Reboot/Prequels

The three reboot movies are only loosely connected to the original series. However, the timeline does indicate that events in their storyline precede those of the 1968 classic. It is therefore advisable to treat the reboot as prequels despite them having potentially different futures than the original five films already established. To watch Planet of the Apes in order, start with the latest three instalments:

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011): an introduction to Caesar, a male chimpanzee whose intelligence level increases to a great extent through a drug test gone wrong. The movie depicts Caesar as questioning the apes’ place in a world dominated by humans. What he does and the subsequent harsh responses to his actions shall plant the seeds for a lengthy armed conflict between apes and humans.

• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014): Simian Flu has decimated the human population. Meanwhile, the evolved apes under Caesar’s leadership have established a colony in the Muir Woods just outside San Francisco, where they enjoy relative safety from human aggression. A peace talk between the apes and humans goes terribly wrong, and now both parties are ready to engage in an all-out war.

• War for the Planet of the Apes (2017): humans want to obliterate the apes. Caesar has no choice but to return the hostility in kind. He dies after saving the apes but not before they discover a seemingly isolated lush green land to rebuild the society in peace, free from human interference. The third movie of the reboot marks the end of Caesar’s trilogy.

Caesar’s death does not mean the end of the franchise. They initially intended war for the Planet of the Apes as a link to establish a workable connection to the 1968 original, but the cliffhanger ending missed the target by quite a margin. It is safe to say the reboot might need another instalment or two to bring the dots closer to each other.

Original Series

The next films in line are the five instalments of the original series:

• Planet of the Apes (1968): a group of American astronauts, led by George Taylor, find themselves stranded on a strange planet inhabited by an intelligent ape society. Humans are primitive species and are treated as slaves. The shocking ending reveals that the ape-dominated planet is actually the future Earth.

• Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970): Major John Brent arrives on the same planet to search for the now-missing George Taylor. The film dives deeper into the planet only to find it inhabited by telekinetic humans, whose ancestors survived a nuclear blast a long time ago. It ends with another atomic blast that destroys everything to smithereens.

• Escape From the Planet of the Apes (1971): Three apes (Zira, Cornelius, and Milo) escape the second blast and take a time travel back to 1973 when humans still ruled the Earth. Seen as oddities of nature, the apes have to deal with prejudice and persecution.

• Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972): a pandemic has wiped out cats and dogs. Humans turn to apes to fill the roles of pets and slaves. Caesar, the intelligent son of Cornelius and Zira, leads a violent rebellion against humans.

• Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973): the ape society prevails only to realize that power corrupts whoever is in charge. Humans have been defeated, and the world turns out to be just as chaotic as ever. There is some sort of truce, but everyone knows it won’t last long.

We should note that even the original series alone has a somewhat convoluted timeline. Events in the first film take place in 1972 before jumping forward to 3978. That said, the final sequel hints that the ending happens in the 2600s. Despite the confusion, watching all five films in the suggested order makes perfect sense.

Remake

Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes is supposed to be an attempt to reboot the series by remaking the original. The film ends up being pretty divisive in terms of storyline and plot continuity. Since it does not belong in either the original or reboot series, watch it whenever you like. Watch the 1968 film first just to compare the two and see how they are different in so many respects.

We think the reboot/prequel movies relived the passion of the original series and set a new thrilling storyline in motion. Not only does the reboot introduce better cosmetics (CGI, motion capture, and such) but it also gives the franchise a breath of fresh air to carry it to the much-anticipated exciting future.

Have you watched any of the Planet of the Apes films? Which one you like best? We’d love to hear from you.

Other things you might want to know:

Planet of the Apes movies release order:

Will there be a new film?

A new film, titled “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is scheduled for release on May 24, 2023. Events in the film are set years after the previous instalment, and the apes are divided into multiple clans. Humans have plunged deeper into a primitive state.

Will the new film connect to the original?

Talks about whether the upcoming film will lead back to the 1968 classic are mere speculations. It does not seem likely that both the studios and filmmakers will rush the story toward an ending soon. One thing is certain: the franchise – the reboot – still has plenty of stories to explore, so wrapping it up in the next film will only make everything look like a rush job instead of a carefully executed project.

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The post How to Watch the Planet of the Apes Movies in Order appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

In the world of science fiction cinema, few franchises have captured the imaginations of audiences quite like the “Planet of the Apes” series. With its iconic imagery and thought-provoking themes, this film saga has left an indelible mark on the genre. Over the years, the franchise has evolved, expanding its universe through sequels, prequels, and reboots, offering viewers a unique opportunity to delve into the complexities of society, evolution, and the human condition. In this blog post, we’ll take a journey through the “Planet of the Apes” movies in chronological story order, exploring the profound questions they raise about our own humanity.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011)

Our journey begins with “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” a reboot that explores the origins of the ape civilization. Set in contemporary San Francisco, the film follows the story of Dr. Will Rodman (played by James Franco), a scientist seeking a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Rodman’s experiments led to the birth of Caesar, a highly intelligent chimpanzee, portrayed through groundbreaking motion-capture technology by Andy Serkis. As Caesar matures and gains human-like intelligence, he becomes a symbol of hope for oppressed apes everywhere.

The film raises questions about ethics in scientific experimentation, the consequences of human actions on the animal kingdom, and the potential for the oppressed to rise against their oppressors. It sets the stage for the complex moral dilemmas that the franchise will continue to explore.

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” (2014)

In the sequel, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” the ape civilization led by Caesar has evolved significantly. Meanwhile, humanity has been decimated by a deadly virus. The film explores the struggle for coexistence between apes and surviving humans, as well as the growing rift between those who seek peace and those who desire war.

“Dawn” delves into themes of diplomacy, trust, and the consequences of prejudice and fear. It paints a grim picture of the fragile balance between two intelligent species, highlighting the ever-present risk of conflict when misunderstanding and mistrust prevail.

“War for the Planet of the Apes” (2017)

The trilogy reaches its climax in “War for the Planet of the Apes.” Caesar, now an iconic character in the franchise, faces a formidable human antagonist known as the Colonel (played by Woody Harrelson). The film explores themes of revenge, sacrifice, and the ultimate survival of the fittest.

“War” takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, showcasing the lengths to which both apes and humans will go to protect their kind. It raises questions about the dark side of humanity and the capacity for violence in the face of perceived threats.

“Planet of the Apes” (1968)

After concluding the reboot trilogy, it’s time to explore the original classic, “Planet of the Apes,” released in 1968. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring Charlton Heston, the film takes us to a world where Earth has been replaced by a planet ruled by intelligent apes, while humans have become mute, primitive creatures.

This film serves as a cultural touchstone, raising profound questions about societal hierarchy, the potential consequences of environmental degradation, and the limits of human arrogance. The iconic twist ending has become one of cinema’s most celebrated moments.

“Beneath the Planet of the Apes” (1970)

The sequel to the original film, “Beneath the Planet of the Apes,” continues the story of Taylor (Heston), who discovers a subterranean society of mutant humans with psychic abilities. The film delves deeper into the themes of religion, war, and the destructive nature of human conflict.

“Beneath” pushes the boundaries of the franchise by introducing a more dystopian element, exploring the consequences of nuclear war and the potential for humanity to bring about its own downfall.

“Escape from the Planet of the Apes” (1971)

In “Escape from the Planet of the Apes,” three intelligent apes, Cornelius, Zira, and Milo, escape the destruction of their world and travel back in time to 1970s Earth. This film takes a different direction, focusing on themes of cultural clash, celebrity, and the fear of the unknown.

“Escape” raises questions about the role of outsiders in society and the fear of the unfamiliar. It also explores the power of knowledge and how it can be both liberating and dangerous.

“Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” (1972)

“Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” is set in a dystopian future where apes are enslaved by humans. Caesar, the son of Cornelius and Zira, becomes the leader of an ape rebellion against their oppressive human masters. The film explores themes of revolution, oppression, and the cycle of violence.

This installment delves into the complexities of power dynamics, social change, and the consequences of oppression. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of mistreating others.

“Battle for the Planet of the Apes” (1973)

The original series concludes with “Battle for the Planet of the Apes,” which depicts a post-apocalyptic world where humans and apes attempt to coexist. The film addresses themes of reconciliation, forgiveness, and the possibility of a better future.

“Battle” brings the series full circle, offering a glimmer of hope for peace between humans and apes, while still highlighting the challenges of building a harmonious society after years of conflict.

