RETRO FILM – Planet of the Apes is one of the most significant franchises in film history. Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle, the 1968 film proved so popular that over the past nearly 50 years, it has spawned four sequels, two TV series, a 2001 remake, and a 3-part reboot film series, culminating in this year’s release, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” The film will be available on Disney+ starting August 2, and in light of this, the streaming service has compiled 5+1 facts you might not know about the franchise.

1. Astonishingly Detailed Makeup…

John Chambers was responsible for making the apes look as realistic as possible. He mainly studied the work of specialists who treated injuries of veteran soldiers, in addition to observing apes for long hours and making numerous sketches of their facial expressions. He trained over 80 makeup artists for the film to ensure the characters looked perfect. To achieve the desired effect, they used soft latex elements and skin-friendly glue. The film remains one of the most outstanding makeup works to this day, and Chambers was awarded an Oscar for his work. This special makeup procedure was later simplified and used in the sequels.

2. …And Lies About Its Cost

Today, it’s not remarkable for a film to be made with tens of millions of dollars, but this wasn’t the case in the late ’60s. The makeup budget was reported to be $1 million according to the producers. Legend has it that the makeup actually cost “only” $500,000 (a much more reasonable amount for the total budget of $5 million), but the producers convinced everyone it was twice as much. They thought that advertising a film in 1968 by saying they spent a million dollars just on makeup would sound enticing.

3. The First and Biggest Spoiler in Film History Came From a Restaurant

Alongside “The Empire Strikes Back” (“I am your father”), the 1968 Planet of the Apes has one of the most famous twists in film history. Viewers were stunned when the Statue of Liberty appeared on screen, revealing that the barren wasteland where Taylor was stranded had been Earth all along. The idea for the twist came from producer Arthur Jacobs and Blake Edwards, who had been initially asked to direct the film. They were having lunch when they noticed a picture of the Statue of Liberty on the wall, which sparked the idea for the big reveal. They kept the ending a secret until the day of the premiere by faking the last three pages of the script. This proved worthwhile, paving the way for spoilers and twists in the film industry.

4. First Use of Motion Capture Technology

Motion capture technology has long been present in filmmaking, and technological advancements now allow computer-generated characters to come to life on the big screen, whether it’s the talking animals in The Jungle Book or the extensive world of James Cameron’s Avatar. The 2011 “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was the first film to use this technology on set.

5. Schwarzenegger Was Almost the Baseball Coach

Tim Burton’s 2001 “Planet of the Apes” reboot received mixed reactions from viewers. Even during production, there were constant issues, and the remake’s development took many years with the mood and director changing almost continuously. Additionally, 20th Century Fox insisted that Arnold Schwarzenegger, not Mark Wahlberg, be the main character. At one point in the film’s creation, the studio allegedly came up with a script where Arnold helps teach future apes to play baseball, and the famous closing scene was changed so that the apes are playing baseball in Yankee Stadium.

+1 Many Easter Eggs in the New Film

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” contains numerous references, hidden details, and Easter eggs that even those familiar with the series might not spot. For instance, Raka calls Mae “Nova,” saying that apes call all humans by that name. Nova was the name of the mute human adopted by Maurice in “War for the Planet of the Apes,” and Nova was also the name of Taylor’s companion in the original 1968 “Planet of the Apes” film. Nova has the same birthmark on her chest as Caesar in the previous three films. The symbol on Raka’s necklace is the window pattern from Caesar’s bedroom in the 2011 “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” Finally, the doll found by the apes in the American government bunker says “Mama” in the same voice as the one Taylor found in the 1968 film. This enhances the recognition that humans once ruled Earth.

The Planet of the Apes franchise is one of the most important works in film history. Dive into this cult classic sci-fi franchise on Disney+, where all nine previous films are now streamable, and the latest installment, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” arrives on August 2.

-theGeek-

Source: Disney+