When
I learned that director Tim Burton would be taking on the challenge of
re-making the science fiction classic PLANET OF THE APES, I was
quite excited. The level excitement remained when I walked into the movie
theater to watch the film for the first time. As the film unspooled, I
was very impressed with Burton’s visuals, Rick Baker’s makeup and with
the performances. For the most part, I found the new screen story to be
an interesting reinterpretation of Pierre Boulle’s novel and the plot
of the original film. However, the script runs out of gas right at the
climax, just as the screenwriters employ a deus ex machina plot device
to get themselves out of the box they’ve written themselves into.
This
PLANET OF THE APES ($30) opens in the not too distant future, on
a space station where genetically enhanced apes are being trained for
hazardous space missions. When a chimp is lost while investigating an
energy storm approaching the space station, astronaut Leo Davidson (Mark
Wahlberg) goes out after the monkey he was training. Unfortunately, Davidson’s
spacecraft is sucked into the storm, hurled across space, and crashes
on an unknown planet. Emerging from his ship, Davidson is shocked to discover
that he has landed on a planet ruled by a society of apes that either
hunt or keep humans as slaves. After being captured, a sympathetic chimpanzee
named Ari (Helena Bonham Carter) purchases Davidson, much to the disdain
of the human hating General Thade (Tim Roth). When Davidson escapes from
the Ape City with Ari’s help, Thade takes advantage of the opportunity
to seize the power required to exterminate the human threat. The cast
of PLANET OF THE APES also features Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul
Giamatti, Estella Warren, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, David Warner, Kris Kristofferson
and Charlton Heston in an uncredited cameo.
20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment has made PLANET OF THE APES available
on DVD in a 2.35:1 wide screen presentation that has been enhanced for
playback on 16:9 displays. This is an absolutely terrific presentation
that delivers a wonderfully crisp, highly detailed image. Other than a
couple of soft shots, this transfer appears quite perfect. Colors are
rich and vibrant, while flesh tones are dead on the mark. Despite the
heavy saturation of certain colors, there are no problems with chroma
noise or bleeding. Blacks are wonderfully inky, plus the picture produces
impressive shadow detail and depth during numerous dark sequences. Digital
compression artifacts are well disguised on this cleanly authored dual
layer DVD.
PLANET
OF THE APES is presented on DVD with both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1
channel soundtracks. Both mixes are truly excellent, providing full range
sound with aggressive sound effect implementation. The entire soundstage
bristles with activity, which really envelops the viewer and draws into
the film’s environment. Dialogue reproduction is very good, with the actors’
voices remaining completely intelligible, despite the flurry sounds that
are sometimes also present in the mix. The bass channel is very strong,
enhancing both sound effects and the film’s score. Speaking of the score,
this is definitely one of Danny Elfman’s finest works and it is rendered
with tremendous clarity and detail. As for the differences between Dolby
Digital and DTS, the DTS has only a slight edge, with a warmer and more
fully rounded sound. A Spanish Dolby Surround track is also encoded onto
the DVD, as are English subtitles.
Animation
and sound serve to enhance the DVD’s stylishly designed interactive menus.
Through the menus, one has access to standard scene selection and set
up features, as well as an extensive amount of supplements, which are
spread across this two-disc set. On disc one there are two running audio
commentaries, one with director Tim Burton and the other with composer
Danny Elfman. Both tracks can be a bit sparse in regards to comments,
however Elfman’s comments are interspersed between an isolated version
of his wonderful score. Disc one also includes an enhanced viewing option,
which on occasion presents an ape symbol on the screen. Pressing the enter
button on your DVD player’s remote control, when the ape symbol appears
will take the viewer to supplementary footage directly related to a particular
portion of the movie. Disc one is also DVD-ROM enhanced.
Moving
on to disc two, one finds the main body of the supplements. Starting things
off are six featurettes, which total over ninety minutes of programming.
The Simian Academy teaches the performers to act like monkeys.
Face Like A Monkey looks at Rick Baker’s makeup effects.
Ape Couture shows the film’s costume design. Chimp
Symphony, Op. 37 shows Danny Elfman working with the orchestra
during the scoring sessions. On Location: Lake Powell shows
the cast and crew at work on the only location shared by the original
film and this 2001 remake. Swinging From The Trees takes
a look at the stunt work involved to make humans into believable apes.
The Screen Tests section offers fifteen minutes worth of
Make-Up Tests, Group Tests, Costume Tests, Stunt Test, and Movement Tests.
Also included on the DVD are four Multi-Angle Featurettes, which run approximately
twenty-five minutes. The segments entitled Limbo's Quadrangle,
Sandar's Escape, Escape From Ape City, and
In the Forest can be viewed from individual angles or in
a composite mode, showing all angles at once. Five extended scenes are
offered on the second DVD, and while interesting; they don’t offer too
much material beyond what is present in the theatrical cut of the film.
Also present is an HBO Special that follows actor Michael Clarke Duncan
through the day on the set of the movie. The Rule The Planet Remix
is a music video for Paul Oakenfield’s dance remix of Danny Elfman‘s music.
A theatrical teaser, a theatrical trailer and six TV spots are provided
on disc two, in addition to posters, press kit and a music promo. A conceptual
art gallery, plus various DVD-ROM features close out disc two’s supplements.
PLANET
OF THE APES isn’t a perfect movie because the script falls apart in
the last act. However, there are places where the film itself teeters
on brilliance. Tim Burton’s visuals are compelling; Rick Baker’s makeup
is incredibly good, as are a number of the performances. As for the DVD,
it is an absolute winner. The presentation is truly first rate and the
extensive supplemental materials offer fans everything they could possibly
want. If you enjoyed PLANET OF THE APES in the theaters, then don’t
hesitate in picking up a copy of the DVD.
