Planet Of The Apes [Archive] - Forums @ The Digital Fix

Quint

16-10-2001, 21:10

Right I think im gonna buy the POTA apes boxset tommorow (well bought it today but I had to take it back :() and was wondering, are the films any good?

I have never seen any of the POTA films but love sci-fi so I wanna know are the sequels really that bad and what is the boxset like?

Cheers :)

Deaks

17-10-2001, 00:01

I've just re-watched these myself over the last couple of weeks, and the sequels aren't as bad as most people will have you believe.

The first film is rightly considered a classic, and full of social comment but I think the series really skips a beat with the second film. James Fraciscus's character is a pale immitation of Heston's Taylor from the first and the films anti-was message is simplistic and the whole film depressing.

The science of the science-fiction of the series is tenuous at best, but it does allow the series to go in a new direction with the third and fourth films. The social comment is back as is Roddy McDowall as the different lead characters.

The final film is poor and makes little sense, but as a whole the box set is a must purchase as it includes the superb 1998 documentary. Be careful to watch it AFTER you've seen the films though.

Deaks.

gooseUK

17-10-2001, 09:35

I agree with Deaks, I think the sequels have got something of a raw deal. I really enjoyed watching all five films and, well, didn't it just take me back to being a kid watching all those 50's b-movies on tv?

The first film is superb, and I was quite pleasantly surprised at how gripping some of the action scenes were (particularly the hunt). There's also some great cinematography, sly humour and, of course, THAT ending. My only gripe is that the films gets a little static in the final third.

Beneath... isn't a bad sequel, though I agree Franciscus is a little on the dull side for a hero (he's the spitting image of Troy McClure in The Simpsons's "Stop The Planet of The Apes, I Want to Get off!" musical!). It's a really pessimistic film, which I love in sci-fi, with a truly bleak ending.

The last three films, Escape..., Conquest..., and Battle all suffer from the laws of diminishing budgets, and diminishing ideas. But they're still kind of fun, and at least the first two progress the mythology of the series in fairly interesting directions, rounding off the story. Only Battle... is totally redundant.

The documentary Beyond... is one of the best I've seen on a DVD. At two hours +, it's allowed to cover POTA in great detail, but also has room to explore each of the sequels, and the TV series. But it's ESSENTIAL you watch this AFTER seeing all the films, as it gives detailed plot synopses.

All in all, a rather nice package.

simong

17-10-2001, 09:56

Lets face it they're all better than the new one. Mr. Burton what were you thinking? :mad:

BiscLimpkit

20-02-2010, 00:12

See the first one (which is awesome btw)... isn't it kinda rubbish having the ending plastered on the DVD and artwork? Ok I've had the ending spoil to me anyway but still... I thought it was supposed to be a twist.

Second I thought was very lite in comparison to the first... almost nodded off a few times... but managed to watch to the end.

Got the rest on my rental queue...

...but now I can watch the Tim Burton version (which I hear is kinda based on the first two films of the series).

DaveOr

20-02-2010, 00:55

I've gotta say I've got a soft spot for Conquest. It's very bleak (especially in its uncut form which I've yet to see), and has tonnes of non-too-deep social commentary. Excellent B-movie material that shouldn't be overlooked.

Never understood why many rate Escape myself. Worst of the series, even over Battle which suffers most from the increasingly diminished budgets.

camaj

20-02-2010, 04:12

Lets face it they're all better than the new one. Mr. Burton what were you thinking? :mad:

"I can't believe they're letting me do this"?
"If I don't do this, Rob Zombie will and nobody wants that!"?

Any more suggestion

aprout

20-02-2010, 08:43

See the first one (which is awesome btw)...

:lol:

It's just a guess, but in the EIGHT YEARS since Quint posted this thread, he might've gotten round to watching them by now...

:doh:

Jonnof

20-02-2010, 08:54

It's pretty clear that no-one involved in the 2001 version had any sensitivity whatsoever for the source material - it looks more crudely contrived as time goes on (and I don't believe the director selection process went any further than "Talking monkeys? Get Burton, he's good with the weird ****...")
There's more authentic Apes spirit in an episode of Lost than anything in that cynical crap.

Speaking of which, the Dharma Initiative-style ANSA film on the original PotA Blu-ray is quite lovely, and a great indication of the angle to take if Fox ever did decide to give the franchise another go-around. Just give it to someone like Nolan or Blomkamp this time!

AndyWilson

20-02-2010, 09:58

I'm a huge fan of the originals, POTA and Escape are 2 of the best films ever made, and I've bought them way too many times now - but I still like the Burton version too.

