Planet of the Apes

UPC: 024543229742

Studio: 20th Century Fox

MPAA Rating: G   Contains:[Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Profanity]

Summary: Originally intended as a project for Blake Edwards, the film version of Pierre Boule's semisatiric sci-fi novel came to the screen in 1968 under the directorial guidance of Franklin J. Schaffner. Charlton Heston is George Taylor, one of several astronauts on a long, long space mission whose spaceship crash-lands on a remote planet, seemingly devoid of intelligent life. Soon the astronaut learns that this planet is ruled by a race of talking, thinking, reasoning apes who hold court over a complex, multilayered civilization. In this topsy-turvy society, the human beings are grunting, inarticulate primates, penned-up like animals. When ape leader Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans) discovers that the captive Taylor has the power of speech, he reacts in horror and insists that the astronaut be killed. But sympathetic ape scientists Cornelius (Roddy McDowell) and Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter) risk their lives to protect Taylor -- and to discover the secret of their planet's history that Dr. Zaius and his minions guard so jealously. In the end, it is Taylor who stumbles on the truth about the Planet of the Apes: "Damn you! Damn you! Goddamn you all to hell!" Scripted by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson (a former blacklistee who previously adapted another Pierre Boule novel, Bridge on the River Kwai), Planet of the Apes has gone on to be an all-time sci-fi (and/or camp) classic. It won a special Academy Award for John Chambers's convincing (and, from all accounts, excruciatingly uncomfortable) simian makeup. It spawned four successful sequels, as well as two TV series, one live-action and one animated. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Science Fiction

Awards: U.S. National Film Registry – Library of Congress Best Costume Design – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Original Score – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Honorary and Other Awards – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture – National Board of Review

Features: ccFeature commentary by Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Natalie Trundy and makeup artist John Chambers
Feature commentary by composer Jerry Goldsmith
Feature text commentary by Eric Greene, author of "Planet of the Ape as American Myth"

Planet of the Apes

Format: DVD

Release Date: 03/28/2006

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Cinemascope

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD5.0 Dolby Digital 5.0, DD1 Dolby Digital Mono, DS Dolby Surround (4.0)

Runtime: 112 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Planet of the Apes
1. The Long Sleep [3:01]
2. Main Titles [:24]
3. Crash Landing [1:56]
4. The Expedition [:22]
5. The Seekers [5:49]
6. Life [4:22]
7. Scarecrows [3:02]
8. The Clothes Snatchers [2:09]
9. The Hunt [3:32]
10. Zira [1:29]
11. Dr. Zaius [1:39]
12. Cornelius [3:11]
13. "My Name Is Taylor" [4:59]
14. "It's a Stunt" [:10]
15. No Escape [1:54]
16. "It's a Madhouse" [4:47]
17. The Hearing [3:08]
18. New Identity [:12]
19. Talking Heresy [1:50]
20. Zaiuz' Fear [5:38]
21. The Abduction [2:28]
22. The Forbidden Zone [3:59]
23. On the Beach [2:15]
24. The Cave [1:09]
25. The Hostage [7:17]
26. Saying Goodbye [1:14]
27. The Revelation [:46]
28. Cast of Characters [3:37]

Dan Jardine

Mike Wilson and Rod Serling's script plays heavily (and sometimes simple-mindedly) on the conflicts between faith and science, while the paradoxically inverted relationship of man to apes allows the filmmakers to drive home some rather pointed attacks on racist behavior and intolerant attitudes on our planet. Charlton Heston's performance is not particularly subtle, but, between contorted grimaces and hollered epithets, he does create sympathy for his lost and angry character. The most compelling performance is by Roddy McDowell, who must spend the entire movie hidden in an ape costume. Director Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton, Papillon), along with his set designers, art directors, and makeup artists, creates an intriguing alternative world, with rabbit-warren-like habitations and cold, clinical ape masters. Planet of the Apes has an undeniable camp appeal -- several lines of dialogue are both intentionally and unintentionally hilarious, gender roles are badly dated, and the ape costumes have not aged well -- but the final scene holds up as a stirring and evocative moment of self-realization. John Chambers won an honorary Oscar for his innovative makeup. ~ Dan Jardine, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Wright King  Actor 
Harry Monty  Actor 
Robert Gunner  Actor 
Diane Stanley  Actor 
Norman Burton  Actor 
Paul Lambert  Actor 
Mort Abrahams  Producer 
Jerry Goldsmith  Composer (Music Score) 
Arthur P. Jacobs  Producer 
Franklin J. Schaffner  Director 
Rod Serling  Screenwriter 
Michael Wilson  Screenwriter 
Charlton Heston  Actor 
Roddy McDowall  Actor 
Kim Hunter  Actor 
Maurice Evans  Actor 
James Whitmore  Actor 
James Daly  Actor 
Linda Harrison  Actor 
Lou Wagner  Actor 
Woodrow Parfrey  Actor 
Jeff Burton  Actor 
Buck Kartalian  Actor 

Country: USA