Haven't seen it yet, but I shall. If in the theatre, I shall wait for its appearance at the dollar cinema at the mall.

BTW, Frank -- here's an excellent place for your critique. It takes a bit to sign up at IMDB, but it is a place for movie buffs and critics. And it's fun.

About the original, Planet of the Apes:
The conflicts were good, because we had a ready reference to the needed violence to make the film a success. Watts. Vietnam. KKK rallies. It was a rough time.

I find it humorous that Chuck played General Thade's father in the recent remake, considering the fact he wanted nothing at all to do with Ape sequels. He finally did agree to be in the first Ape sequel, provided they killed him in the film. Well, the producers did him one better. The blew up the Ape Planet, thereby ending any hope for a third film.

The 2nd film:
Beneath the Planet of the Apes was cleverly cast. The late, great James Franciscus was in as George Taylor's friend, John Brent, sent on a long mission to find a missing crew.

Matt had mentioned Heston's cockiness, arrogance, intelligence, and philosophical nature. Well, Franciscus, later of Longstreet fame, was a younger mirror to Heston.

I liked him a lot.

Then came that impossible 3rd flick:
Escape from the Planet of the Apes, complete with insane Khan Noonien Singh -- er, um, that is -- with that nice Ricardo Montalban playing Armando, the friendly circus owner. Governmental Control, Big Brotherisms, and Conspiracy Theories were the Big Issues for this one -- and we had R. M. Nixon in the White House for only 2 years when it was released in ‘71.

And why not a 4th?
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes was the first that Kim Hunter (Dr. Zira) would not be cast for, and the late (and much-missed) Roddy McDowall received a new face, giving up his placid Cornelius for a rebellious Caesar. This film dealt with class oppression, in this case, the oppression of Ape-kind. 1972.

Will it ever end?

The 5th sequel:
Battle for the Planet of the Apes was supposed to be the finalé -- but then that's what they said when Chuck Heston pounded the beach sands with his fist and cried out that famous line:

"Oh my God, I'm back... I'm home! All the time... They finally, really did it. You maniacs! You blew it up! God damn you! God damn you all to hell!"

With Battle for, we have compassion. Here, Caesar, again played by Roddy, tries to keep the Humans and Apes equal, wanting to halt the pendulum swing of society completely, ever hoping for a utopia. In this film, we also get to finally meet the mighty Lawgiver, played by noneother than the late John Huston, who, in 1966, got to direct himself as Noah, speaking to himself as God.

Did it end?

Almost:

Movies:
1. Planet of the Apes (2001)
2. Planet of the Apes (1968) (aka “Monkey Planet”)
3. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
4. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) (aka “Colonization of the Planet of the Apes”)
5. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
6. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)



TV-Movies:
1. Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998)
2. Back to the Planet of the Apes (1981)

TV series:
1. "Planet of the Apes" (1974) TV series
2. "Return to the Planet of the Apes" (1975) TV series



Interesting times, with interesting films,
Dan
--ps--
And they’re doing all over it again?!

"You know the saying. Human see, human do."
-- Julius, Dr. Zira's nephew.