Hey folks! So Thanksgiving is coming up in just another few days. Nothing better than sitting back and celebrating the day Europeans came to a foreign land, executed a chunk of its native population, and then consumed the majority of its turkeys. I'll be at New York City's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, not so much because I like parades, but because, in this neck of the woods, these events are the only time we really get to see animals, even if they are fake, inflated, and being desperately clutched by a team of 20 guys. Much like Pamela Anderson's breasts. Anyway, while we're on the topic of animal rights, I figured I'd choose a fitting remake pair. Today's comparison shall be between PLANET OF THE APES (1968) and its 2001 rehash.
Most readers will recognize the story of THE PLANET OF THE APES. You know, Charlton Heston lands on a foreign planet inhabited by apes, he tries to fight back, then discovers the planet is...well...if you can't take it from here, see the film. Franklin J. Schaffner directed the film. One may remember his other works like PAPILLION with Steve McQueen and the classic PATTON. In the film were Heston, Roddy McDowell, and Maurice Evans, among others. Upon the film's release, it received instant praise from critics. The New Yorker noted it was an outstanding science fiction film, if nothing much in the way of "art." Generally, this is still the sentiment regarding the original PLANET OF THE APES: entertaining, but not a Fellini picture. This film made, and still makes, a huge impact on the film industry for its makeup and suspenseful ending. It spawned four immediate sequels of decreasing value, one TV show that ran for a likeable 14 episodes various TV movies and a 2001 remake.
It is on this remake that I will now focus. This film was directed by Tim Burton (who has a new movie out now, CORPSE BRIDE) and starred Mark "New Kids On The Block" Wahlberg, Tim Roth, and Helena Bonham Carter, who is now also the voice of Corpse Bride in CORPSE BRIDE. This film is even more of a spectacle, but has even less substance than the original. Due to a far greater budget, makeup and effects are obviously improved. The film did, however, lack that surprise twist that made the jaws of 1968 audiences drop. It could be that Burton knew the original couldn't be beat as far as the ending went. But the film didn't really have any suspenseful moments period. The 2001 PLANET OF THE APES is yet another example of a film that looks good, but has really nothing else. Watch this film only if you're out of good classics to see, and if you've seen the original version. Should you get bored, try and find Charlton Heston and Linda Harrison in the 2001 remake, they both have cameos.
Finally, it is worthy to mention that PLANET OF THE APES was a novel by Pierre Boulle before it was any on-screen picture. The book is somewhat different from the movie, in that the novel's apes are more human. They drive cars, shoot guns, and act far more, shall we say, evolved. Boulle's novel is certainly well worth the read. This novelist is also the mind behind the book version (the first version) of THE BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI.
Well, I'd say that's enough feces-flinging action for one column. I'll be back in two weeks with a new column and, given the holiday, probably another 10 pounds. I'm gonna go get some bird. Remember, if we don't eat them, they'll just take over the world. Planet of the Turkeys, people. Planet of the Turkeys. Gobble gobble.
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For anyone who's ever been told "You should have seen the original," this column provides insight into any film that’s been remade, rehashed, or re-envisioned.
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| Jonathan Alexandratos |
Jonathan is a college student in New York. He is already an accomplished writer, having completed 3 full-length plays and numerous poems. He is also working on his first book.
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