I watched the remake of Planet of the Apes, and while it was better than the original, I still didn’t like it that much. For one thing, the ending was a little too Tim-Burton-esque, which is to be expected, since he directed the movie.
The special effects are far superior in the remake, and the evilness of some of the apes is much more believable, thanks mostly to the acting skills of Tim Roth.
Maybe I don’t like the movies that well because the idea of being ruled by apes is too much like a nightmare and not so much like entertainment…
5 comments
Comment by Mark Brown on August 11, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Sorry, Laurel, but I couldn’t disagree more with your comment that Tim Burton’s version is “better than the original.” Special effects are only part of a movie, and though the prosthetic makeup in Franklin J. Schaffner’s original was obviously below today’s standards, the Michael Wilson/Rod Serling script was vastly superior to the script Burton had to work with, and the Jerry Goldsmith score was a true gem. Granted, some moments in the old version were admittedly corny and hamhanded (“human see, human do,” “he never met an ape he didn’t like,” etc.), but the final image (which I won’t spoil by describing) is as indelible as the “starchild” in “2001″; Burton’s Lincoln Memorial with a chimp’s head is a pathetic substitute, as Burton himself no doubt realized when he shot the scene. The “preamble” of the Schaffner version, with Charlton Heston’s cynical commentary on humanity, is also noteworthy, not to mention the scene in which Heston, a reluctant ally of the chimps, insists upon carrying his own rifle. To savor the irony you’ve got to appreciate that he was not only the past star of “The Ten Commandments” (“Let my people go”) but also the future president of the NRA (“You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers”). Mark Walberg, on the other hand, was Dirk Diggler in “Boogie Nights.” Need I say more? (Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowell, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, and James Daly were great too, bad makeup or no bad makeup.) What is your take on “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”?
Comment by Laurel on August 11, 2011 at 8:07 pm
It’s not so much that I like Burton’s version better as it is that I disliked it less. I saw the ending coming in both versions, so the “indelible” image from the Schaffner version was not so indelible to me, although it was less cheesy than Burton’s last image. I also got the irony of Heston’s previous roles, since I am generally a fan of his work. However, I did not enjoy the preamble, perhaps because I have lately grown tired of such heavy-handed cynicism. I also think that Mark Wahlberg has been consistently underappreciated, even though his acting is only growing stronger.
I have not yet been able to bring myself to watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but I will review it when I do.
Comment by Mark Brown on August 12, 2011 at 1:00 am
Looking forward to your comments on the latest installment. “Escape from the Planet of the Apes” was the only part of the franchise I ever saw in the theater. “Rise” is a reboot of that 40-year-old film. (Have you noticed how many of this summer’s–and next summer’s–movies are sequels or “prequels”? It’s appalling. Why remake “Spider-Man’? Since when did Tobey Maguire get old?) “Escape” was silly but interesting inasmuch as it attributed the takeover by apes to a looping backward in time. “Rise” puts it down to genetic engineering. Whatever. What strikes me is that CGI, however expertly done, is every bit as fake as latex masks. So what if Andy (Gollum) Serkis plays the role of the first thinking chimp? All phoney. At least the eyes of Kim Hunter are real.
Comment by Jared on August 17, 2011 at 9:58 am
Hey, I saw your post on the film.areavoices page. This is Jared from the Movies in the Mancave show. I like your site and your reviews. I saw this post on Mark Wahlberg’s Planet of the Apes and had to comment. I feel like I’m in the minority with this statement, but I LOVED this movie. I haven’t been able to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes yet, but I’m hoping to very soon.
Anyway, just stopped by to say hey and good job on the blog. Very cool.
Comment by Laurel on August 17, 2011 at 3:22 pm
Jared,
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoy my blog. I’ve been enjoying watching your Movies in the Mancave videos as well.
I can understand why people like Burton’s Planet of the Apes, even if I didn’t particularly care for it. I’m not a big fan of primates to begin with, and talking ones make it even worse!
I did think the remake was better in most ways, and not because of the special effects (although that helped). I found the original dragged on and became rather preachy in spots…