Conclusion

The “Planet of the Apes” franchise has carved its niche in the annals of science fiction cinema by using its compelling storylines and thought-provoking themes to explore the depths of humanity and the evolution of society. From the original 1968 classic to the modern reboot trilogy, these films invite viewers to ponder their own roles in shaping the world and the potential consequences of their actions. As we journey through this cinematic universe, they leave us with not only unforgettable characters and captivating stories but also profound questions about our own species

Other Things You Might Want to Know:

What is the significance of Caesar in the “Planet of the Apes” franchise?

Caesar is a central character in the modern “Planet of the Apes” films. He represents the bridge between human and ape societies, embodying the potential for empathy, intelligence, and leadership in both species. His journey is a microcosm of the larger themes explored in the franchise.

How has technology impacted the evolution of the “Planet of the Apes” movies?

The “Planet of the Apes” franchise has embraced technological advancements, particularly in motion-capture technology, to bring its ape characters to life. This has allowed for more nuanced performances and a deeper exploration of ape emotions and behaviors.

What makes the “Planet of the Apes” franchise relevant today?

The “Planet of the Apes” movies continue to be relevant because of their exploration of timeless themes such as power, conflict, ethics, and the consequences of human actions on the environment and other species. They serve as a mirror to our own society and challenge us to reflect on our choices and their potential outcomes.

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The post Exploring the Evolution of Humanity through “Planet of the Apes” Movies appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

“Planet of the Apes” is a science fiction franchise that has captured the imaginations of audiences for decades. While the original 1968 film and its sequels remain iconic, Tim Burton’s 2001 remake brought a fresh perspective to this beloved series. A key element of any cinematic masterpiece is its cast, and the 2001 adaptation was no exception. In this blog, we will look closer at the talented cast ensemble that brought this reimagined “Planet of the Apes” to life.

 Mark Wahlberg as Captain Leo Davidson

To lead the cast of “Planet of the Apes” (2001), director Tim Burton chose Mark Wahlberg for the role of Captain Leo Davidson. Wahlberg was already an established actor with notable performances in films like “Boogie Nights” and “The Perfect Storm.” His portrayal of Captain Leo Davidson, an astronaut who becomes stranded on a mysterious planet dominated by apes, showcased his ability to handle complex characters in a sci-fi setting. Wahlberg’s charismatic presence and emotional range helped anchor the film, making him a convincing and relatable protagonist.

 Tim Roth as General Thade

Opposite Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth played the chief antagonist, General Thade. Roth’s portrayal of this power-hungry and ruthless ape general was a standout performance in the film. Known for his versatility, Roth brought a menacing presence to the character. His ability to convey both physicality and psychological depth made General Thade a memorable and formidable foe for Captain Leo Davidson. Roth’s dedication to his role was clear, as he endured hours of prosthetic makeup application to transform into the intimidating ape general.

 Helena Bonham Carter as Ari

Another standout in the cast was Helena Bonham Carter, who played Ari, an ape sympathetic to the humans’ plight. Carter’s portrayal of Ari, an intelligent and compassionate ape, was a departure from her previous roles, often characterized by eccentricity and darkness. Her performance added depth to the narrative by exploring the moral complexities of the ape society. Ari’s evolution from a privileged ape to an advocate for human rights was a testament to Carter’s talent and ability to convey character growth.

 Michael Clarke Duncan as Attar

In the role of Attar, the loyal and fearsome gorilla warrior, Michael Clarke Duncan made a lasting impression. Known for his commanding presence and deep voice, Duncan’s physicality was well-suited for the role of Attar. His character’s journey from unwavering loyalty to a deeper understanding of the situation was a compelling arc in the film. Duncan’s portrayal showcased both his physical prowess and his ability to infuse depth into his characters.

 Other Supporting Cast Members

The cast of “Planet of the Apes” (2001) extended beyond the central characters, featuring several talented actors in supporting roles:

Estella Warren as Daena: Estella Warren played Daena, a human who forms a connection with Captain Davidson. Her character added a layer of humanity and romance to the story.

Kris Kristofferson as Karubi: Kris Kristofferson portrayed Karubi, as a fellow astronaut and mentor to Captain Davidson. His wisdom and guidance were pivotal to the protagonist’s journey.

David Warner as Sandar: David Warner played Sandar, a sympathetic orangutan who assisted the humans in their quest. Warner’s experience in the industry added depth to the film’s ensemble.

Paul Giamatti as Limbo: Paul Giamatti provided comic relief as Limbo, an eccentric orangutan who ran a human auction. Giamatti’s quirky performance added a touch of humor to the otherwise intense narrative.

Conclusion

The cast of “Planet of the Apes” (2001) brought their talents and dedication to breathe life into a reimagined world dominated by intelligent apes. Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, and the supporting cast members delivered performances that left a lasting impact on the franchise. While the film may have received mixed reviews, the cast’s commitment to their roles is undeniable.

The 2001 version of “Planet of the Apes” may not have surpassed the original 1968 classic, but it remains an intriguing chapter in the franchise’s history. As fans continue to revisit this cinematic universe, the memorable performances of the cast in this adaptation will always be a point of discussion and admiration.

Other Things You Might Want to Know:

 What was the critical and commercial reception of “Planet of the Apes” (2001)?

“Planet of the Apes” (2001) received mixed reviews from critics and fans alike. While the film showcased impressive visuals and makeup effects, the plot and character development were criticized for falling short of the original 1968 film’s standards. Despite this, the movie performed well at the box office, earning over $360 million worldwide, solidifying its place in the “Planet of the Apes” franchise.

 How did the 2001 film compare to the original 1968 classic?

Tim Burton’s “Planet of the Apes” aimed to pay homage to the original while offering a fresh take on the story. While it succeeded in some aspects, such as makeup and visual effects, many fans of the 1968 classic found the plot changes and character motivations to be lacking. It is often regarded as a unique interpretation rather than a strict remake, with its own merits and flaws.

 Are there any sequels or spin-offs related to the 2001 “Planet of the Apes”?

Following the 2001 remake, a rebooted “Planet of the Apes” trilogy launched in 2011 with “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Rupert Wyatt. This trilogy, which also includes “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” (2014) and “War for the Planet of the Apes” (2017), received critical acclaim and revitalized the franchise. Unlike the 2001 film, these installments focused on character development and storytelling, making them a major success.

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The post Exploring the Iconic Cast of “Planet of the Apes” 2001 appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Right from the prologue and all the way to the epilogue, the film delivers satirical commentaries on various issues plaguing 1960s America. Planet of the Apes remains one of Hollywood’s greats today as it conveys a gravely disturbing allegory on the issues of civil rights, racial conflicts, and the injustices of slavery. Critics and audiences agree it is a heavily political film wrapped in a captivating action-adventure science fiction presentation.

It is a cultural phenomenon for many reasons, from the creative makeup design and the scriptwriting to the suspenseful action sequences and the iconic ending scene. But none of those would be possible if not for its farfetched premise brilliantly performed by the ensemble cast of The Planet of the Apes 1968.

Larger the Life Premise

A 20th-century astronaut Captain George Taylor embarks on a space mission and is inadvertently sent back to the Earth of the distant future. He crash-lands on a barren planet where apes are the dominant species. There are humans, but they are nothing more than mute slaves and pets. As far as Taylor is concerned, it is an extraterrestrial planet on which society is racially stratified. Orangutans run the government, gorillas are soldiers and police, and chimpanzees form the intellectual groups of scientists. Humans are at the bottom of the hierarchy.

The story unfolds primarily from Taylor’s perspective. He must deal with a strikingly different new reality, where he is relegated to being a member of an inferior species. Every feature that should give him privilege in his own world, most prominently whiteness and maleness, now puts him at a disadvantage. In other words, a stereotypically white male American projecting the values of self-reliance, a good education, rugged individualism, and autonomy becomes underprivileged. He is forced to navigate the world outside the familiar comfort zone without the conventional American historical context. Taylor is criminally marginalized.

Cast of the Planet of the Apes 1968

The premise alone is fascinating enough to skyrocket the film to the heights of memorability for generations. However, it probably wouldn’t be able to communicate the messages properly without the right selection of couriers: the Cast of the Planet of the Apes 1968.

Charlton Heston

A star known for playing virtuous and heroic characters (such as Mark Anthony, Moses, Judah Ben-Hur, and Michelangelo, to name a few), Charlton Heston plays the lead role in Planet of the Apes, George Taylor.

The broad-chested white male Heston symbolizes the strength and dominance of the civilized world. At the same time, Taylor is also an arrogant and cynical person who dislikes the human tendency for self-destruction. Once Taylor finds himself stranded on the ape planet, any of his former hegemony is reduced to oblivion. In the ape society, humans are a second-class species no matter how well-educated they are. Taylor no longer has his credibility and freedom.

