Ape Movies

Before I do my long over-sue “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” review, I would first like to reminisce a bit on the whole series.  I am not sure when I first became a fan…I was young.  I know I did not see it in the movie theatres when it came out…I was “minus” two.  But in the seventies there were theatres which showed passed-run movies everywhere.  Plus on Saturday afternoons the three channels would run movies – especially Hammer and Castle horror films (ridiculously tame to today’s horror crap).  Regardless of when it began - I am a Planet of the Apes fan. 

Now this saga begins in 1963 when French novelist Pierre Boulle wrote “La Planète des Singes” (Monkey Planet).  **This description does have spoilers – however I doubt many people will be reading a novel in French from the 1960s or its translation (but I do have a copy should someone wish to borrow it).**  Anyway…parts of this book are used throughout the series.  Most notably the Ape characters such as chimpanzee scientists Zira and Cornelius along with the religious zealot Dr. Zaius.  This tale, beginning as does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein as a story in a story, takes place in the distant future.  A couple on a leisurely drive in space comes across a message in a bottle.  The letter tells the story of Ulysse – a space traveler from 2500 who visited a planet of apes in the Betelgeuse system.  (Yes, his name was meant to evoke the epic Greek traveler Ulysses). The rest of the story is very familiar to the fans of the first two movies.  The primary difference between the novel and the films is that the movies show the apes in an agrarian society.  The apes in the novel have an advanced society – easily recognized by a 20^th Century inhibitor of our planet.  However, the movie producers had an insanely small budget and could not afford to give the apes a high-tech society. Unlike the first movie, in the novel Ulysse escapes…he lands in Paris on Earth only to find it run by intelligent apes (now you know where Tim Burton got his ending).  But that is not the ending.  For we learn those  reading this letter find the story preposterous – no human is intelligent enough to write a story – the couple (chimpanzees) dismiss the tale as fiction. Dum, dum, dum…

NOTE: There are some spoilers in the movie descriptions below, sorry…

So fast forward a couple of years, and a unique film began production at 20^th Century Fox.  Directed by Franklin Schaffner (better known as a TV director at the time but later gained fame for Patton, Papillon, and The Boys from Brazil) and written by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling (yes, the Twilight Zone dude).  The cast included Charleston Heston as Taylor (the assumption was that the name Ulysse was too European and Americans would not get the reference any way), Roddy McDowall as Cornelius, Kim Hunter as Zira, and Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius. Today’s audience may not be familiar with these actors, but in the 60s they were stars.  Linda Harrison – girlfriend to a studio executive at the time – played Taylor’s love-interest, Nova. The academy award winning makeup was designed by famed artist John Chambers (known for the Munsters and Spock’s ears, and years later Blade Runner).  Composer Jerry Goldsmith was later recognized for his unique use of sounds to create his errie score to the movie – he became famous later as the composer of nearly all the Star Trek TV theme songs and movie scores. 

The 1968 original Planet of the Apes surprised the studio when it not only did well with audiences but was well-liked by critics.  Underneath the makeup and spaceships was a relevant storyline.  A tale of racism and oppression was very real and present to 1960’s audiences.  As later with TV shows like Star Trek, a moral was given but masked by science fiction.  You could not do a similar story in 1968 America with contemporary sets – those who made the world oppressive would have banned it.  But slap on a science fiction label and viola – a story can be told with complexities.  While the story may not be as obvious to today’s society, it still resonates with them (even when they aren’t sure why).  This film is continuously listed in critics’ top 100 film choices.  The images of this film have become iconic.  You can find allusions to the film in Spaceballs, Futurama, the Simpsons, Jay and Silent Bob, Family Guy, and much more.  The line "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!" has become a part of our lexicon and the ending scene of the Statute of Liberty lying buried on the beach is a symbol every man, woman, and child seems to recognize.

The film did so well, they made a sequel.  In 1970 Beneath the Planet of the Apes was released - it also did well.  Although not as inventive as the first movie, we have many of the same actors and characters.  James Franciscus – who could pass as Charleston Heston’s little brother – played John Brent, part of the rescue party who followed Taylor and his crew through the vortex or wormhole or whatever it was that moved them through time and space.  The gist of this story is an underground race of humans physically scarred by radiation with telepathic abilities who worship a nuclear bomb.  The apes invade and a battle ensues.  Charleston makes a brief cameo at the end of the film…blowing up the bomb (and hoping to kill the franchise). 

