FRANCHISE ME: CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

This is why Battle has been effectively erased from the continuity in my head.  It's sad to lose some of McDowell's really good moments in that film, but the unrated Conquest providers a much better ending for the franchise as a whole.

Love, love, LOVE this film!

Doubly so being a John Carpenter fan, as the entire revolt sequence seems like a visual precursor to Assault on Precinct 13, the Escape films, and They Live........at least in terms of style and tone.  Rise has A LOT to live up to, considering it is basically a "re-imagining" of this film.

I'm surprised you have yet to mention the fact that, while not being associated as a franchise icon, Natalie Trundy starred in just as many POTA films as Roddy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by S.D. Bob Plissken 

I'm surprised you have yet to mention the fact that, while not being associated as a franchise icon, Natalie Trundy starred in just as many POTA films as Roddy.

I was planning to wait until BATTLE for that one.

Well, now I just feel like a douche!

I'm really glad that I never saw Conquest until I got the Blu-ray book set last year. I saw the original ending and found it to be really fitting. Although I also really liked Battle a lot, despite being shot for a small sum. Austin Stoker's character reminds me of Heston's Robert Neville from The Omega Man. Plus the mutant people only helps that thought.

Possible bullshit racial subtext: Why is Caesar so much darker-skinned than his parents?? Look at that blu - homeboy's MOCHA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil 

Possible bullshit racial subtext: Why is Caesar so much darker-skinned than his parents?? Look at that blu - homeboy's MOCHA.

Not bullshit at all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Nts0RZQuo#t=10m15s 

NM

NM

Totally agreed, re: "Caesar's Most Badass Moment" (i.e., his ending speech). The sheer fucking rage McDowall projects through all those John Chambers prosthetics is simply breathtaking yet terrifying to behold.

Too bad the theatrical cut had to dilute its impact...thank Christ for Blu-Ray.

I love these movies, and these are some great write ups. I've seen the original Heston film a bunch of times, but I've only watched the sequels once each a couple of years ago when they were on Netflix Instant. Conquest is without a doubt the best sequel.

Another badass moment that I fucking loved was when Caesar is bought by the Governor and he lets Caesar pick his own name from a page in the dictionary. The look that McDowell gives him when he points to "Caesar" in the dictionary is amazing.

I just picked up the blu-ray set, so I will definitely be re-watching these, and hopefully catching Rise this weekend.  

Yet another retrospective, this one going for a timeline:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/revisiting-original-planet-apes-franchise-advance-rise-planet-apes