Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Ted Post

Writers:

Pierre Boulle (characters)
Paul Dehn (story) ...

Release Date:

26 May 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The bizarre world you met in 'Planet of the Apes' was only the beginning... What lies beneath may be the end!

Plot:

The sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission searches for the only survivor of the previous expedition. He discovers a planet ruled by apes and an underground city run by telekinetic humans.

Plot Keywords:

Ape | Planet Of The Apes | Astronaut | Sequel | Subterranean City

Cast

James Franciscus	...	Brent
Kim Hunter	...	Zira
Maurice Evans	...	Dr. Zaius
Linda Harrison	...	Nova
Paul Richards	...	Mendez
Victor Buono	...	Fat Man
James Gregory	...	Ursus
Jeff Corey	...	Caspay
Natalie Trundy	...	Albina
Thomas Gomez	...	Minister
David Watson	...	Cornelius
Don Pedro Colley	...	Negro
Tod Andrews	...	Skipper
Gregory Sierra	...	Verger
Eldon Burke	...	Gorilla Sergeant

Also Known As:

Planet of the Apes Revisited (USA) (working title)
Planet of the Men (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 (original rating) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Norway:16 (1970) | Singapore:PG | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | USA:G | West Germany:16 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

APJAC Productions

Trivia:

James Franciscus was cast as Brent due to his resemblance to Charlton Heston.

Goofs:

Continuity: Nova has Taylor's ID tags. Taylor would've had long since lost them during the first film when he was stripped. Certainly, the ruling Ape council would've confiscated them during his "trial."

Quotes:

Cornelius: They will dissect you! And they will kill you! In that order!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2 (1999) (TV)

Fatuous extension of its predecessor

This first sequel to 1968's "Planet of the Apes" continues the story in ridiculous fashion (the filmmakers really boxed themselves into a corner with the original, especially since star Charlton Heston didn't want to continue with his role). Heston-lookalike James Franciscus plays an astronaut searching from the missing space travelers and gets caught in that same old time-warp wherein he's eventually confronted by the half-man/half-apes; he also discovers an underground army harboring an Atom bomb. Charlton Heston does make an extended cameo in the film, but getting his character in and out of the action proved to be too much--it just keeps getting sillier. Fetching ape-scientist Kim Hunter is hardly around this time, and what happened to Roddy McDowall as her partner? The film's production is fine, and the underground sets are incredible, but this installment is a pale imitation. ** from ****