Canon-Strike XIX: Planet of the Apes

[Neon Ignition]

Film 05 - Battle for the Planet of the Apes
The studio raced on to a fifth movie that billed itself, and was, the final chapter. Following on from Conquest, the film returns to Caesar who is trying to make Apes and the remaining humans peacefully co-exist in the aftermath of a global nuclear war. In the early days of Ape City, Caesar struggles with another Ape who wants to subdue the humans as well as human-mutant threats. The film scored poor reviews and is the lowest grossing film of the original line up but was still a success for the studio.




Was the film a worthy closing chapter for the franchises looped timeline?

[Dogg Thang]

It hasn’t been so long since I saw this one and yet I barely remember it. I don’t think it’s great. I feel it struggled with finding a tone and just felt so cheap. But I really don’t remember the details.

[Neon Ignition]

Film 06 - Back to the Planet of the Apes
Following the end of the films, a TV series set within the same canon was created but was also short lived. To make it easier to sell the makers edited the show into several TV movies of which this was the first. Roddy McDowell returned to play another lead Ape role and the plot saw two survivors of a third space craft crash be captured only to be caught in an earthquake and have to work together to survive.





Did the series capture any of the magic of the movies?

[Asura]

The series was awful. I remember seeing it on TV; just dreadful. Boring, honestly, which was probably its worst crime.

[Dogg Thang]

I only have vague recollections of the series. In my head, some of the roles were a bit different, as in the hierarchy of the apes themselves but also the roles of humans in their society. So I remember as a kid trying to figure out how it fit with the movies because it felt so similar and yet some things didn’t quite match. I do remember enjoying the odd episode though.

[Neon Ignition]

It can't have helped as well that the second film essentially lined up audiences knowledge that no matter what all the series cast would get blown up

[Brad]

That series was awful but the animated series I loved as a kid.

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 07 - Forgotten City of the Planet of the Apes
This second TV Movie was a adapted from episodes of the series in which a human murders one of the Apes, the Prefect of the Apes mistakingly believes another Ape has carried out the murder and banishes them. Exploring the ruins of an abandoned human city then leads to the discovery of a message from ancient human scientists that might reveal information on the fate that befell mankind.





Forgotten This One?

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 08 - Treachery and Greed on the Planet of the Apes
The titles become more convoluted with this third TV movie which adapted episodes to tell a tale of one of the Apes agreeing to a horse race to win the freedom of a human leading to a confrontation with an Ape leader who wants to take over a district of human farmers.




Greedy to make this many TV movies?

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 09 - Life, Liberty and Pursuit on the Planet of the Apes
The most convoluted and vague of the Apes titles, this fourth TV movie adapted two episodes to tell a tale of one of the Apes being shot and requiring a blood transfusion that he likely won't survive. Following the journey to a doctor outside the city, a cohort is taken hostage and interrogated.





Ape Killer or All Filler?

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 10 - Farewell to the Planet of the Apes
The final piece of original timeline canon that was in live action, this tv movie adapted episodes that told the story of the two human leads being captured and forced into slavery. They try to escape and meet another human who has developed a hang-glider that must be protected from giving Apes the ability to fly.




Glad to Say Farewell to the TV Movies?

[Dogg Thang]

I don’t remember any of these.

[Neon Ignition]

Additional - Return to the Planet of the Apes
With the live action series being axed so quickly an agreement was coined for an animated series Running for thirteen episodes, the half hour show followed another three astronaughts arriving on Earth. It aimed to follow up on the first two films and whilst not explicitly wiping the later three sequels out of the canon it depicted a much more advanced ape society than the movies, closer in line with the original films concept art before budget issues reigned in its plans. The show failed to gather an audience though, deemed faithful but low budget and a second season was never made making this the end of the original canon.




One to Return to?

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 11 - Planet of the Apes
Following years of attempts by the studio to get an Arnold Scwarzeneggar entry off the ground, the next film was ultimately a reboot of the franchise helmed by Tim Burton. Repeating the original plot of an astronaught finding himself returning to Earth only to discover it run by Apes, the film was a success though critically not as well recieved as the original. Ending on a new twist ending that set up a sequel even further into the future, the studio once again struggled to regain momentum in order to produce a second entry and eventually the project fell apart as Burton had no interest in returning to lead on more. As such, this is the only film within this canon of the franchise.




Was this a worthy reboot that should have continued?

[Neon Ignition]

Movie 12 - Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A second reboot of the franchise, this film opts not to retell the original story but instead to take things all the way back to the very beginning. Testing a cure for Alzheimer's on chimps, events lead to the birth of Caesar - an ape with advanced intelligence. Charting the formative years in Caesar's life, the film culminates with him advancing the intelligence of other Apes and an advanced version of the chemical behind the changee used to launch a global pandemic. The film was a hit for the studio both critically and commercially, confirming that the franchise was back in the mainstream.




Was this new incarnation the best of the three?