the series, it is also (in my opinion) one of the greates sci-fi tales ever told, and far more advanced than any other sci-fi film of the time. Charlton Heston is flawless as Taylor, and is performance his at all times convincing. For anyone who has yet to see this film (and for anyone who hasn't seen the spolier front cover of the DVD) the ending is a shocker - far better than the ending in the Tim Burton remake.

BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES is an excellent sequal, with a perfect cast to boot. The story is more direct in the politiacl, social and moral issues that were raised in the first, but still allows for a thoroughly entertaining film. Again, another great ending is included.

ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES is a welcome variation from the previous two films, this time allowing us to watch a film where it is the apes in an alien world instead of the humans. It's interesting to see how the roles of the two species have been reversed. I thought that the ending in this film was perfect and very realistic.

I felt that CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES was a bit of a let down. Comparing it to the first three films, the story seems to be rushed, without enough emphasis on the uprising of the apes. But after you get past the rushed story of the first half of the film, the second half more than makes up for it. Again, a spectacular ending created by Ceaser's riveting speech.

The last of the series, BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, was again inferior to the first three, and in my opinion the worst of the five films. The film is entertaining though, although I felt that the ending was a bit of a letdown, directly contrasting with the morbid endings of the first four films.

Included is an extra disk with a two hour documentary, hosted by Roddy McDowell. This is excellently compiled and is very informative, giving the viewer fascinating insights into the whole creation process.

A definite classic series, one that must be bought.

this box set is a treasure for fans of the original series. In my opinion, the 2001 tim burton re-make wasn't all that bad, but this set wins hands down! What you get are five films, plus a fantastic 2 hour documentary disc hosted by roddy mcdowell who plays cornelius in the films. The five films also have five different storylines, none of this repetiveness you see in horror film sequels to name but one. In the first, charlton heston plays taylor, the astronaut stranded on the ape planet who befriends two chimp scientists who helps him escape, only for taylor to discover something truly dreadful at the films' climax. The second film 'beneath the planet of the apes' follows a similar story, only this time featuring a different astronaut sent to rescue taylor who encounters a gang of mutant humans living deep in the bowels of the planet who worship an atomic bomb as their god. the third film features the two scientist chimps, zira and cornelius as they travel back in time to the planet earth and are initially treated as celebrities before a dreadful piece of news regarding zira's unborn baby forces them to go on the run. the fourth film "conquest of the planet of the apes" shows how the apes took control from man and chronicles the beginning of the ape reign, and finally "battle for the planet of the apes" is the final showdown in a nuclear wasted world. overall, a fantastic box set, and although there's not much on discs 1-5, disc 6 and the incredible indepth look at the series is more than worth it.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Good
This item was very good. it was dispatched the day after ordering and was only delayed by the snow which couldn't be helped. very cheap for what it contained.

Published 3 days ago by CJ

5.0 out of 5 stars Planet of the Apes Collection
Excellent value DVD set with the five original Planet of the Apes films and a very good two hour documentary on the making of the films. Read more

Published 1 month ago by cooper

1.0 out of 5 stars When will screenplay authors leave well alone?
Pierre Boulle's novel is set on another world visited by terrestrial astronauts; a world where humans (or, at least, life forms very like them) have lost their supremacy to apes... Read more

Published 2 months ago by Mr. John Griffiths

5.0 out of 5 stars Original
Original DVD, sealed in full size dvd box. fast delivery,well packaged. Havent had time to watch yet, but was a good price and nice to collect.

Published 2 months ago by tony in essex

5.0 out of 5 stars planet of the apes
the first film is a classic and easily the best of the five.the second is easily the worst which may coincide with the fact that it is the only one not to have roddy mcdowell... Read more

Published 2 months ago by jed

2.0 out of 5 stars Keep it local
The item was brand new and the cost was not bad. The only problem I ran into was that I could not find a DVD player to play it. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Not sure

5.0 out of 5 stars planet of the apes collection
This dvd collection was brill.Ordering was so easy, delivery was prompt. Will definitly be ordering again. It was good value for money.

Published 3 months ago by tomcatxxxli

5.0 out of 5 stars Planet of the Apes
It was brilliant to see the movies again. We really enjoyed the latest film about Planet of the Apes so my children wanted to see the original ones. Great fun!

Published 4 months ago by J pl

1.0 out of 5 stars dreadful
I hated this film. It is so bad, it is unbearable to watch. I saw it as a child when it came out and even then I knew it was rubbish.

Published 4 months ago by anna

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
The kids watched the Tim Burton version and wanted to see the new Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It's a good film but I wanted them to experience the originals. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Col04

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