Over the next 3 years, another sequel popped out every year.  Spending less and less on quality, the effects in the later movies are often obvious masks not even glues to the actor’s faces.  Escape from Planet of the Apes tells us Zira, Cornelius, and a friend Dr. Milo (played by the Sal Mineo, most famous as James Dean’s friend in Rebel Without a Cause) escaped just before Taylor blows up the planet.  They use Brent’s spaceship and land in 1973 LA.  First – they are sent to a zoo, where Dr. Milo is killed by a gorilla.  Then the humans learn the apes can speak – suddenly celebrity.  Then the dark side of humanity - they are poked and prodded by scientists, grilled by the military, and over all abused.  Zira, who was pregnant, is determined to save her child from the imprisoned life they now have.  Their escape is aided by a kind circus owner, Armando (played wonderfully by Ricardo Montalban).  The family is hunted down and killed.  Only in the last moments of the film do we realize baby Milo was switched with a regular chimp baby.  We see him crying for his “ma ma” in Armando’s circus.

Conquest of the Battle of the Apes shows Milo – rechristened Caesar – all grown up and living with Armando, the circus owner from the last film.  Roddy McDowall plays the part of his own son.   Caesar has been hidden in the circus for 10 years (apes mature faster than humans I guess).  A virus has killed all the cats and dogs so humans, in need of pets, take in monkeys and apes…the storyline is a bit thin.  The other part of this story is the breeding apes as slaves (trained through violence).  Armando’s death eradicates the last hope Caesar has in the human race.  He begins to plot a rebellion.  In the training facility, he must hide his ability for speech.  The human tormentors show the worst homo-sapiens have to offer.  Caesar inspires the orangutans, chimpanzees and gorilla to rise against their slave lords (no subtlety in this movie).  The bloodshed ends only once Lisa (Caesar’s girlfriend) shouts “NO” – she is the first ape other than Caesar to demonstrate speech.  It is with this that Caesar remembers his own humanity…

But now... now we will put away our hatred. Now we will put down our weapons. We have passed through the night of the fires, and those who were our masters are now our servants. And we, who are not human, can afford to be humane. Destiny is the will of God, and if it is Man’s destiny to be dominated, it is God’s will that he be dominated with compassion, and understanding. So, cast out your vengeance. Tonight, we have seen the birth of the Planet of the Apes!

The last movie in this series shows life after the great ape rebellion.  Caesar, again played by Roddy McDowall, leads a band of humans and apes who are working together to start a new society.  He has married Lisa and they have a son Cornelius.  He Caesar learns about his parent through films found on the old base – now called the Forbidden City.  Overrun with radiation affected humans, their crazy leader wanted to erase apes from the planet.  The gorilla general wants to do the same with humans.  The resulting battle is cliché.  The opening and closing sequences show the “Lawgiver” played by famed director and actor John Houston.  We see a ray of hope, as he is speaking 600 years later to a group of human and ape children appearing to co-exist peacefully.  These 5 movies supposed to explain the circular nature of this planet.  Taylor landed on the planet in the future - Cornelius and Zira escaped the doomed planet in the rescue space ship and are sent to the past – their son leads the ape rebellion – the planet is now ruled by apes – this is the world Taylor meets.  So what came first…the chicken or the egg?  So is Caesar his own grandfather??

It doesn’t end there.  A year later a really horrible TV series call Planet of the Apes aired on CBS for three painful months.  The only good thing in the 14 episodes is Roddy McDowall (playing Galen, no apparent relation to Cornelius of Caesar).  If you really feel you must watch it, it is available on DVD.  Then in 1975 they try again, this time animated.  Have you seen the Star Trek cartoons from the same era?  It’s just a hokey.  Now the ape civilization is far more technologically advanced (as in the original novel).  Roddy McDowall is NOT in this incarnation.  It died after thirteen episodes.  There were later comic books, but there are even worse than the cartoon.