Taylor is shown to speak of misanthropy during the prologue, yet for the rest of the film he is at the forefront of the battle to defend humanity. Thanks to Heston’s masterful and authoritative persona, the messages about oppression and humans’ condescending behaviors toward other species become clear and impactful.

Roddy McDowall

In the role of a chimpanzee archaeologist, Dr. Cornelius is Roddy McDowall. The ape society learns from the “sacred scroll” that God created humans and apes as different species entirely. On the other hand, Cornelius wonders if apes evolved from humans. McDowall’s facial expressions and emotions remain clearly visible despite the heavy makeup work, making Cornelius a notable character. An outright professional actor, McDowell makes an effort to study actual chimpanzee behaviors at the San Diego Zoo in preparation for the role.

He is also featured as Cornelius in the third sequel, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, as Caesar (son of Cornelius and Zira) in the last two films of the original series, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes, and as Galen in the Planet of the Apes TV series.

Kim Hunter

In 1951, Kim Hunter received an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for his performance as Stella Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire. She was once blacklisted during the McCarthy era allegedly because of her support for the Civil Rights movement and her association with the World Peace Conference.

Her portrayal of the chimpanzee psychologist Dr. Zira in The Planet of the Apes is a blessing to the production team. Hunter and McDowall come to realize that the multi-layered makeup, especially around the nose, made their voices sound nasal. They joined together in an effort to find an effective workaround and teach other actors how to get rid of the problem.

Maurice Evans

English-born Shakespearean actor Maurice Evans fills the role of the antagonist orangutan, Dr. Zaius. Until today, no other actor has appeared in more American productions of Shakespeare. Even under extensive makeup, Evans’ performance as Zaius is spot on. Not only does the orangutan look real, but the actor’s facial muscles also translate well through the makeup.

In Planet of the Apes, Zaius is an influential figure who despises Taylor’s very existence. Zaius is an educated orangutan, and he finds no problem manipulating others or twisting the truth just to retain a position of power in the government. The foam-rubber makeup simply cannot conceal the actor’s brilliance.

Linda Harrison

It must be said that Nova, portrayed by Linda Harrison, only has a thing or two to say in the film. Be that as it may, her voiceless and at times awkward-looking performance speaks a great deal about the nature of the human species in the POTA. Humans are primitive and they should be depicted as such. Harrison is camera-shy throughout the filming, and she turns it into a strength rather than a weakness.

Although her name is not as big as McDowall or Evans, let alone Heston and Hunter, Harrison delivers just the right combination of cluelessness and raw beauty perfect for the role.

Have you seen the original POTA movie? What did you think of the Cast of the Planet of the Apes 1968 Let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

Other things you might want to know:

How did the actors who played the different species of apes in POTA “act” when they were off camera?

During breaks in filming, actors made up of different ape species tended to hang out together, gorillas with gorillas, orangutans with orangutans, and chimps with chimps. It wasn’t required, it just naturally happened.

Who decided on the ending of the original POTA 1968 movie?

There were three other endings suggested for the film’s climax, but the one favored by Charlton Heston ultimately won out.

How did the makeup artists make the ape’s faces seem so realistic in the POTA 1968 film?

To give the apes their lifelike appearance, makeup director John Chambers drew from special-effects techniques he’d learned during World War II doing cosmetic surgery on deformed soldiers.

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The post Cast of the Planet of the Apes 1968: A Pop-Culture Phenomenon Thanks to its Star-Studded Cast appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Beneath the Planet of the Apes would be the first of four sequels released in just several years, from 1970 to 1973. The production team underwent some major overhauls. Actor Roddy McDowell was unable to return for the sequel because of a prior commitment to another project; the script originally drafted by Rod Serling was later heavily revised by Paul Dehn; and director Ted Post, by then fresh off Hang ’em High, replaced Franklin J. Schaffner.

The first sequel starts exactly where the original left off. Astronaut George Taylor and a primitive human named Nova escape into the Forbidden Zone, which is a territory believed to be formerly inhabited by modern civilized people instead of apes. In an attempt to investigate the sight of a massive rock cliff in an otherwise almost total wasteland of debris and ash, Taylor disappears.

Nova heads back toward the Ape City and stumbles upon another astronaut, John Brent (James Franciscus). As it turns out, Brent is sent from Earth on an expedition mission to locate Taylor and his crew. Nova takes Brent on her journey back to meet friendly chimpanzee scientists, Dr. Cornelius and Dr. Zira. Since the ape military forces are actively seeking humans in the city, Nova and Brent again must escape the search party. They end up in an underground city, inhabited by survivors of a nuclear holocaust—human mutants with telepathic ability and worshippers of an active atom bomb. As the ape military plans for an invasion into the Forbidden Zone, the mutants also are preparing for war.

Time to Kill

Despite having a different director and screenwriter, the original film and its sequel seem to use the same exact premise. There is a male astronaut, accompanied by a primitive woman, on the run from aggressive apes. Two sympathetic chimpanzees help the humans escape the hunt. The similarity brings about a storytelling awkwardness because Beneath the Planet of the Apes is meant to be a direct sequel.

The real progress to the plot point is the ending scene of the first film as it begins when Brent reaches the underground city. In between his arrival and the discovery of underground-dwelling mutants, there is a good 40-minute period filled with a retelling of the original story. The problem is the audience already knows about the Ape City, its ruling society, and the relationship between apes and humans. And the protagonist Brent is the only person unaware of the situation. For more than half an hour, Beneath the Planet of the Apes is a re-run of the cat-and-mouse game played earlier by Taylor and Zaius. Over the course of the film, Brent needs to convincingly wonder, “What’s happening?”

Inside the Forbidden Zone

Beneath the Planet of the Apes gives a more detailed explanation of the Forbidden Zone. In the original film, Taylor discovers various human artefacts, such as a talking doll and dentures. Taylor eventually realizes that he has always been on Earth, albeit in the distant future in the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse where apes take over humans as the dominant species.

The sequel sends Taylor, Brent, and Nova deep into the region. A large group of human mutants live in the caves underneath the barren wasteland, as a cult-like society that worships a nuclear bomb. The Forbidden Zone remains a radioactive area even centuries after the nuclear disaster. It is likely the ape society never enters the area because the mutants’ telepathic abilities affect the apes’ senses or simply because the radiation level is too high and makes them sick.

Great Second Half

After Brent and Nova discover the entrance into the cave, the film really starts to come into its own. If the original film gives a lot of attention to the apes and how they run society as a ruling species, the second half of the sequel takes the spotlight away from them. Dominant apes make the original an exciting watch; they are fascinating villains and worthy adversaries to a proud resourceful American astronaut. Now, there is another group of war-mongering characters.

The idea of intelligent humans surviving a nuclear disaster is unthinkable, which turns out to be a big element of surprise in the sequel. Some people were still alive following the disaster. The underground city is now inhabited by their descendants; they are mutants with telepathic powers. Another good thing is that Beneath the Planet of the Apes doesn’t care about further development. Moments after Heston made a brief return in the climactic scene, the bomb worshipped by the mutants exploded, destroying the world once again. The story should end here since the planet is reduced to oblivion.

The Stars

Charlton Heston famously rejected reprising his role in the sequel. He only agreed to take part in the project as long as his character appeared briefly and died, which Taylor did. Director Franklin J. Schaffner as well as Roddy McDowell, could not commit themselves to the sequel for they had already signed-up for different projects.

James Grover Franciscus 

The lead character in Beneath the Planet of the Apes is John Brent, also an astronaut, portrayed by James Franciscus. Thanks to Heston’s reluctance to play in the sequel, the screenplay for the main character had to be rewritten for Brent. Throughout the decades of his acting career, Franciscus was more famously known for his roles in TV series such as Naked City, The Investigators, Mr Novak, Longstreet, Doc Elliot, and Hunter.

David Watson

Roddy McDowell was also unable to reprise his role as Dr. Cornelius in the sequel, and the character was subsequently given to David Watson. Starting as a professional singer, he made a swift transition to stage acting. He went on to play in TV shows including The Girl from U.N.C.L.E and Daniel Boone. Watson also played the titular role in the musical The Legend of Robin Hood.

James Gregory

The primary antagonist is General Ursus, portrayed by James Gregory, best known for his roles as Schaffer in Al Capone and as Senator John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate. Gregory appeared as supporting/recurring characters in various TV series including Hawaii Five-O and Barney Miller.

Maurice Evans, Kim Hunter, and Linda Harrison reprise their roles as Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zira, and Nova, respectively.

