Product Description

Rule the planet with this thrilling, action-packed "wild ride" (The Washington Post) from legendary director Tim Burton (Sleepy Hollow, Batman).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #104576 in DVD
• Brand: Twentieth Century Fox
• Released on: 2004-02-03
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Live, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 112 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Many early science fiction films are now, quite inadvertently (and in most cases undeservedly), objects of camp attention: we laugh at the silly makeup, tin-can special effects, and the naive "high-tech" dialogue. Planet of the Apes is no such film. Its intelligent script, frightening costuming, and savagely effective conclusion (which needs no big-budget special effects to augment its impact) remain both potent and relevant. When Colonel George Taylor (the fabulous Charlton Heston) crash lands his spacecraft on what seems to be an unfamiliar planet, he is captured and held prisoner by a dominant race of hyperrational, articulate apes. However, the ape community is riven with internal dissention, centered in no small part on its policy toward humans, who, on this planet, are treated as mindless animals. Befriended and ultimately assisted by the more liberal simians, Taylor escapes--only to find a more terrifying obstacle confronting his return home. Heavy-handed object lessons abound--the ubiquity of generational warfare, the inflexibility of dogma, the cruelty of prejudice--and the didactic fingerprints of Rod Serling are very much in evidence here. But director Franklin Schaffner has a dark, pop-apocalyptic sci-fi vision all his own, and time has not dulled the monumental emotional impact of the film's climactic payoff shot. If you don't know what I'm talking about here, you owe it to yourself to check out this stone classic, and even if you do, see it with fresh eyes; and don't be surprised if you get the chills all over again... and again... and again. --Miles Bethany

DVD features
Sci-fi fans will have plenty to go ape over with the 35th anniversary edition of Planet of the Apes. The film itself has a new DTS audio track, and the second disc features the two-hour documentary Behind the Planet of the Apes (previously available separately or in the boxed set) and a variety of archive material, trailers, and art. The two audio commentaries, unfortunately, have some interesting moments but too many long gaps of silence. (Composer Jerry Goldsmith's track would have worked better as the complement to an isolated score.) Eric Greene's text commentary does provide a near-constant stream of details and trivia, but you're probably better off skipping all the commentaries and getting your info from the main documentary. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Blu-Ray quality review
This is a review of the quality of the Planet of the Apes [Blu-ray. The video looks good for a film as aged as this, but is not even close to stunning. The high def transfer in some cases actually serves to accentuate problems you might not have noticed otherwise. I saw more than a few soft scenes where they looked unfocused. Grain was never too obtrusive, but the colors were uneven through a good portion of the film. Some scenes were rich and vivid, and others washed out. My biggest problem is the sound. They present the sound here as a DTS 5.1 mix, and a mono mix. I chose DTS and was sorely dissapointed. My subwoofer never kicked on. That means that there was never an instance when there was a frequency lower than about 85hz. This made for a very shallow sounding mix. Adding to that, the surround speakers never seemed to register anything, and you've got what sounded to me like a mono mix anyway. All of the sound seemed to come from my center channel. To me, digitally remastering a film soundtrack at this level means accentuating the lower registries by adding lower frequencies, and placing atmospheric and musical elements in the surround channels. If you don't plan on doing that, what's the use of calling it a DTS 5.1 mix? Anyway, this is by far the best transfer I've ever seen of the film, but don't be looking for anything more than a slightly better than average transfer, and a glorified mono track.

This Film Has Stood the Test of Time
I recently watched this original version of "The Planet of the Apes" for the first time since seeing it at a drive-in theater back in 1968. First I was amazed at how much of the film I had forgotten. Actually, most of what I remembered was the (then) shocking ending. What I was impressed with this time around was what an intelligent and well-scripted film this was (and still is). Like any good science fiction, this film provides an interesting commentary on the human condition. One the one hand you have the Minister of Science and Defender of the Faith debunking and destroying an archeological dig, because it is contrary to the faith of the Apes, but on the other hand in his reading from the sacred scrolls you hear the accurate description of the destructive (dare I say "sinful?") nature of humans. I've been pondering this segment of the film quite a bit over the past few days. Like others, I think Charlton Heston is in fine form here. It's easy to picture him as president of the National Rifle Association after seeing this film. I still prefer Heston in "Ben Hur" and "the Ten Commandments," but that probably reflects my personal interest in the stories that are told there. As one Academy Award film-maker recently said upon receiving his lifetime achievement Oscar (I think it was Norman Jewison), "Find a story that needs to be told and tell it." This version of "The Planet of the Apes" certainly tells a good story, and tells it well.

"Bright Eyes" Taylor....Still Packs A Punch..And Looks Great
This review refers to the Widescreen(2000/2001)DVD edition of "Planet Of The Apes"(1968)...

At 36 years old, this is a film that still packs a punch today, both as a social statement and for it's entertainment value as well. It's Sci-Fi at it's best. The film is as intriguing and captivating the 20th time around as it was the first.

Astronaut Taylor(Charlton Heston),leads his crew on a mission to start a new human colony on a far off distant planet. Three men and one woman are the Adams and Eve of the future. Two men are there for the glory(and the woman is not too bad either), But Taylor has his own reasons for going. From the first few scenes, we learn what type of man he is. Somewhere along the line, he has lost his faith in Humanity, and has become a bit of a cynic. For him leaving Earth was his ticket out.

Things go awry though, and when the ship crash lands on some "far off distant" planet, milleniums ahead, they find themselves being chased and hunted by the ruling class inhabitants of this planet...APES! It's an upside world, as the humans are considered "beasts", caged, used as lab rats for the Apes, and are even used for sport. Humans seem to be the lowest form of creature in exsistence on this planet. The film doesn't leave it at that though, there is even class distinction among the Simians.

Franklin Schaffner("Patton") directs this film to perfection... It's got something for everybody. A great story, really giving you something to think about, thrilling action sequences, outstanding performances, incredible make up and costuming, brillant photography, and even if you don't usually go in for Sci-Fi this is one although futuristic, is primitive in nature(no laser weapons or high-tech gadgetry used here). Heston even manages to find a little romance(very little), in his new digs.

Charton Heston is magnifcent as George "Bright Eyes",("Get your stinkin paws off of me, you damned dirty ape") Taylor. And check out the talent behind the great ape make-up. Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter (STELLA!..."A Streetcat Named Desire"), James Daly, James Whitmore and Maurice Evans, are all superb at monkeying around! This film also introduces Linda Harrison as "Nova"..later on, her parents would make an interplanetary trip of their own in "Cocoon".

This film was given some great attention to the transfer to DVD. This edition has a crystal clear picture in widescreen, and takes in all the action and scenery. Colors are rich and look new. The fabulous sound is available in both DD5.1 and Stereo Surround. It may also be viewed in French and has subtitles in English and Spanish. The only features on this one include a photo gallery and some trailers. It looks like Amazon is out of stock of this edition, at this time, but I see some pretty good buys from the outside sellers. If you can't get enough of this film, there is also the 2 disc, 35 year anniversary edition,with a ton of extras, but is quite a bit more expensive. The reviews for both editions are mixed together, so just click on the product page for the edition you are interested in(look in 'other formats' in the product info section for a link).

"IT'S A MADHOUSE!!!!!"...Taylor
Enjoy....Laurie

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