Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998)

The story behind the making of the 5 "Planet of the Apes" movies.

Directors:

Kevin Burns, David Comtois

Writers:

Brian Anthony, David Comtois

Stars:

Roddy McDowall, Mort Abrahams, Charlton Heston

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roddy McDowall	...	Self - Host
Mort Abrahams	...	Self
Charlton Heston	...	Self
Richard D. Zanuck	...	Self (as Richard Zanuck)
Edward G. Robinson	...	Dr. Zaius (archive footage)
James Brolin	...	Dr. Cornelius (archive footage)
John Chambers	...	Self
William J. Creber	...	Self (as William Creber)
Kim Hunter	...	Self
Maurice Evans	...	Self (archive footage)
Eric Greene	...	Self - film historian
Linda Harrison	...	Self
Franklin J. Schaffner	...	Self (archive footage)
Ted Post	...	Self
Frank Capra Jr.	...	Self

Storyline

This documentary was shown as part of the American Movie Classics (AMC) cable TV channel's celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of Planet of the Apes (1968). We learn how the original French novel was transformed into the first film; the problems that the producers encountered during production of the entire series (often involving shrinking budgets); how the stories related to current events (e.g., the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement); and how the series became a pervasive part of American popular culture. The film includes interviews with virtually all of the people involved in the production of the film series, including all the main performers. Personal movies taken on the shooting sets and early ape makeup test footage (with Edward G. Robinson and James Brolin!) are also featured.

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Plot Keywords:

ape | planet of the apes | behind the scenes | psychotronic film | interview | 

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Taglines:

Journey Back To The Planet Of The Apes!

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Host Roddy McDowall died on October 3, 1998, less than a month after the broadcast of this special.

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Alternate Versions

Both DVD versions (a single disc accompanies 'The Evolution' Box Set; and a double disc that sells seperately containing many extras) clocks in at 2 hours 6 minutes. The VHS and AMC broadcast are 2 hrs 3 mins. The DVD contains more info about the making of 'Beneath...', 'Battle For...' and more final summations from cast and crew at the conclusion.

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Connections

References The Guns of Navarone (1961)

User Reviews

A Fun Documentary for Movie Fans

This is a pretty good making-of documentary, insofar as it includes a lot of clips and a pretty good feeling for how and why everything was done. The thing about it that made me laugh, however, was how much they overstated the value of the series. While I will admit that the many sequels may have set an unfortunate precedent, I feel the films themselves weren't quite as important as the writers of this documentary would have us believe.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 September 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Detrás del Planeta de los Simios

Filming Locations:

Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Van Ness Films, Foxstar Productions, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (as Dolby Surround)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1