Are you as big a POTA fan as we are? Tell us what you think of the original cast. We’d love to hear from you.

Other things you might want to know:

Is Beneath the Planet of the Apes a book?

The novelization of the film by Michael Avallone retained the original scripted ending. Brent does not kill General Ursus. Taylor confronts him and Dr Zaius. As Taylor tries to reason with Zaius, Zaius condemns him and Ursus repeatedly shoots Taylor with his pistol; Brent’s rifle empties and the gorillas kill him. Ursus is horrified, telling Zaius that he has emptied the pistol into Taylor; he should be dead, but he still lives. Knowing he is dying, Taylor (after Zaius refuses to help him) decides to stop the violence by detonating the bomb. This he does, destroying the Earth itself.

What are some production details when Beneath the Planet of the Apes began filming?

Production began in February 1969. The sequel, now titled Beneath the Planet of the Apes, had its budget reduced from $5 million to $2.5 million because Fox had suffered recently from several underperforming big-budget films, like Star!, Hello, Dolly! and Tora! Tora! Tora! Nonetheless, the studio expected the film to return Fox to profitability. Heston’s parts were filmed in just eight days. The sets of the mutants’ council chamber and the temple of the bomb were redresses of the Grand Central – 42nd Street station and Harmonia Gardens sets from the film Hello, Dolly!

What was the trivia for Beneath the Planet of the Apes?

Burt Reynolds was considered for the lead role of John Brent before James Franciscus was cast due to his resemblance to Charlton Heston. Don Medford agreed to direct the movie but walked out after the budget was halved. Originally, there was going to be a scene featuring a half-human/half-ape child.

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The post Beneath the Planet of the Apes: What’s Happening? Who are the Stars? What’s Inside Those Forbidden Zones? appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

The previous film ends with Taylor detonating a nuclear bomb to destroy the entire planet. Everyone, humans and apes, are supposed to be dead, so Paul Dehn came up with a time warp idea to keep the franchise alive. In a lucky plot twist, friendly chimpanzee scientists Dr. Zira, Dr. Cornelius, and Dr. Milo manage to repair Taylor’s damaged spaceship and escape the planet. It happens just in time before the nuclear blast and electromagnetic pulse render the vehicle useless.

Credit where credit is due: screenwriter Paul Dehn recycles the time-warp idea (used as the framing premise in the first and second films) to send the apes from the distant future back to present-day America. The third film is therefore set at a time when humans reign supreme and talking apes are considered threats to humanity. A direct role reversal is in order. Time dilation practically restarts the series all over again. With an excellent screenplay in hand, director Don Taylor creates an effective introduction to the new character, Caesar, and sets the backstory right for an all-out conflict between humans and apes.

The timeline in Escape from the Planet of the Apes is set on present-day Earth in the 1970s. Military guards secure a perimeter around a site on a Californian beach where a spaceship has just landed. The vehicle looks familiar because it is the same space shuttle used by Taylor and his crew. To the people’s amazement, the pilots are not astronauts wearing ANSA (a similar but separate organization from NASA) uniforms, but three chimpanzees all dressed up like humans.

In an unlikely series of events, the chimpanzees start their adventure on Earth initially without any meaningful challenges. Some see them with suspicious eyes, but the apes end up making new friends and getting along well with humans. Much like in the first film, they bump into sympathetic peers from the other species, scientists Dr. Lewis Dixon and Dr. Stephanie Branton.

Again, taking cues from the original feature, a prominent member of the ruling society is not convinced that the apes make a visit with goodwill. The influential antagonist is Dr. Otto Hasslein, the President’s Science Advisor. Dr Hasslein concludes after an official hearing that talking apes present a grave danger to humanity. In other words, they must be eliminated from the picture. All three apes are killed before the movie ends, but not before Dr. Zira gives birth to Caesar, the undisputed ape leader during future armed conflict with humans in the next two sequels.

First Draft vs. Final Screenplay

There are some notable changes between Paul Dehn’s first draft of the screenplay, curiously titled The Secret of the Planet of the Apes, and the final script. The editing also omits several crucial scenes that might just set the series on a path different from the known storyline today.

So, what is the secret in the Secret? Among the biggest detours is the fate of Dr. Zira and Dr. Cornelius at the end of the film. Dehn does not want them to die. Initially regarded as a menace to human society, the apes become celebrities as soon as they demonstrate the ability to speak. However, they gradually fall out of favor and are hunted by government agents. All the apes’ associates are killed, but the two chimpanzees survive. One of the main reasons for their diminishing popularity is their knowledge of the future. They tell a story of how apes come to power and describe how humans are treated by the evolved ape society.

According to their accounts, a space-borne plague will kill dogs and cats almost to extinction. Humans then begin to take apes as pets, before turning the animals into slaves. Apes are intelligent enough to follow their masters’ orders, but they do not have the mental capacity to rebel. Centuries of enslavement make people lazier than ever, whereas the apes continue to learn the human language and acquire the ability to speak. The one chimpanzee to start the ape revolution is Caesar, the son of the time-travelling couple Dr. Zira and Dr. Cornelius. Caesar is born an evolved ape. It is a time travel paradox.

Michael Wilson’s script for the original Planet of the Apes includes a scene where Taylor and some primitive humans are held inside a laboratory. The captives are provided with building blocks as an experiment to see whether they can build a structure to reach a banana hanging from the ceiling. The scene is discarded but reused by Paul Dehn for the second sequel.

Dehn’s first draft also offers a hint about an already occurring ape evolution even before the arrival of Dr. Cornelius and Dr. Zira. The scene potentially creates a smooth and less farfetched transition between a human-dominated world to the gradual (as opposed to abrupt) development of ruling ape society. Either way, Escape from the Planet of the Apes sets the revolution in motion.

Main Cast and Crew

The second sequel puts the spotlight back on the apes. With an even bigger mixture of new and returning actors armed with a thought-provoking script, Escape from the Planet of the Apes becomes arguably the strongest of all four sequels to the original. Producer Arthur P. Jacobs’ decision to bring Don Taylor into the directorial seat proves to be an efficient choice. Keeping screenwriter Paul Dehn onboard is equally a smart move. Reprising their roles as the ape scientists Dr. Cornelius and Dr. Zira are Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter. Charlton Heston, the lead actor in the first film, appears in a few brief flashback sequences.

Dr. Lewis Dixon is portrayed by Bradford Dillman, whose performance as PFC Alan Newcombe in Love and War (1958) earned him a Golden Globe Award. Natalie Trundy, who portrays Dr. Stephanie Branton, also makes an appearance in the first sequel as Albina.

Have you seen the 1971 Escape from the Planet of the Apes? What do you think of it? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

Other things you might want to know:

How and when did producer Arthur P. Jacobs tell his writer to begin work on Escape from the Planet of the Apes?

About four months after the success of Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Jacobs simply sent screenwriter Paul Dehn a telegram which read, “Apes exist. Sequel required.”

How did the POTA movies do at the box office?

All five original “Planet of the Apes” movies were #1 at the U.S. box office when released. “Escape from the Planet of the Apes” spent one week as the #1 top-grossing film: the week of May 23, 1971, it made $4,294,942.

Which actors returned from previous POTA movies to star in Escape from the Planet of the Apes?

Actors – Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) Returning

Roddy McDowall returned as Cornelius. McDowall was covered in Planet of the Apes (1968).

Kim Hunter also returned as Zira. Hunter was covered in Planet of the Apes (1968).

M. Emmet Walsh played a military aide and actually got a few laughs. Walsh was covered in Back to School (1986).

Natalie Trundy played veterinarian Dr. Stephanie Branton. Trundy was covered in Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970).

Ricardo Montalban played zoo owner Armando. Montalban was covered in Battleground (1949).

Robert Gunner as Landon was in uncredited archive footage from Planet of the Apes (1968).

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The post Escape From The Planet Of The Apes: The Cast, The Crew, And What Is The Secret In The Secret About How The Apes Came to Power? appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

The next two sequels (Conquest and Battle) show Caesar leading an ape revolution in which he battles against humans, gorillas, and mutants for freedom and equality among the species. The original series concludes with a cease-fire between conflicting parties, but the ending hints there will be another clash in the future.

His history has been rewritten in the ongoing reboot series. The life and times of Caesar still revolve around the struggles of the ape society but the story brings along new backgrounds, characters, and developments, yet the same-old armed interspecies feuds. The reboot series begins in 2011 and thus far consists of three films, including Rise, Dawn, and War. Another title (Kingdom) is already in production and planned for a 2024 release.