So that brings us to this generation.  Tim Burton directed his remake in 2001 staring mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clark Duncan and Paul Giamatti.  Linda Harrision – Nova in the first two movies – has a cameo as a captured human.  Charleston Heston – once quick to curse the franchise – embraced his legacy and performed a short scene as   General Thade’s dying father.  The iconic Rick Baker developed the makeup effects and Danny Elfman (former Oingo-Boingo frontman) composes the score (as he has in nearly every Burton movie).  Sadly, Roddy McDowall, who was often connected with possible reboots, died in 1998.

In this movie the apes’ functions are not clearly defined by their species (as it was in the original).  Events and dialogue allude to film.  There is still a sense of injustice, slavery, and oppression in this movie as in the original.  The ending – which received the most derision – is right out of the novel.  Since most Americans never heard of (let alone read) the novel, they could not figure out why the ending was so different from the 1968 movie.  Tim Roth said in an interview he was confused by it.  At least Helena Bonham Carter said she thought it was related to the time-wormhole.  Burton planned on expanding on the ending with a sequel which was never made.  I enjoyed the movie and appreciated its nod to the original film and the novel.

This brings us to 2011 and Rise of the Planet of the Apes…but we will save that for another day.

Captain America: First Avenger

I love this movie.  It is a good action movie…it is a good comic book movie…it is a good movie.  Just over two hours long, the movie is jammed packed with explosions, good versus evil, and feel-good moments.  Chris Evans portrays the lead, Captain America / Steve Rogers, with emotion often lacking in “beefcake” actors.  We have seen him in comic tights before – as the human torch in the last two Fantastic Four movies.  Steve Rogers is a more humble character than the flamboyant Johnny Storm.  With a bit of CGI we see Steve Rogers transform from a nobody to a propaganda tool to a true hero.  Hugo Weaving is a perfect foil for Cap as the Red Skull, one of the creepiest and most evil of super villains in the comic genre.  Most fantasy/sci- fi fans will recognize Hugo as Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy, Elrod in the Lord of the Rings,  Megatron in the Transformers series, and V (as in Vendetta) – truly a prolific actor.  The cast also includes Tommy Lee Jones as the curmudgeon Army Colonel Phillips, Hayley Atwell as Agent Carter, a no-nonsense soldier with a soft side, and Stanley Tucci as the father figure and German scientist determined to right the wrong of the Nazis.

I did enjoy the story.  Not only did were they faithful to the comics, they kept the emotional tug of the storylines and patriotic fervor.  It is important to note that Captain America began in the throes of WWII. Yes, it was a propaganda piece, but it was a good one.  It is important to recall that prior to Pearl Harbor, this country avoided entering the war (the xenophobic contingency was most vocal for years).  Once we finally stepped in, there was a huge push in the entertainment industries – including comics and movies – to create strong heroes to inspire those both in the front lines and those at home.  The fact is that Hitler and the Nazi movement defines evil.  Captain America embodied the Allied spirit and American heroics.  Considering the enemy, one can overlook the over-the-top, obviously overly dramatic patriotic fervor found within this character and storyline.  There was a time when “truth, justice, and the American way” was an ideal (not something to ram down the throats of another in order to claim one is more patriotic).  Captain America is NOT obnoxious and NOT self-absorbed.  He doesn’t want to kill for the sake of killing; he wants to stop the bullies.  Steve Rogers wants to protect the ordinary person – and that inspires those around him.  When you look at his team you see a hodge-podge of Allied soldiers coming together – representing a positive relationship amongst all nations who wish to fight injustice.  There is a clear villain – the Red Skull – who represents the horrors of the Nazi regime and their obsession with the occult.  It is so easy to hate Johan Schmidt and his deity-fixation.  .

Oh how to discuss the ending without spoilers…  Let’s just say that the movie end (including tags) fits in with the comic books.  A transition into the Avengers comic (and movie) is well done.  Now it is hard to make comic book fans happy – especially when there is 70 years with of material (some of which is contradictory).  Regardless, I think everyone will find something to enjoy about this movie.  Most people - 13 to th 80, who will like the powerful action sequences and emotional draw.  There is a lesson in Captain America’s story which will be nostalgic and entertaining.

So, get some popcorn, grab a drink, and sit back – this is a ride you will enjoy.

