In a futuristic world that has embraced ape slavery, Caesar, the son of the late simians Cornelius and Zira, surfaces after almost twenty years of hiding out from the authorities, and prepares for a slave revolt against humanity.
Cornelius and Zira's son Caesar leads apes to revolution in this installment of the apes saga. Dogs and cats have been wiped out by a plague and now apes are household pets that are treated like slaves. Caesar has the intelligence to fight this oppression.Written by
Josh Pasnak <chainsaw@intouch.bc.ca>
The majority of the outdoor scenes were shot in and around the University of California, Irvine campus, which was designed by futurist architect William L. Pereira, and was only six years old at the time of filming. Much of the production centered around the Social Science complex, which was designed by A.C. Martin & Associates and was still under construction during filming. Careful use of camera angles and editing made a handful of buildings and exteriors feel more like action spread across an entire city.
Some exteriors, and all of indoor sets were all filmed at the Fox backlot in Century City, Los Angeles. See more »
Goofs
(at around 48 mins) Throughout the film, the supposedly wireless telephones are simply standard telephones with the wires removed and the wire outlets taped over. This is most noticeable when Mr. McDonald is talking on a red phone and the tape color does not match. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Armando:
[to Caesar, whom he has on a leash]
Come! Come!
Guard:
Do you have authorization to dress him like that?
Armando:
[hands over papers]
Oh, yes, Sir.
Guard:
A circus ape, huh?
Armando:
And the only one to ever have been trained in bareback riding in the entire history of the circus!
See more »
Crazy Credits
The 20th Century-Fox logo does not appear on this film. See more »
Alternate Versions
The 2008 Blu-ray release includes both the theatrical version, and an 'Unrated' version with an alternate ending sequence, which was re-edited and re-shot due to poor audience reaction and to get a PG rating. In the ending, Caesar allows the apes to beat Breck and the other humans to death. Breck does not cower, but faces his executioners. Lisa does not say "No" and Caesar makes no speech counseling compassion. There are also additional shots of apes and humans bleeding from gunshots, and apes stacking bodies of riot police. See more »
These movies are a mixed bag to say the least and it doesn't pay to scrutinise several incongruities...but they are enjoyable none the less.
Conquest for the Planet of the Apes, the fourth in the series, covers the 'pre-history' of the first movie, where the apes first start to gain some ascendancy in the world of humans. And like the first movie (and to a lesser degree the second) it actually strives to make a social statement AND does a decent job. Parallels are drawn between the apes struggle against slavery to humans and the struggle for civil rights of black people in America with the ape riot scene intended to imitate a famous riot in the sixties. The point is well made considering the censorship restrictions on violence and the touchy nature of the underlying subject matter - a topic well discussed today but not overtly talked about in 1972. The result is daring, well-made (the riot is stunning) and well-meaning, but sometimes a little clumsy.
Some fairly elementary things are overlooked, as well, such as the fact that in the first movie the apes were evolved by 2000 years thus excusing their very human bearing, but here, in the 'future' of 1991, they are just supposed to be apes with clothes on...doesn't quite work.
All in all, though, an entertaining film and a good showcase for Roddy McDowall's real acting abilities. 7 out of 10.
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These movies are a mixed bag to say the least and it doesn't pay to scrutinise several incongruities...but they are enjoyable none the less.
Conquest for the Planet of the Apes, the fourth in the series, covers the 'pre-history' of the first movie, where the apes first start to gain some ascendancy in the world of humans. And like the first movie (and to a lesser degree the second) it actually strives to make a social statement AND does a decent job. Parallels are drawn between the apes struggle against slavery to humans and the struggle for civil rights of black people in America with the ape riot scene intended to imitate a famous riot in the sixties. The point is well made considering the censorship restrictions on violence and the touchy nature of the underlying subject matter - a topic well discussed today but not overtly talked about in 1972. The result is daring, well-made (the riot is stunning) and well-meaning, but sometimes a little clumsy.
Some fairly elementary things are overlooked, as well, such as the fact that in the first movie the apes were evolved by 2000 years thus excusing their very human bearing, but here, in the 'future' of 1991, they are just supposed to be apes with clothes on...doesn't quite work.
All in all, though, an entertaining film and a good showcase for Roddy McDowall's real acting abilities. 7 out of 10.