Enhanced Intelligence

The refreshed history of Caesar is compiled in the 2018 book Planet of the Apes: Caesar’s Story, written by Greg Keyes. It chronicles the life of Caesar from his time as a lab ape to his death at the end of the War. Most of the stories are presented from the perspective of Maurice, an orangutan advisor and Caesar’s confidant. Accounts from other ape characters are also included as interludes.

During the climax of War for the Planet of the Apes, the apes discover a likely home to rebuild in peace far from humans. Caesar finally dies but not before Maurice promises to keep his memory alive and tell his heroic exploits to Cornelius, Caesar’s youngest son. The book is the manifestation of the promise. It retells the tale of the apes in the reboot series, in which Caesar is the central character. 

According to rewritten history, Caesar is the son of an alpha male chimpanzee (known in the franchise simply as Alpha) and a female nicknamed Bright Eyes. A pharmaceutical company, Gen-Sys, uses Bright Eyes as one of the subjects for an experimental Alzheimer’s drug test. She is already pregnant when a drug called ALZ-112 is administered. The drug increases the subject’s mental capabilities; in the case of Bright Eyes, the drug-induced boost of intelligence is naturally passed down to the infant in her womb. Soon after giving birth, the mother goes on a rampage to protect her child, but the company mistakenly sees the aggression as a side effect of the drug. Bright Eyes is shot and killed, leaving the infant chimp orphaned.

A sympathetic lab technician, Robert Franklin, rejects the company’s order to put down all the apes already administered with the experimental drug and gives the young chimpanzee to researcher Will Rodman. Although at first Rodman seems reluctant, he is glad to discover that the young chimp—whom he names Caesar—exhibits enhanced intelligence. 

Golden Gate Bridge Incident

Despite living happily with the Rodman family, Caesar understands that apes are not truly part of human society. In fact, he has to spend time in a human-controlled primate facility after attacking a neighbor who threatens Rodman’s father. It is the facility where he meets Maurice and discovers humans’ cruelty towards ape species. Determined to help other apes, Caesar escapes the facility to steal a batch of ALZ-113 (an airborne version of ALZ-112) from Rodman’s house. He releases a canister of the drug throughout the facility to enhance the intelligence of fellow apes and further improve his own.

A real turning point in Caesar’s life and the ape rebellion is marked by the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge. The apes plan to escape the city and build their own society in the Muir Woods, but the police have already set up a barricade on the bridge. It is the first direct armed conflict between humans and apes; a battle that establishes Caesar as a leader. The apes outmatch humans and manage to escape. They go on to create the Ape Village in the Muir Woods and are determined to set a New World Order, at least for themselves.

At the same time, the ALZ-113 is known to affect humans as well. The strain increases intelligence in apes, but the effects on humans are quite the opposite. An infected person loses the ability to speak and suffers from a decreased mental capacity. Also known as the Simian Flu, the virus carves the path for an ape revolution. 

Koba’s Rebellion

Simian Flu Pandemic triggers a breakdown in human society. About a decade after the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, the virus and the ensuing chaos has killed more than 6 billion people. On the other hand, the ape society is flourishing in a new colony.

When some human survivors bump into the colony in desperation, Caesar allows them to access the hydroelectric generator to power the human settlement. Such a friendly gesture irritates Koba, who plans to kill humans as he sees them forever as enemies. Disobeying Caesar’s order to maintain peace with humans, Koba goes on to confront humans, killing several of them in the process; he also steals a rifle and shoots Caesar, sending the leader down into an abyss. Koba leaves the stolen gun and a human hat on a tree for another ape to discover, practically framing humans for Caesar’s death. Taking advantage of the confusion and vacuum of power, Koba assumes leadership and convinces the colony to wage war against humans. 

However, Caesar survives and knows that Koba is the shooter. Later on, the truth is revealed following Caesar’s safe return to the ape colony. A brutal hand-to-hand combat between Caesar and Koba is inevitable. Even after Koba’s death, the damage is already done. Apes and humans are now in an all-out war.

Forbidden Zone

Battles for survival are the major highlights of Caesar’s life. He spends the last days of his life leading the apes in the struggles against one of the remaining U.S. military forces under the command of Colonel McCullough. During a full-fledged frontal shoot-out between the two parties, Caesar puts himself in the humans’ crosshairs to ensure the colony’s escape and survival.

Despite being severely injured, Caesar is able to throw a hand grenade and destroy a human’s fuel tank. The explosion triggers an avalanche that wipes out the human settlement. Again, the apes escape the avalanche and find refuge in greenery surrounded by mountains. Caesar dies overseeing the place. In the official novelization of War for the Planet of the Apes, the newly found sanctuary curiously has a sign that reads “Forbidden Zone,” which establishes a connection with the original 1968 Planet of the Apes film.

Have you read the rebooted POTA books? Have you seen the rebooted movies? If so, tell us what you think of the new storyline. We’d love to hear from you.

Here are other things you might want to know about.

What is performance-capture acting?

According to seattletimes.com performance-capture acting is a “complex technology that records the movement and facial expressions of human actors and then painstakingly renders them digitally to create fantastical characters like Caesar, Gollum, and King Kong.” Andy Serkis is famous for his amazing acting in Planet of the Apes, Lord of the Rings, and King Kong. Facial expressions and body language are important in performance-capture acting. Since 2011 the Academy and other groups have not considered performance-capture acting the same as any other kind of acting. Serkis explains that this type of acting creates emotion, pace, and drama like any actor does when receiving and studying the script for a movie. 

Go to seattletimes.com and read ‘From Gollum to Caesar: Andy Serkis, the actor behind the ape.’ It was written by Tom Jamieson and was published in 2017. 

What is the Simian Flu Pandemic?

According to planetoftheapes.fandom.com, the Simian Flu Pandemic was a “catastrophic flu outbreak that resulted in the near extinction of humanity and the evolution of all apes on Earth. The pandemic resulted from drug testing done a Gen-Sys Laboratories, a biotech company that sought to create a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.” This was the premise for the movie War of the Planet of the Apes. 

Go to planetoftheapes.fandom.com to read this interesting article about the War of the Planet of the Apes and the turmoil between humans and apes. 

What are some of Woody Harrelson’s roles?

According to screenrant.com Woody Harrelson has had many memorable movie roles, including Planet of the Apes. Here are 10 of his most memorable ones. 

1. Venom
2. The Hunger Games
3. War for the Planet of the Apes
4. The People vs Larry Flynt
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
6. Solo: A Star Wars Story
7. Natural Born Killers
8. True Detective
9. Cheers
10. Zombieland

Go to screenrant.com to read more details about each of these Woody Harrelson roles. 

If you enjoyed this then try our other Planet of the Apes articles: https://storiesatworldsend.com/planet-of-the-apes-movies

The post The Life and Times of Caesar, Planet of the Apes Leader of a New World Order appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Fans and critics probably had differing opinions on many aspects of the film, from the makeup job to its blatant satirical comments on the political and social issues in 1960s America. That said, the climactic ending sequence received a nearly universal acceptance as a perfect ending movie and one of the all-time sci-fi greats.

The Ending

Astronaut George Taylor (portrayed by Charlton Heston) and a primitive female human Nova (Linda Harrison) have just escaped the ape-dominated society. On horseback, they are now approaching an area known as the Forbidden Zone. Taylor, who thinks he has been on a faraway planet, bumps into a ruined Statue of Liberty protruding from the sand. He comes to realize the planet is not an extraterrestrial one, but actually Earth; he has been home all along. His ship didn’t crash into a distant planet, but inadvertently entered a time-warp and took him into the future where humans are slaves to talking apes.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

The director, actors, makeup artists, cinematographers, and every single member of the production crew played a role to make the film as highly praised as it was (and still is). However, Rod Serling almost single-handedly came up with the bewilderingly powerful epilogue. As Serling transformed Boulle’s story into a screenplay, he developed a number of different surprise endings. Serling was faithful to the novel’s conclusion in the earliest draft where Thomas (the main protagonist, later changed to Taylor in the film) escaped with Nova and flew home only to find that apes had also become the dominant species on Earth.

Various versions would follow in a series of changes that ultimately led to the iconic Planet of the Apes Statue of Liberty Finale:

May 15, 1964 (Serling)

The first major change to the script appeared in a draft dated May 15, 1964. Serling introduced a new plot point otherwise nonexistent in Boulle’s novel. Taylor came across ape researchers working on an archaeological site where they later discovered an old human doll. When Taylor turned it over, he activated the toy and it said, “Mama, mama.” All the way from the start, the film depicted humans as animals with low intelligence levels; they were not supposed to be able to speak. Considering the site location and the apes’ condescending treatment toward humans, it was highly unlikely that any ape had created the talking human doll. There was now a new conflict in the storyline. 