Movie to rent: The Who’s Tommy

Begun as a concept album in 1969 and written primarily by The Who’s lead guitarist Pete Townsend - Tommy is an exploration of human emotions and failings.  Tommy - a young man from post-WWI - is unable to speak, hear, or see… an infliction caused by childhood trauma and ongoing horrors.  Those around him use and abuse him.  Even when he becomes famous, the people who should love him simply milk him for everything.  In the final act he is reborn as a messiah – yet this is not a happy ending.  Back in 1969 the ending was bittersweet at best.  There is a tone of sorrow and waste to Tommy’s life.   Nearly 25 years later Townsend re-worked his masterpiece for a Broadway production, which ends on a positive note.  I once heard an interview with Pete where he discussed how he had become more optimistic in his later years.  The cynicism and despair he felt in the 1960s had dissipated by the 1990s.  He wanted his revamp to reflect his personal growth.

No that I have digressed…significantly…back to the matter at hand, the 1975 Ken Russell movie.  Now Ken is a unique director – like Kubrick or Fellini – and his audience was either inspired or reviled.   His films were often controversial but yet you could not take your eyes off the screen (some times it was hard to believe what he got away with).  So Russell takes Townsend’s creation, tweaks it a bit, flashes it up, and gives it an all-star A-1 cast.  I cannot claim he cleaned it up for the masses, because he lays it all out, the traumatic death of a father, child abuse, pedophilia, drug use, prostitution, and more.  This is not an easy story to watch, but Townsend wanted his audience to think, feel and experience Tommy’s life…exactly what Ken Russell then visualize on the screen.   I do not recall when I first saw this movie.  I am fairly certain my mother would not have taken me to it, but it is something my brother and I would have probably watched at a cheap show on base or on a Saturday afternoon on a cable-access station.  I do remember being enthralled by the music and the images (remember this is also the same time period as Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar so the music and pageantry was very present in my life).  Today, I would not recommend it for everyone – especially children.  This movie is for those who enjoy the music, get the irony, or want to watch one of the original rock “operas” (similar to The Wall).

So you’ve decided to look past the nasty buts and delve into Tommy’s world.  In this film you see an amazing group of musicians.  The line-up of The Who are front-and-center: Roger Daltrey as Tommy grown up, the late Keith Moon (drummer) as Uncle Ernie, along with John Entwistle and Townsend.  Eric Clapton joins his friends for the ride. The irrepressible Ann-Margret plays Tommy’s mom and hell-raiser (and hard drinker) Oliver Reed plays his stepfather.  Elton John performs the massive hit Pinball Wizard and Tina Turner is freakish as the Acid-Queen. Rounding out this amazing cast is small but pivotal cameos by Jack Nicholson as a lecherous doctor and Robert Powell as Tommy’s murdered father.  The irony of having Robert Powell as Tommy’s father is that two years later he takes on a messianic role as the title role in the epic miniseries Jesus of Nazareth. 

As you watch the movie, there are many changes between the album and film. Russell brings the story up from WWI to WWII.   Some song lyrics are adjusted, the order of scenes and performances changed, and characters are tweaked.  But you still get the raw emotions and basic story.  There are (now) iconic scenes and songs many of us who grew up in the 1970s recall well. 

Pinball Wizard – Elton John wearing his infamous sparkling glasses and massive Doc Martin boots playing a giant pinball machine.  Not only is the song still a hit, but Elton John’s rendition is sublime.  Acid Queen – Tina Turner’s manic rendition as a leggy prostitute encouraging the deaf-dumb-blind Tommy to enjoy her needles…frightening is an understatement.  I both love and loathe the scene where Ann-Margret in a fit of insanity (drugs?) is seen “swimming” in first foam, then beans, and finally chocolate – all pouring from her TV.  It is creepy, gnarly and has an ick factor beyond belief.  I also enjoy Oliver Reed’s jingly holiday camp song are catchy and Daltrey’s I’m Free.

The 1975 movie version of The Who’s Tommy is worth a look.  Avoid if you dislike the 70’s, campy movies, Ken Russell or rock n roll.  For everyone else (of age) give it a whirl.

