Planet of the Apes-
35th Anniversary Widescreen Edition 
(Fox Region 1 DVD)
(1968)
review by Head Cheeze

"Get your filthy paws off of me, you damned dirty ape!"

Based on Pierre Boulle's novel La Planète des singes (Monkey Planet), 1968's Planet of the Apes was one of 20th Century Fox's biggest hits, paving the way for four sequels, a short-lived television series, and a multi-million dollar merchandising blitz. To this day, Apes' remarkable make-up effects are considered some of the finest ever filmed, and it remains a favourite amongst genre fans the world over. Now, 35 years later, Fox releases the film in a packed two disc anniversary edition DVD.

A crew of astronauts crash land on a strange planet upon which apes are the dominant species, and mute, savage humans are used for experimentation, labour, and sport. The crew, led by Taylor (Heston), are separated when they are caught in a round-up of human slaves, and Taylor is shot in the throat, thus preventing him from being able to speak. He is taken to the lab of Dr. Zira (Hunter), a scientist who studies human behaviour, where his animated (and seemingly intelligent) nature piques her interest. Zira presents him with a mate (the stunning Linda Harrison, who is later dubbed Nova), and monitors his behaviour closely, marveling at the way he seems to communicate and understand. Taylor manages to grab a pen and paper from Zira and scribbles down his name, prompting the scientist to take him back to her home and introduce him to her husband, the archaologist Cornelius (McDowell). Taylor writes down his entire story for the couple, explaining how he and his fellow astronauts arrived by spaceship and crashed in the area the apes refer to as the Forbidden Zone. When the elder science official, Dr. Zaius (Evans) is introduced to Taylor, he dismisses the human's abilities as nothing more than parlour tricks, demanding that Taylor be placed in his custody for further experimentation. However, it's obvious to Taylor that Zaius is terrified of him, and that the elder knows much more than he's letting on.

Planet of the Apes is a rollicking sci-fi/action adventure that's also a damned fine piece of social satire, touching upon everything from racial unrest and classism to religeon and politics. It's a film that appeals to children and casual viewers thanks to it's undeniable entertainment value, but is equally embraced by avid cineastes who've dedicated many an hour to dissecting it's rich subtext. While the years have not been kind to Heston's ultra-macho performance, the rest of the film has held up remarkably well, especially considering the genre. Apes' primal score by Jerry Goldsmith is still considered one of the most wild and inventive musical experiments to date, and the aformentioned facial prosthetics by John Chambers are as impressive today as they were 35 years ago. And while one would think that the social issues of the late 1960's would feel dated, they seem even more relevent today.

Fox's 35th Anniversary Edition is an absolute goody bag chock full o' Ape goodness. Disc One features a widescreen anamorphic transfer that looks and sounds stunning. With the exception of a few artifacts during the opening and end credits, the transfer looks pretty well near flawless. Disc One also features a full-length commentary by Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, and Kim Hunter, producer Richard Zanuck, and make-up artist John Chambers, as well as a text commentary by Eric Greene, author of Planet of the Apes as American Myth.

The supplements are overflowing on Disc Two, with literally hours worth of behind-the-scenes footage, production notes, memorabilia slide-shows, photo galleries, nine featurettes, and, the crown jewel, the 126 minute long 1998 documentary, Behind the Planet of the Apes. Hosted by the late Roddy McDowell, this documentary covers every facet of the Apes phenomenon from inception all the way through to the animated television series. Brimming with interviews with many of the series principal cast and crew as well as rare and fascinating behind-the-scenes footage, this documentary was originally sold as a stand-alone DVD. It's inclusion here essentially gives you two great films for the price of one.

This is a film that belongs in every DVD collection.