May 22, 1964 (Serling)

Serling added another point to the script in a rewrite dated May 22. Taylor and ape archaeologists discovered not only a human doll but an old movie film as well. To make things even more complicated, the old movie showed footage of an explosion and a massive mushroom cloud. It also said, “filmed by the U.S. Air Force.” Taylor knew for sure now that his spaceship crash-landed on an Earth of a different time. Meanwhile, the apes planned to assassinate Taylor and invented a “hoax” cover story involving a “robot” that resembled him. Before the assassination, Taylor managed to escape with Nova and ran for their lives.

Undated (Serling)

The next rewrite was undated and pretty similar to the previous version, except for the references to a nuclear radiation disease. An explosion near the archaeological site triggered a small earthquake, which revealed a massive metal arm—part of the Statue of Liberty. It was the first draft to include Lady Liberty in the scene.

December 17, 1964 (Serling)

Serling made more minor modifications in a draft dated December 17. The apes detonated a bomb in the archaeological site in an effort to destroy evidence of their true evolutionary path. Taylor was recaptured and taken to the city. He escaped and stole a helicopter before flying back to the site for one last look. As he headed toward the jungle, he noticed the massive arm of the Statue of Liberty. 

The script went through multiple minor revisions from this point on. Each version came with slight alterations in the ending, but all centered around the appearance of the Statue of Liberty in the epilogue sequence. 

January 6, 1965 (Serling)

The last major edit by Serling took shape on January 6, 1965. Taylor and an ape leader Dr Zaius were in a confrontation at the archaeological site. Chimpanzee scientists Dr Zira and Dr Cornelius encouraged Taylor to run for his life, but he couldn’t stop wondering about the sight of an arm protruding from the ground. Taylor eventually escaped and reached his spaceship.

As he stared at the protruding arm, the gorillas arrived and killed him. The full Statue of Liberty was seen when the apes carried Taylor’s lifeless body away.

May 5, 1967 (Wilson)

A further rewrite by Wilson, dated May 5, 1967, sealed the ending for Planet of the Apes. It was the version used for the film in which Taylor (with Nova) escaped on horseback and discovered the Statue of Liberty in the sand.

Note: Serling’s final draft had been submitted to APJAC Productions (the production company behind Planet of the Apes) years before Wilson became part of the project. Serling’s ideas of using the Statue of Liberty as the focal point in the climactic ending remained mostly intact when the film hit theatres in 1968. A massive difference was that Taylor lived, setting a cliffhanger perfect for sequels, of which four were produced. 

Planet of the Apes is an iconic film that became a massive franchise that is still bringing in big bucks. It’s still one of our favorite film series of all time, despite the 2001 remake attempt (which was a decent movie in its own right, but not a box-office hit). 

Do you like the POTA series? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

Other things you might want to know about.

The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is a big part of the ending of Planet of the Apes movie. According to theflagshirt.com here are some interesting facts about Lady Liberty that you might not know.

1. France and the United States joined forces to create the Statue of Liberty. 
2. The Statue of Liberty was built in France and reassembled on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.
3. President Grover Cleveland held an official dedication ceremony. 
4. The Statue of Liberty stands for freedom and democracy.
5. Statue renovations took place in 1984.
6. Lady Liberty is a symbol of our country.

Go to theflagshirt.com to read more details about the Statue of Liberty. 

What is a time warp?

The possibility of a time warp is also part of the Planet of the Apes movies. What is a time warp anyway?

According to sites.psu.edu, most people think that time is constant and that time will tick at the same speed wherever they go in this world. Albert Einstein disagrees with this notion. He proved that gravity and acceleration are actually able to change the way in which time travels. People who are on the space station actually age slower that everyone else on Earth due to the idea of general relativity. 

Google describes a time warp as a phenomenon that changes the flow of time by speeding it up or making it run more slowly. Einstein said that time can be warped in the presence of strong gravitational fields/high speeds. Clocks tick differently in different environments-depending on gravity.

In literature and movies, crimereads.com says that time travel is a genre unto itself, one that spans sci-fi, mystery, fantasy, history and more. While we first thing we think of involves spaceships and Deloreans, the oldest time travel stories are about…

1. Seeing the future 
2. Traveling to the future
3. Traveling to the past
4. Time Loops

Go to crimereads.com and read the article called ‘The four types of time travel (and what they say about ourselves and the world around us) by Dan Frey. 

How much of the Planet of the Apes movie did Rod Serling write?

According to nightgallery.wordpress.com, you can now see Rod Serling’s version of ‘Planet of the Apes.’ There were many revisions to the script that Serling made as he was adapting Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel. Many think that the producers were unhappy with Serling’s work, but that isn’t the case at all. Budget restraints were the main reason that the movie wasn’t exactly how Serling had written the story. But the basic story is the same, even with screenwriter Michael Wilson taking over after Serling bowed out. 

Serling tried to honor the story that Boulle had written with it being a modern ape civilization. It was basically our world with apes and humans having switched places. But they went with a more economical shoot with a more primitive city like the Flintstones village. 

 Now there is a graphic novel called Planet of the Apes Visionaries. We can “read” the movie and see that the basic structure is the same. The apes arrive in helicopters and not on horseback. The ape city is as Serling had written in his script. To read this fascinating article about the graphic novel, go to nightgallery.wordpress.com and look for Shadow & Substance. The article is called “Now you can see Rod Serling’s Version of Planet of the Apes.”

The post Planet Of The Apes Statue Of Liberty Finale: The Perfect Ending Movie And The Complete Story About How It Was Made appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

It is safe to say that of all the movies in the reboot, War for the Planet of the Apes is by far the most gut-wrenching in the trauma experienced by both Apes and Humans alike.  Caesar is shown to be tired, tired of the war that in its essence, started out of useless miscommunication between different cultures.

Warning: if you haven’t seen the Planet of the Apes films, there will be spoilers ahead.

Plot: An Ape’s Grievance 

War for the Planet of the Apes begins in the centre of the war between the Apes and Humans.  We follow amidst a scouting party of soldiers led by Captain (Played by Roger Cross).  Trenching through the forest they are confronted by a scouting group of Apes outside a fortress.  It is shown that some Apes have joined the human side, apes that are called donkeys which work under the humans.  One of the scouting apes is shot by Preacher (Played by Gabriel Chavarria) which sets off the opening battle.

There are many casualties on both sides of the war however the apes come out slightly on top capturing a few soldiers including Preacher and one of the donkeys (Red Donkey).  An older and tired-looking Caesar is introduced who now speaks fluently and in a more pronounced way, showing his progression throughout the films.  He lets the captives go with a message, a sign of peace in his eyes.

In the centre of the Colony hideout, Caesar’s son Blue eyes and recurring ape Rocket return from a long-term scouting mission to find a place to live where the apes would never be found again (by the humans).  A heartfelt reunion where we see how the colony has progressed since the last movie.  Blue Eyes and Rocket speak of faraway deserts where the Colony could go, a good omen for the Apes.  However, this is short-lived when a few soldiers, spearheaded by Colonel J.Wesley McCullough (Played by Woody Harrelson) infiltrate the Colony at night and kill several Apes, including Caesar’s wife and Blue Eyes, thankfully not his youngest son Cornelius.  This highlights the intensity this movie provides.

Fueled by Caesar’s grief, Luca, Rocket, Maurice and Caesar set out to take revenge on the Colonel and his human army whilst the rest of the Colony set out for the promised desert.

On their mission, the group find a little girl who cannot speak (Played by Amiah Miller).  Maurice intends to bring her along so the girl joins the group towards the human camp.  At the camp, they see Winter, a white gorilla who betrayed the colony through fear of the soldiers.  Through interrogation, Winter tells the group that the Colonel is heading to the North border and so the group heads north into the snow.

In the North, the group discover several humans who had been shot by their own kind, later revealing that these humans cannot speak either.  Whilst stopped to scout the area, a stranger steals a gun and horse from the group and rides off to a deserted building.  The group hastily follows.  The stranger turns out to be another Ape like caesar who can speak.  The ape calls himself “Bad Ape” a nod to the way he learns to talk; from listening to humans.  Bad Ape is a whimsical addition to the dreary and violent movie and creates moments of absurdity when needed.  Bad Eyes speaks of a “Human Zoo” further north, and Caesar decides the human zoo is where they need to head next.