Harry Potter - a 10.0 Finish

The second part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an amazing end to a wonderful journey.  As mentioned in a previous post, I love the books and feel they are uniquely superior to the movies.  However I do also enjoy the movies, once I can accept what the director decided to cut.  So 7b (as I annoyingly refer to this last movie) is a good movie.  I laughed, I cried, I was spell-bound.  Even my son, who is no longer a big Potter fan - enjoyed himself.  Actually many non-potter fans have remarked how much they enjoyed it.  Why, most of it's 2 1/2 hours is THE war of all wars...Harry versus Voldemort.  For those who have not read the book they now finally understand, well everything.  The truth about Snape...  Dumbledore's secrets...  Harry is so much more than "the boy who lived" or "the chosen one."  Characters we have watched grow up over the last ten years fight valiantly, and some lose their battles (no spoilers here).  Neville has it in him to have been the chosen one (in case you missed it, the prophesy could have been about Neville or Harry but Voldemort assumed it was Potter and thus made it so but attacking him).  There is love in the middle of chaos (you already know who).  And  I am happy to report some of my favorite parts of the last book is faithfully brought to life.  Let's just say Mrs. Weasley has *the* best line! 

I was able to see a midnight showing with some friends.  The crowd moved in unison, laughing, gasping, sniffing, and the thunderous applause at the end was something to behold.

So, go see it.  The special effects are fabulous.  The acting is tremendous (duh).  The battles are astounding.  Even if you have never read the books and failed to get the first seven movies...7b is a blast

The World of Harry Potter

As the anthology draws to a close, I have a confession.  Well, I guess it isn’t much of a secret. But who cares – I like Harry Potter, the books and movies. I am a sci-fi fanatic, anglophile (one who loves everything British), and magic aficionado – so, duh.  But in the beginning, back in 1997, I was not sure I would like them.  I actually cannot recall when I finally read the first book…probably around the time Chamber of Secrets was released as a paperback.  By the time Prisoner of Azkaban was released I was buying them (with a coupon) as they came out. 

I enjoy the way J. K. Rowling writes.  It is a disservice to dismiss her books as “children’s literature” as it suggests a lesser product (and  suggests children’s books are some how inferior as a genre).  She brings you into her world, as did 19^th Century British authors such as Dickens and Stoker.  She gives you visual details, emotions, thoughts, feelings…she gives you everything.  Yet she is an easy read - her books are not War and Peace (although the Deathly Hallows is about as thick).  Her words activate your senses – soon you feel the cold of a dementor and hear the slither of a basilisk.  She writes about characters you can identify with and care about.  By the time I finished Deathly Hallows (the first time) I knew these characters as if they were old friends.  I celebrated their joys and wept at their sorrows. And then I wanted more. 

I will confess I do not read much fiction, outside of the classics.  My BA is in English and I do love many of the classics: Milton, Marlowe, Chaucer, and of course Shakespeare (now you know why my son’s first name is William).  I generally read non-fiction- history and theology are my favorite genres.  In today’s world of fiction, few authors interest me. Anne Rice and Anne McCaffrey are two of the few modern writers I can think of…and more recently J. K. Rowling.  Maybe that makes me unqualified to judge fiction…but then again as a Lit major and veracious reader (I have my own library) I am comfortable that I can recognize good writing.  If you dislike sci-fi, fantasy, or magic…stay away.  However, for everyone else I can recommend the books – regardless of age.

The movies took a bit of getting used to for me.  The movies by themselves are good, enjoyable, and I watch them often (just finished a marathon this weekend).  My issue was no movie can compare to the books.  I am so passionate about the stories, sub-stories, and sub-sub-stories that I cringe upon first viewing of the movie.  My son likes to tease me that I need to see each movie twice, in quick succession.  The first time I see one of the movies, I miss everything left out from the books in order to make the movie fit into a decent timeframe.  I have to bitch and moan…explaining what was left unsaid in the movie or how something really happened.  Then, after that is out of my system, I go back and watch it again.  This time I watch it separate from the book and try to simply enjoy it for the movie it is.  And I do.  So despite wanting to add or tweak parts of each movie, I do actually like them.  They are good fantasy films.  Rowling’s characters are brought to life by a group of young actors who have turned into good actors.  You do mistake Daniel, Emma, and Rupert as really being Harry, Hermione, and Ron.  I love the fact that nearly all my favorite actors have had a part in at least one of the films…Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Kenneth Branagh, Maggie Smith, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Bill Nighy and so many more.  If they could dig up Lawrence Olivier…well that would be just gross. The bottom line…fans of the books must give the movies some grace – there is no way to turn the volumes Ms. Rowling produced into manageable movies and some story lines simply had to be cut.  To the uninitiated, I would recommend these movies as long as you like fantasy, dragons, flying cars, shaper-shifters, and magic.  Well done and worth a look (or three).

