Planet Of The Apes: Special Edition (US)

8 / 10
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Rule the planet
Certificate: PG-13
Running Time: 124 mins
Retail Price: $29.98
Release Date:

Synopsis:
In the year 2029, interstellar reconnaissance missions are relegated to chimpanzee pilots from the Space Station Oberon in deep space. On such a mission, a chimp loses communication and vanishes form the radar. Fearless astronaut Leo Davidson launches a rescue mission and, following a malfunction, lands on a jungle-like planet not unlike the Earth. To Leo`s astonishment, English-speaking apes and primitive humans inhabit the planet. Following his capture by the apes and subsequent escape, Leo assembles a small band of defiant humans and empathetic apes in an attempt to re-establish contact with Oberon, but his focus changes following an unexpected discovery. Armed with this new information, Leo leads a rebellion against an overpowering ape force that will result in freedom or complete annihilation.

Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access

Disc One Includes:
An enhanced viewing mode that enables the consumer to choose when to go behind the scenes, search cast and crew biographies, or view the special effects
An audio track by composer Danny Elfman
Two Easter Eggs
DVD-ROM with screenplay/script/storyboard comparison
NUON-enhanced features such as Viddies and Cool Zooms

Disc Two Includes:
The HBO "First Look" special
Five extended scenes
Multiple featurettes - "Simian Academy (Ape Movement)," "Face Like A Monkey" (A Day in the Make-Up Chair), "Costume Tests," "On Location in Lake Powell," " Chimp Symphony Op. 37" (Behind the Scenes On Scoring The Film), and "Swinging From The Trees" (Stunt Work)
Makeup, group and movement tests
A gallery of multi-angle features that lets the viewer climb into the director`s chair for several key scenes
Theatrical trailers, a music video, and television spots
A concept art and design gallery
Additional DVD-ROM features of a novella and links to Web sites

Video Tracks:
Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1

Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital Surround 2.0 Spanish
DTS 5.1 English

Subtitle Tracks:
English
CC: English

Directed By:
Tim Burton

Written By:




Starring:
David Warner
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Estella Warren
Paul Giamatti
Michael Clarke Duncan
Helena Bonham Carter
Tim Roth
Mark Wahlberg

Casting By:
Denise Chamian

Soundtrack By:
Danny Elfman

Director of Photography:
Philippe Rousselot
Paul Hughen

Editor:
Chris Lebenzon

Costume Designer:
Colleen Atwood

Production Designer:
Rick Heinrichs

Producer:
Richard D. Zanuck
Katterli Frauenfelder
Ross Fanger

Executive Producer:
Ralph Winter

Distributor:
Twentieth Century Fox

Your Opinions and Comments

9 / 10
This film falls into the category of either like it or don`t like it. I saw this film in the cinema and enjoyed it. The video transfer is good as well as the sound in DD5.1 haven`t got DTS yet so i cannot comment on this.Loads of extras are you expect with a 2 disc version. Overall a good dvd that sits proudly in my dvd collection.
posted by David Garner on 14/11/2001 23:26
8 / 10
Oh dear, they`ve done it again. They`ve given Wahlberg another lead role. My, oh my... .
As in the rest of his movies, Wahlberg proves (yet again) that he cannot act, and infact, that he is no actor. The fact that he was paid 10 million dollars for his pathetic role made me think something might be wrong with capitalism.
The movie itself is rather disappointing, since all the characters are flat and there is almost no character development whatsoever.
The video transfer is very good. Being a rather plotless movie, it relies heavily on its visuals. There are no compression signs to be seen and the amount of details is impressive.
The DTS and DD 5.1 soundtracks are both very aggressive. The surrounds are frequently used for roars, jungle sounds and during fly-by scenes.
The menus are all animated with sound.
The extras include 2 commentaries, 9 behind the scenes featurettes (some 2 minutes long, other - half an hour), 8 multiple angles scenes, 5 extended scenes, a music video, production notes, storyboards, numerous galleries and some basic DVD-ROM features. All in all, the extras are very extensive. The only problem is, that you must press the ---> key on the remote in order to browse through all the galleries and after a while your finger will get a cramp (and your remote batteries will die too).
Bottom line - despite the hype, this is a no brainer, that falls way behind its predecessor. You can count the number of good scenes on one hand. An ape`s hand, that is.
posted by Zvi Josef on 16/11/2001 13:36
9 / 10
this re imaging of planet of the apes did not do as well as i
had expected and it was in all fairness quite good but this has
joined the set of unnesscacry 2-disc sets (unbreakable!) the
picture is good and the sound.
posted by verhoeven on 27/11/2001 19:50
8 / 10
Not much to say really a dissapointing film with a great DVD doesn`t make sense. Anyway Fox have pulled some great extras onto this package which no doubt impressed me. Personally I prefer the original films but Tim Burton does seem to go over the top with his evolved film.
posted by D.stent on 22/3/2002 13:50
8 / 10
Tim Burton`s lastest effort is an entertaining popcorn flick with cool make-up,stunts,and a big battle at the end of the movie.
From DVD producer David Prior (Fight Club,Die Hard:Five Star
Collection) comes a 2-disc loaded with over "13 hours of
primate-packed extras".

The feature is presented in THX-certified,2.35:1 anamorphic
widescreen.The transfer is excellent with virtually no defects
visible.This being a Tim Burton film,the cinematography is dark,especially in the ape village.Only minor edge-enhancement show up on big screen TV`s.

"Apes" comes with Dolby 5.1 and DTS 5.1 tracks.Since I don`t
own a DTS receiver,I listened to the DD 5.1 mix,which is terrific and remains very aggresive (Leo`s first crash is an ear bleeder).

Extras on Disc 1 include two commentaries: one with Tim Burton and composer Danny Elfman.Burton`s is dissapointing as he is quite vague and there are too many passages of silence.Elfman`s commentary fares slighly better.

The main other extra is an enhanced viewing mode with picture-in-picture vignettes and behind-the-scenes featurettes that show you how a specific scene was achieved when that slave symbol pops up.

Disc 2 is divided into six menus.The first menu holds six documentaries,and screen tests for make-up,costumes,and
stunts.

The second menu is dedicated to four multi-angle featurettes.

The third menu features 5 extended scenes but no alternate ending.

The fourth menu is dedicated to promotion and featues an HBO "making-of",a music video,posters and the press kit,a music spot,two trailers,the trailers for Moulin Rouge and Dr. Dolittle 2,and 6 TV spot.

The Fifth menu is a concept art gallery.

The final menu is DVD-ROM.
posted by Adam Morrison on 18/6/2002 22:30