Thursday, August 22, 2019

Episode 33: Planet 8 Goes Ape!


Welcome to a special episode here on Planet 8! This is one we've been wanting to do for a long time, and with the help of our special guest, the incomparable Lord Blood-Rah, we finally explore the 1968 classic, Planet of the Apes.



This is is one of our all-time favorite genre films. Planet of the Apes, or POTA as we like to refer to it, was a milestone in cinematic history. A serious, allegorical science fiction film that was only made possible through John Chambers' ground-breaking make-up techniques, POTA blew audiences away, especially with its shocking twist ending.


We focus on the first film only (we plan to devote later episodes to the sequels), discussing  every aspect - the amazing make-up, including the early make-up tests; the script and the many changes it went through in the hands of Rod Serling, Michael Wilson, and others; the brilliant Jerry Goldsmith score; and the memorable scenes and dialog.


The crew plus Lord Blood-Rah also take a look at each of the main characters and their complexities. Taylor, Zira, Cornelius, and of course, Dr. Zaius, all have their own agendas and the actors who portrayed them -Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowall, and Maurice Evans -did an incredible job.


We might also dip into some other areas of POTA, like the TV show or the cartoon, the comics and novels, but just briefly. And we have questions! Like - who made the scarecrows in the Forbidden Zone? What happened to the Moon? What did Zaius know, and when did he know it? We're getting deep into apedom here people! Even so, POTA seems like an inexhaustible subject, and we'll be back at it soon with another episode.

This time around, for the Sensor Sweep, we have two fantastic events to tell you about: On August 23, 24, and 25th, if you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, head to the historic Balboa Theater for Godzillafest! 12 classic Godzilla movies will be on two screens all weekend. Plus, special guest Godzilla director Michael Dougherty will be there all three days. Lord Blood-Rah will host films on Friday and Saturday night, including two of his favorites, Frankenstein Conquers the World and War of the Gargantuas. Check out Bay Area Film Events for all the details.


On August 31st, enjoy an evening at the Chouinard Winery and take in Lord Blood-Rah's final 10th anniversary show! He'll have a great double feature: The Wolfman and Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman! Before the movies, you can enjoy wine tasting. Be sure to bring a picnic basket for the movie. More information can be found at Lord Blood-Rah's site.


That's all for us kids! We hope you enjoy the show. Just remember -the Forbidden Zone was once a paradise. Our breed made a desert of it!

Hit us up in the comments section or at these other spots:


Thanks for Listening!

4 comments:

  1. ...I kind of like Burton's PotA...
    -Edo

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    1. Hey Edo, thanks as always. I’m curious what it is you liked bout Burton’s POTA? Have you seen the original? I’m curious now, this could become a great conversation!

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    2. Oh, yeah, I've seen the original, as well as Escape and Conquest, and I also recall watching both the live action TV series and even a few episodes of the Saturday morning cartoon. Although I only vaguely recall the latter two. And it's been awhile since I've seen any of the movies - like it's maybe been 10 years since I've seen the first movie and Conquest.
      What do I like about Burton's PotA? I just found the movie entertaining - I don't think it's better than the originals, I just think it's an interesting take on the idea.
      -Edo

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  2. My personal favourite science fiction film. Re the 'no moon' line though - the preceding line notes that there's cloud cover at night.. so I think it's not that there's no moon, just that they can't see one for the clouds, and that a moon wouldn't create the 'strange luminosity'.
    Also the scarecrows, I think, are put there by the ape government to mark the edge of the Forbidden Zone; a warning to proceed no further.

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