And yes…I am seeing the midnight showing Thursday night with my boys and a few friends.  I won’t get home until after 3am... that ok, I am having a procedure the next morning on my back (to alleviate the inflammation in my spine from the arthritis) and won’t have to be awake. J

Transformers 3 – Take the Wild Ride

Should you go see Michael Bay’s latest attempt to bring the Hasbro toys of the 80’s to light? Let me start with the easy answer… if you liked the first two Transformer movies, go see it…if you didn’t then you won’t like this one either.

I loved it – nearly all of it.  The only part I really didn’t like was replacing Miss Fox with a Victoria Secret model (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley).  I am glad they replaced Fox (she had little acting ability and was merely eye-candy for the male movie-goer) but this new gal is vacuous (at best).  I did enjoy the inside jokes made at the expense of Fox, she really shot herself in the foot by giving up this franchise (the only movies she has been in which made money).  Considering Bay has made several movies with strong females (see any Pirate movie) I cannot understand why he seems incapable in this franchise.  I don’t care if the character is beautiful but I do care if she is an idiot.  Oh, continuity issue…as she runs through Chicago she switches between flats and heels…I swear in at least one bit she has on tennis shoes.

Regardless - the movie is cool, awesome, tubular (what other 80’s slang can I fit in), like totally awesome.  Yes, the movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes, but there was so much action I did not notice.  There are insane special effect, non-stop action, and a lesson to be learned (in between explosions).  As with the other movies, conspiracy nuts will find much to enjoy.  This time the government conspiracy is the real reason for the race to the moon in the 1960s and what we really found on the dark side of the moon.  There are so many inside jokes – especially Spock and Star Trek references.  .

We have our favorite cast of characters – including Optimus Prime, BumbleBee and Megatron.  We have Shia LeBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, and Tyrese Gibson all returning.  The cast’s prestige bumps up with such notables as Leonard Nimoy, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, and Patrick Dempsey.  Plus cameos by Buzz Aldrin and Bill O'Reilly.

I would recommend this movie for anyone over 13 who likes action movies, comic books, or sci fi J

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides...what a ride

Now I have to confess, I have enjoyed the first three installments of this series.  My expectations of these films are simply a good time – a ride to the ridiculous with some good looking actors. These movies are not going to move you to save the world or inspire world peace. If you seek something that deep or motivating, go see something else.  If you want to see what trouble Captain Jack Sparrow will get into, watch this movie.

John Depp and Geoffrey Rush return as Jack and Barbossa.  They are joined by Ian McShane and Penélope Cruz as Blackbird and his daughter.  The exploits of Blackbird and his ship the Queen Anne’s Revenge are well known to historians - don’t expect a history lesson here.  Yes there are zombies, but of the voodoo variety (not George Romero).  The mermaids are a new touch – but expect something you would find in an Anne Rice novel and nothing like Disney’s Ariel.

The story – alluded to at the end of the 3^rd movie – is a search for the Fountain of Youth, rack your brain…you remember hearing about Ponce de Leon and the Spanish settlements in the land we now call Florida.  He was supposedly looking for the legendary fountain or spring which would grant eternal life.  This story is far more fun.  You have the pirates versus the English privateers versus the Spanish religious zealots.  You have mystical rituals, crazy fights, and explosions.  There is even proof Captain Jack Sparrow might have a heart.  The cameos by Dame Judi Dench and Keith Richards (returning as Jack’s dad) are a nice touch.

I enjoyed the movie, as did my husband and son.  It is no more violent than the first three so even kids will have fun. Go and have a good ride.