Further on, Luca is attacked by a hidden soldier and later dies in the arms of the rescued girl.  Luca’s death makes Caesar question his whole plan and decides to head forwards alone.

Caesar eventually stumbles upon the “Human Zoo” which turns out to be a prison for apes, the apes in question behind his fellow colonists implying the colony had been captured when Caesar’s group diverted.  On the cliffside, he is surrounded by strung-up apes, one of which is still breathing.  Upon trying to talk with the ape, Caesar is knocked out from behind by Red Donkey.

Caesar is imprisoned in the facility and comes face to face with the Colonel, in which the Colonel says he’s been looking for Caesar for a while now.  The Colonel reveals that the virus has now mutated in the survivors making them unable to speak and eventually devolve into a primal state.  This is a direct reverse of the way apes became to be throughout the movies.  The Colonel in an act to stop the spread of the virus decides to kill anyone who has mutated, even his son and superiors in the US army.  The point of the apes being imprisoned is to work to make a wall to prevent the US army from coming to execute him for his choices.

Caesar is walked through the two ape prisons where he is reunited with Cornelius, infuriating Caesar even more.  Tortured with starvation, Caesar is imprisoned and starts to plot an escape.

The remaining members of Caesar’s group: Rocket, Maurice, Bad Ape, and the mute girl (now named Nova) decide to rescue the apes using an underground tunnel system.  Nova sneaks into the facility and gives Caesar her doll, and food/water.  In order to get Nova out, Rocket creates a distraction eventually imprisoning him but allowing Nova to escape.  Maurice and Bad Ape are able to rescue the imprisoned apes using the tunnel system.

Eventually, the Nothern army arrives to attack the facility whilst Caesar goes to confront the Colonel.  It is revealed that the Colonel has been mutated and cannot speak anymore, this is due to the Colonel taking the doll away from Caesar.  The doll in question has blood on it, implying the blood is infected with the mutation.  Caesar cannot kill the Colonel, so instead the Colonel takes the gun and kills himself.

The War has now become human against human and Caesar takes witness to it from the Colonel’s quarters allowing him to spot the escaping apes being under fire between the facility soldiers and the northern army.  Caesar decides to take it into his own hand and attacks from behind, however, he is shot by Preacher.  Red Donkey sees the violence around him and finally takes it in himself to save Caesar by shooting Preacher with a grenade launcher.  This in turn means Red Donkey gets executed by his superior.  Caesar is now allowed to blow up the facility by throwing a grenade at a fuel canister, which wipes out the facility and allows the Northern Army to win the battle.  The explosion, however, triggers a massive avalanche which smothers both the base and Army.  Although the apes plus Nova are able to escape by climbing the nearby trees.

In the closing scenes, the apes make it to the desert.  The wound in Caesar’s arm given to him by Preacher is worsening and Maurice finally catches on to it.  In the final moments, Caesar slowly passes away amongst his fellow apes, finally home.

Loss and Family

Loss comes in many forms throughout the film, a loss that reaches both sides of the war.  The first sign is one of unorthodox reasoning but created a version of Caesar who feared the return of Koba in such a way that he questioned his own morality.  A morality in what to do when saving his family and colony.  Caesar is tested at this moment and realises he is more like Koba than he realised.

Koba’s actions were fueled by his hatred of the humans and what they did to him.  Caesar comes to terms with this fact more than ever in this movie for various reasons; the loss of his wife and son, the displacement of his colony, the continuous war that really has no basis and the fact he can’t shake the effect Koba left on the world.

Colonel J.Welsey McCullough experiences loss in the forward and stubborn way a soldier would.  Upon finding out his son has become mutated and now is devolving into a primal state, the Colonel decides to execute his son.  A tough decision in order to “Save humanity”, he struggles with loss in a different way from Caesar.  Instead of seeking revenge, the Colonel seeks refuge in his fear of becoming inferior to the apes, a trope well known with the moronic nature of humans in movies.

It is a recurring theme about the loss of family, especially the loss of children.  We see this experienced with both Caesar and the Colonel, but also in others such as; Bad Ape who lost his child, Nova who presumably lost her parents and the Colony being a pseudo family who is becoming split with family members splitting off and betraying the ones they once cherished out of fear.  Another heartfelt moment is at the end where Maurice watches Caesar silently pass away.  Maurice respected Casesar as a leader but also as a friend, and the loss sparks a new age for the colony.

A Necessary Evil

Caesar’s main goal since the beginning was to find peace for his fellow apes.  He truly never wanted a war, however, he was forced to fix the cracks Koba left behind.  Caesar had to become the lesser of two evils in his goal of true peace for his colony, and that meant becoming closer to Koba than he ever thought he could be.  Instead of fearing the ape he’d become, Caesar took it in stride and understand the hatred Koba couldn’t seem to shake away.  He realised that instead of hiding away from the ongoing war, he needed to face it upfront and fight for the peace is striving for.  The Colonel’s war on the apes was a necessary evil to finally realise Caesar’s dream, even if he didn’t live long enough to see it.

War for the Planet of the Apes was a dreary and trauma-filled first entry into the reboot series.  The film dives into the extremities of the post-pandemic world where the apes and humans are grasping at straws to survive, and for people like the Colonel, by any means necessary.  Even though it felt inevitable, Caesar’s passing was a comfortable ending for his saga and shone a light into the future of the series.

How about you?  How did you find War for the Planet of the Apes? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!

Other things you might want to know about:

Is War for the Planet of the Apes the last one?

War for the Planet of the Apes is now not the last movie in the reboot series.

5 years after “War for the Planet of the Apes”, the new film in the reboot series will be aired on the big screen in spring 2024.  Titled “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”, the classic trope of the apes taking over from the humans is still in full effect, however, lacking the Rise of the Planet of the Apes Caeser.  Plot points beyond that are still up for grabs.

When it comes to the actors playing in the film, the cast will include; Kevin Durand, Freya Allen, Neil Sandilands, and Lydia Peckham with even more on the lineup.  Actors like Freya Allen have already struck well in series like “The Witcher”, so her role in this new film should be undeniable.

If you are interested Disney has announced a release date of May 24, 2024.

Why did humans stop speaking in the war for the Planet of the Apes?

The humans in War for the Planet of the Apes started to show signs of muteness due to a mutation in the simian flu.  Since the survivors still carried the ALZ-113 virus, nothing has happened to them for years.  However, a major plot point is now that the virus makes humans devolve into a primal state, including an inability to speak.  Major characters who held this mutation include; the Colonel, the Colonel’s son and Nova.

Why is War for the Planet of the Apes so good?

There are many reasons why War for the Planet of the Apes was a good movie:

• Mixed comedy and serious philosophical moments
• Bad Ape, is an amazing addition to the series in his comical moments
• Amazing actions scenes and special effects
• A rewarding close to the emotional saga of Caesar and his goal for peace.

If anything, the best piece of evidence for the movie is so good would be the reviews it received.  On rotten tomatoes, War for the Planet of the Apes received a 94% critic score and 84% audience score.  This is the highest score any Planet of the Apes film has ever got, all across the franchise.

If you want to see the reviews then check out Rotten Tomatoes here >>

The post War For The Planet Of The Apes: A Necessary Evil In The Way Of Peace appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.

Warning: if you haven’t seen the Planet of the Apes films, there will be spoilers ahead.

A Plot In Need Of Trust

As stated before, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set approximately 10 years after the first movie.  We are instantly overwhelmed by a tribe of Apes living inside the Muir woods, establishing that these Apes have had freedom for over a decade.  Caesar is older and now the leader of the Apes.  He is shown to have a son called “Blue Eyes” and a sick pregnant wife.

It is also shown that the ALZ-113 virus, one that was starting to be spread by the likes of Hunsiker in the last movie, has now swept worldwide and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set in a future where humanity has collapsed.

A group of colonists enter Muir woods led by Malcolm (Played by Jason Clarke), to find long-term power for the city and his colony.  The colony in question is a group of humans who are genetically immune to the ALZ-113 virus, therefore surviving the worldwide outbreak.  Malcolm’s group is confronted by Caesar’s tribe, in which the humans finally hear the apes speak causing confusion and shock.  The group are then ordered to leave the woods which they instantly do.  Now that they’ve been shown to the humans, and as one of the groups attacked an ape, the discussion unfolds about what to do. On one side Koba, from the first movie, says they need to fight and show strength against the humans, however on the other side, Caesar sticks with his decision of pacifism as they can’t afford to lose what they have built in the last decade.