Just putting people in monkey costumes gets a starter of 3/5 for me though, so any POTA film would have to be pretty bad for me not to like it (but Battle does come close)

Quint

20-02-2010, 10:16

:suspect: lol yeah watched these now! :lol:

Robert S

21-02-2010, 16:18

A great original and some fun retro ape sequels make an essential boxset.

I have a soft spot for Beneath, which features some of the most bizarre mutant footage money can buy. Singing to a nuclear missile? I'll take one of those, please.

Conquest is greatly improved in its uncut form, which is doing the rounds of blu-ray.

Escape is a fine film, too, with a great opening bass-line.

I think Battle is the only one I don't watch fully, but still, the nuked city tour scene, with its comic-strip geiger counter dialogue, is lots of fun and worth the effort.

rustybin

07-11-2010, 14:36

Watched this for the first time ever this morning. I don't quite know how at 32 years old I've avoided watching it until now. Blu looked and sounded very nice.

I thought it was very good, although not quite as good as I'd hoped given its 'classic' status.

Couple of questions (which may have been answered in film but I missed because of the wife needing some things explained):-

1. What happened to the moon?
2. How did they not use the stars to tell them where they were?

R-T-C

08-11-2010, 10:13

Wow, not seen these films in years. Does the UK Blu-ray boxset include the extended cut of 'Conquest'?

Never even realised there was a TV series, is it as cheesy as it sounds?

AndyWilson

08-11-2010, 10:47

The TV series had some cheesy moments, but also some really good episodes.

It more or less followed the same plot as a lot of 60s/70s dramas - protaganists wandering the countryside looking for something they never find - see The Fugitive, Incredible Hulk, Kung Fu etc etc. Mainly one-off stories of varying quality - form excellent to - er - not so excellent.

If you're really a fan you should also seek out the animated serious - that's a real head **** at times!

Robert S

08-11-2010, 11:06

Wow, not seen these films in years. Does the UK Blu-ray boxset include the extended cut of 'Conquest'?

It does indeed. It's an improvement, though not quite the miraculous transformation my previous post may have indicated.

The UK set loses the extended cut of Battle. You can however access Battle's deleted scenes from the extras menu. Really, you ain't missing much with that one.

DanWilde1966

04-12-2010, 14:17

Bought this five-film set at HMV for £12 (down from £50, apparently) this afternoon. I presume the Bexleyheath HMV "sale" is nationwide? First film great; second film rather good; third film a reversal of the first; fourth film vaguely dystopian and Orwellian; final film, frankly, pants. But all a bargain for £12.

Summerisle

04-12-2010, 14:34

Working my way through the impractically designed R1 set on Blu and have to say I've really enjoyed them having never seen them in widescreen, and with the first three since they were first on tv so that's almost 30 years. Seeing "Conquest," in it's uncut form showed that actually it wasn't just a diminished return sequel but did try to say something to carry the saga on. And Bruce Surtees' photography really changed the rather bland look of the previous three installments. Think it will be "Battle," tonight to finish off the original series.

Spooky_uk

04-12-2010, 15:03

DanWilde1966

04-12-2010, 15:17

Is that DVD or BR? Online DVD set is a tenner but BR is nearly £70 still :(The DVD, standard.

Jonnof

05-12-2010, 16:53

Blu-ray set £17.85 in latest Zavvi mega Monday (http://forums.thedigitalfix.co.uk/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=311&url=http://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/the-planet-of-the-apes-5-movie-set/9999281.html). Get in quick!

Spooky_uk

05-12-2010, 19:17

wow, spooky :eek:

R-T-C

06-12-2010, 07:25

LokiUK

06-12-2010, 13:18

Conquest of the Apes was on the other week. I saw it when I was a lot younger, and have always touted its merits to anyone who was polite enough to listen.

On second viewing though... well, it was a bit rubbish for large sections. The costumes and special effects looked particularly ropey, and the script was a cement brick subtle polemic against racial segregation. Caesar's final speech is excellent, but the direction is too workmanlike to really show it off to full effect.

Also.. and I know I'm being picky here... but why is it called Conquest of the Planet Of The Apes? It's not going to become that until after the events of this film. Birth Of... would have been better, as that's what Caesar says in his final scene.

Quint

08-12-2010, 07:14

Loving this old thread by me :D

DanWilde1966

13-12-2010, 17:43

Loving this old thread by me :DWhat's not to like? :) Tonight: running the documentary "Behind the Planet of the Apes", which is rather spiffing. :thumbs:

camaj

13-12-2010, 18:58

What's not to like? :) Tonight: running the documentary "Behind the Planet of the Apes", which is rather spiffing. :thumbs:

By running you mean watching??

Still haven't got my Zavvi boxset ordered almost 8 days ago....