When
I learned that director Tim Burton would be taking on the challenge of
re-making the science fiction classic PLANET OF THE APES, I was
quite excited. The level excitement remained when I walked into the movie
theater to watch the film for the first time. As the film unspooled, I
was very impressed with Burton’s visuals, Rick Baker’s makeup and with
the performances. For the most part, I found the new screen story to be
an interesting reinterpretation of Pierre Boulle’s novel and the plot
of the original film. However, the script runs out of gas right at the
climax, just as the screenwriters employ a deus ex machina plot device
to get themselves out of the box they’ve written themselves into.
This
PLANET OF THE APES ($30) opens in the not too distant future, on
a space station where genetically enhanced apes are being trained for
hazardous space missions. When a chimp is lost while investigating an
energy storm approaching the space station, astronaut Leo Davidson (Mark
Wahlberg) goes out after the monkey he was training. Unfortunately, Davidson’s
spacecraft is sucked into the storm, hurled across space, and crashes
on an unknown planet. Emerging from his ship, Davidson is shocked to discover
that he has landed on a planet ruled by a society of apes that either
hunt or keep humans as slaves. After being captured, a sympathetic chimpanzee
named Ari (Helena Bonham Carter) purchases Davidson, much to the disdain
of the human hating General Thade (Tim Roth). When Davidson escapes from
the Ape City with Ari’s help, Thade takes advantage of the opportunity
to seize the power required to exterminate the human threat. The cast
of PLANET OF THE APES also features Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul
Giamatti, Estella Warren, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, David Warner, Kris Kristofferson
and Charlton Heston in an uncredited cameo.
20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment has made PLANET OF THE APES available
on DVD in a 2.35:1 wide screen presentation that has been enhanced for
playback on 16:9 displays. This is an absolutely terrific presentation
that delivers a wonderfully crisp, highly detailed image. Other than a
couple of soft shots, this transfer appears quite perfect. Colors are
rich and vibrant, while flesh tones are dead on the mark. Despite the
heavy saturation of certain colors, there are no problems with chroma
noise or bleeding. Blacks are wonderfully inky, plus the picture produces
impressive shadow detail and depth during numerous dark sequences. Digital
compression artifacts are well disguised on this cleanly authored dual
layer DVD.
PLANET
OF THE APES is presented on DVD with both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1
channel soundtracks. Both mixes are truly excellent, providing full range
sound with aggressive sound effect implementation. The entire soundstage
bristles with activity, which really envelops the viewer and draws into
the film’s environment. Dialogue reproduction is very good, with the actors’
voices remaining completely intelligible, despite the flurry sounds that
are sometimes also present in the mix. The bass channel is very strong,
enhancing both sound effects and the film’s score. Speaking of the score,
this is definitely one of Danny Elfman’s finest works and it is rendered
with tremendous clarity and detail. As for the differences between Dolby
Digital and DTS, the DTS has only a slight edge, with a warmer and more
fully rounded sound. A Spanish Dolby Surround track is also encoded onto
the DVD, as are English subtitles.
Animation
and sound serve to enhance the DVD’s stylishly designed interactive menus.
Through the menus, one has access to standard scene selection and set
up features, as well as an extensive amount of supplements, which are
spread across this two-disc set. On disc one there are two running audio
commentaries, one with director Tim Burton and the other with composer
Danny Elfman. Both tracks can be a bit sparse in regards to comments,
however Elfman’s comments are interspersed between an isolated version
of his wonderful score. Disc one also includes an enhanced viewing option,
which on occasion presents an ape symbol on the screen. Pressing the enter
button on your DVD player’s remote control, when the ape symbol appears
will take the viewer to supplementary footage directly related to a particular
portion of the movie. Disc one is also DVD-ROM enhanced.
Moving
on to disc two, one finds the main body of the supplements. Starting things
off are six featurettes, which total over ninety minutes of programming.
The Simian Academy teaches the performers to act like monkeys.
Face Like A Monkey looks at Rick Baker’s makeup effects.
Ape Couture shows the film’s costume design. Chimp
Symphony, Op. 37 shows Danny Elfman working with the orchestra
during the scoring sessions. On Location: Lake Powell shows
the cast and crew at work on the only location shared by the original
film and this 2001 remake. Swinging From The Trees takes
a look at the stunt work involved to make humans into believable apes.
The Screen Tests section offers fifteen minutes worth of
Make-Up Tests, Group Tests, Costume Tests, Stunt Test, and Movement Tests.
Also included on the DVD are four Multi-Angle Featurettes, which run approximately
twenty-five minutes. The segments entitled Limbo's Quadrangle,
Sandar's Escape, Escape From Ape City, and
In the Forest can be viewed from individual angles or in
a composite mode, showing all angles at once. Five extended scenes are
offered on the second DVD, and while interesting; they don’t offer too
much material beyond what is present in the theatrical cut of the film.
Also present is an HBO Special that follows actor Michael Clarke Duncan
through the day on the set of the movie. The Rule The Planet Remix
is a music video for Paul Oakenfield’s dance remix of Danny Elfman‘s music.
A theatrical teaser, a theatrical trailer and six TV spots are provided
on disc two, in addition to posters, press kit and a music promo. A conceptual
art gallery, plus various DVD-ROM features close out disc two’s supplements.
PLANET
OF THE APES isn’t a perfect movie because the script falls apart in
the last act. However, there are places where the film itself teeters
on brilliance. Tim Burton’s visuals are compelling; Rick Baker’s makeup
is incredibly good, as are a number of the performances. As for the DVD,
it is an absolute winner. The presentation is truly first rate and the
extensive supplemental materials offer fans everything they could possibly
want. If you enjoyed PLANET OF THE APES in the theaters, then don’t
hesitate in picking up a copy of the DVD.