The next day, Caesar leads the tribe to the colony where he states that the Apes do not want war and will not fight unless they have to.  This a strong message to the humans saying they can have peace if they do not threaten the tribe.  The tribe return Malcolm’s sons’ (Played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) satchel, something he accidentally left in the woods, as an unorthodox peace offering to the humans.

In real need of the hydroelectric damn in the woods, the reason the group initially went into the woods, Malcolm convinced the leader of the colony Dreyfus (Played by Gary Oldman) to give him a couple of days to settle a deal with the tribe to use the dam.  This in turn is successful as a small group of humans are allowed to work on the dam, tightly watched by a bunch of Apes at all times.  The group eventually creates bonds with the apes and Malcolm’s wife Ellie (Played by Keri Russel) is even able to give aid to Caesar’s wife, who was becoming sicker and sicker.

As all of this is going on, Koba tricks a couple of humans, killing them, and steals weapons from the armoury.  Koba, with help from some close ape allies, burn the ape tribe down and Koba shoots Caesar in the shoulder (in secrecy), causing him to fall off a cliff.  Koba plants the gun which is then found by Blue eyes, therefore making it seem as if the human group had shot Caesar.  In the chaos of losing Caesar, Koba takes leadership of the tribe leading to a more commanding presence for the Apes.

Koba then initiates a battle with the humans, ambushing both the armoury for more weapons and then heading to San Francisco to ambush the colony buildings.  A massive battle commences where we see how merciless Koba is, in both using guns and killing Ash (A fellow Ape) for not following one of his orders.  The humans are imprisoned alongside some Apes such as Maurice and Rocket who as presumably too close to Caesar to willingly follow Koba in his new order.

In the meantime, Malcolm’s family stumble across a close-to-death Caesar in which Caesar confirms that it was Koba who shot him, not a human.  Eventually, Blue eyes also reunites with his Dad, in which Caesar also tells him about Koba.  Blue eyes, in resistance, frees the imprisoned Apes and humans.

Caesar and his followers confront Koba whilst Malcolm’s group holds Dreyfus at gunpoint as they were planning on using C4 to blow up the tower Caesar is heading to.  A battle between Caesar and Koba commences with the Apes watching.  Dreyfus steals the C4 remote ultimately blowing up the tower while stating “Im saving the human race”.

The explosion kills Dreyfus, a couple of his men and a couple of apes on the tower.  Caesar and his fellow apes tend to the injured until Koba starts shooting at the Apes again.  Angered, Caesar jumps on Koba, eventually causing Koba to hang off the edge of a ledge.  In a last-ditch effort for survival, Koba says the phrase “Ape not kill Ape”, however upon seeing the carnage caused by Koba, Caesar lets go causing Koba to plummet to his death.

Caesar finds Malcolm being held at gunpoint by some of Koba’s followers in which Malcolm tells Caesar of the human reinforcements coming their way.  Caesars states “ War has already begun.  Ape started War, and human, human will not forgive”, a phrase that informs Malcolm that the tribe are staying in the city to fight the reinforcements.  Malcolm and Caesar take one more embrace and then Malcolm leaves, leaving Caesar and the rest of the apes to await the consequence of Koba’s actions.

Fear And Survival

A lot of the movie revolves around the ideas of survival and fear, and ultimately the consequences that come from these traits.

The humans are now limited in population and are trying to find ways to survive, one way being the hydroelectric damn in the woods.  The group are confronted by the tribe and is instantly shocked and scared by the fact that the apes could speak and seemingly show advanced intelligence.  

Even though they were confronted by Caesar and told that the Apes realistically want peace, Dreyfur still armed men with weapons in case of an attack, a good decision in hindsight, but one built out of fear of an unknown group with unknown intentions: the apes.

Even though Malcolm’s group was starting to be introduced into the tribe and was mingling with the Apes, some of the group was still fearful leading to guns being found in the camp causing more distrust for the apes.

On the other side, apes are a thriving tribe and the interaction with humans with weapons caused some of the apes to fear the humans and instantly drive for war.  Koba was the main driver for this decision as he knew deep down what humans are capable of, due to him being tested on in the first movie.

Caesar and Malcolm’s family were the only true characters who saw trust and respect in both parties.  Caesar had been both tortured and tested on by humans but also became family with humans.  He saw how peace can be made inside the ape colony, but he could also see the erratic nature of some apes like Koba.  Malcolm was able to see the peace inside the colonies but could also see how fear can make humans do moronic things.  He also took time to experience the tribes and the apes that flourish inside them.  They were the only characters that really knew both sides of the story but eventually, they were the ones who lost the most: a chance at peace.

All because of one character: Koba.

The Dawn Of A Calculated Antagonist

Arbitrarily, Koba is one of the best Antagonists to come out of the Planet of the Apes franchise.  Although it’s a hard line to decide if Koba is the real villain of the story, due to the nature of the two sides being closer in nature than most realise.  Something that is not hard to decide, is the fact Koba is a cold, violent, calculated killer who would do anything to get what he wants.

As shown in Rise for the Planet of the Apes,  Koba was tested on by the same facility that created the virus that crumbled humanity.  He experienced the nature of humans, brought out by a fear of Alzheimer’s and the greed to keep surviving.  It’s painless to say, Koba’s intentions when distrusting the humans in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes stem from this factor.  A strong backstory which fuels Koba’s violence is a great reason why Koba’s character can keep up with the better side of antagonists.  So many villains these days are sloppy in writing and give no true reason for why they do the things they do, leaving a half-decent character with very questionable morals.

Koba is a very enthralling character due to several contradictory natures:

• Calculation – Koba does things in a calculated fashion that screams to the audience that he has intentions greater than being subordinate to Caesar.  Placing the blame on the humans when in reality he shot Caesar shows great planning. 
• Manipulation – After shooting Caesar, he was able to not only manipulate the Ape population that humans were the ones who did it but also manipulate Caesar’s son, Blue Eyes. into following his lead.  It is fascinating how easily these ideas come to Koba, and how easily he puts those ideas into action.
• Violence – Koba is undeniably the most violent character in the movie.  Actions like burning the ape tribe down, shooting Caesar, the chaos he creates, the expression he makes when using guns and the way he effortlessly decides to push Ash off the balcony.
• Tyranny – Koba has strong leadership skills, even if it is one of a vicious dictatorship.  The fear he forces onto the other apes, especially Blue eyes, and the way he instantly takes over from Caesar, shows how suited he is for a role in power, even if it causes more harm than good.

A scene in which these traits are displayed in some capacity would be when Koba infiltrates the human armoury.  We see in one scene two humans shooting guns in a gun range.  They are confronted by Koba who acts dumb, primarily like an animal would in that situation.  He points to the drink one guy is holding because he “wants” a drink, in reality, it’s clear that spitting the drink in laughter was a diversion so he could swipe a gun from the humans.  The same gun he used to mercilessly kill the humans with, at one point looking his victim in the eye whilst finally shooting him.  If Koba was a human character, this calculated, violent manipulation would be a fascinating direction.  However, as Koba is a bonobo, it makes his character even more special.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was a sequel which enhanced the first movie, something rare to find in modern film production.  A story which successfully delved into a crumbled civilisation trying to survive with a thriving tribe just wanting peace created an amazing watch.  Partner this with the creation of a deep antagonist, this movie reaches higher heights than the first reboot did.

How about you?  Did you find Koba to be a fascinating character to watch?  Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!

Other things you might want to know about:

Is Planet of the Apes 4 confirmed?

5 years after “War for the Planet of the Apes”, the new film in the reboot series will be aired on the big screen in spring 2024.  Titled “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”, the classic trope of the apes taking over from the humans is still in full effect, however, lacking the ROFPOTA Caeser.  Plot points beyond that are still up for grabs.

When it comes to the actors playing in the film, the cast will include; Kevin Durand, Freya Allen, Neil Sandilands, and Lydia Peckham with even more on the lineup.  Actors like Freya Allen have already struck well in series like “The Witcher”, so her role in this new film should be undeniable.

If you are interested Disney has announced a release date of May 24, 2024.

How many years later is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes?

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set 10 years after the Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  The ALZ-113 virus has now wiped out humanity and a group of genetically immune humans live in a colony fighting for survival.  Caesars, 10 years later, has now successfully set up a peaceful tribe and has now got a family.

Why is Will not in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes?

Will is the main human character from Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  He was the human who took Caesar in as an infant when Caesar’s mother was killed going on a rampage in the facility.  Will was not shown throughout Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and James Franco, the actor of Will, was not shown in the cast list.  Therefore is speculative that Will died due to the virus outbreak

The post Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes: A Movie Of Consequential Fear And Survival appeared first on Stories At Worlds End.