Since it's been somewhat confirmed that Mark Wahlberg will be the "human" in the film I was wondering what ya'll thought of my "take" on the casting.

Here goes...

TAYLOR - MARK WAHLBERG

DR. ZAIUS - JACK NICHOLSON

CORNELIUS - JAMIE KENNEDY (Scream 1,2 and 3)

ZERA - CHLOE SEVIGNY (Kids, Boys Dont Cry)

NOVA - PENELOPE CRUZ (Jamon, Jamon)

The way I figure it the roles of the apes would more than likely go to HUGE stars or stars that arent well established AND don't mind having their face covered.

I'm not sure I agree with Wahlberg as Taylor but he's better than Schwarzenegger as was originally intentioned before Burton signed on.

Nicholson would give the film its star power along with Wahlberg and would be a terrific Zaius even under the makeup! "You can't handle the truth!!"

Jamie Kennedy has the charisma and charm to become Cornelius and Chloe Sevigny acts mostly with her eyes and would give Zera that gleam that Kim Hunter had.

And finally Nova....ah Nova. Truly one of my first crushes ever. Well Penelope needn't open her mouth to act and would be fantastic as a gorgeous mute. Yes indeedy!

Whatcya think?

(That last part was a joke...)

Actually it should be HANS ZIMMER and LISA GERRARD! just kidding (although i usually hate zimmer and his team, Gladiator is a new favorite. he still wouldn't be right for POTA.)

I can't really think of a modern film composer up to the task. It would be hilarious to hear a John Williams score for this (or even moreso, James Horner). Maybe a classical composer like John Corigliano, but I suppose that's wishful thinking.

Here's my version:

Taylor . . . Kurt Russell (if Kevin Conroy was unavailable)
Nova . . . the Cigar Girl from the TWINE teaser

Director: James Cameron (nothing against Burton, who I do like)
Writer: David Koepp
Composer: Elia Cmiral (or, if Cmiral was unavailable, Elmer Bernnstein, in his Spacehunter/Slipstream mode)

It doesn't really matter who plays the apes, as you won't see their faces anyway.

NP: Sleepy Hollow - "The Tree of Death" *****/*****

Score? only one answer: re-use Goldsmith's original - as has been said, it is very uniquely the "voice" of this movie.

As far as Wahlberg ... I remember when Burton cast Depp in EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, and everybody thought THAT was ridiculous. Who knew then that there was a good actor inside that TV-prettyboy shell? In turn, Marky might well surprise us. Wahlberg is far younger than Heston was when he made the original APES, however, and it'll be many years before he (if ever) gains the same kind of dramatic weight. Mel Gibson or Kurt Russell would be perfect. Gibson in particular, since no other major star SINCE Heston has been tortured so lavishly and regularly on film. (Stallone, maybe, but he's a cartoon. Although I kind of like him, he might actually be an interesting Taylor, but there's no point in speculating too far in advance. Off the top of my head, George Clooney also projects the proper amount of cynicism and worldliness. I'm hoping that Ah-nuld is completely out of the picture, I always thought that was a DREADFUL idea.)

Basically though, I'm hoping the script will be so different from the original movie that we can't even THINK in terms of "who'd be perfect for the role as we know it." Who knows if there'll even BE a Nova, as such? And the only characters among the apes that REALLY need to be returned are Zaius, Zira and Cornelius -- or facsimiles thereof.

I MUST disagree that it doesn't matter who PLAYS the apes. One reason why those three roles I mentioned above are indelible is because of the superlative performances, even through all the makeup, of Maurice Evans, Kim Hunter and Roddy McDowall.

Glad you agree with me about Heston as Zaius, Nicolai -- it's so perfect on so many levels. Zaius is the "defender of the faith," and Heston still the guy we identify with as Moses and Ben-Hur (in that "tale of the Christ" from 1959). It would be a gorgeous, weird funhouse mirror, and I'm sure Burton could not resist the opportunity (he's VERY good at casting, and better with actors than he's usually credited for.)

--Kyp

NP: Forever Tonight (Peter Cetera/Crystal Bernard) <--My school's prom song!

Col. George Taylor: Harrison Ford
Dr. Cornelius: Kevin Spacey
Dr. Zira: Lily Taylor
Dr. Zaius: Charlton Heston
Nova: Catherine Zeta-Jones
President Of The Assembly: Kelsey Grammer
Dr. Maximus: David Hyde Pierce
Dr. Honorious: Christopher Plummer

Musical score by Jerry Goldsmith JUST BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A COOL IDEA!

NP: Citizen Kane Herrmann

[This message has been edited by Chris Kinsinger (edited 29 June 2000).]

Could I be more sick of him already? One of the most popular and least versatile actors of all time??

Hey, Lili Taylor, I'd forgotten about her. But wouldn't the makeup for Zera be redundant?

If Elfman doesn't adapt Goldsmiths work.....I'm thinking a darker and slower Nightbreed/Dead Presidents sound.

Wow, Kurt Russel. I'd forgotten about him too. He's the antithesis of Harrison Ford to me. I never tire of watching him (well maybe in Soldier). Russell would be a fantastic Taylor! He's like the 90's James Franciscus.
Couple him with the lady from TWINE and Il Postino and......I"M THERE!!!!

But if he doesn't, the same ideas will still come across.
Atonal, harsh, barbaric music with only small motifs?

That's the contemporary Elfman!

I submit to you that as much as I love the Original Movie, there is sufficient unexplored material in Pierre Boulle's novel Monkey Planet to create something completely fresh and new, totally different from the first film series.

I expect (I hope & I pray!) that Tim Burton will do just that.

NP: 2001 Alex North

If they can make something decent and original, then I think it may be okay. I just don't think it is necessary to re-tell the first Planet of The Apes story. I might be proven wrong. It may end up good. If Burton is helming the project, at least the audience will get some style. I just hope the substance is worth it all though.

Oh yeah. And you had it right. It's AL. I never really thought that people could be mistaking me for steak sauce this whole time.

Personally my fave of the original 5 films is the third. Escape from the Planet of the Apes is written just as well as the first one and I'm just a sucker for a Romeo and Juliet type ending!. Its hard choosing a fave when the first one is so good, like Star Wars or Indiana Jones. But my faves arent the ones that started it all. (Empire and Temple are the best for me.)

So which is your fave Apes film? My ratings are...

Planet of the Apes - 8

Beneath the Planet of the Apes - 6

Escape from the Planet of the Apes - 10

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes - 9

Battle for the planet of the Apes - 5

The TV series kept me riveted to the screen as a child I have to say. Its kind of interesting to watch now. I vaguely remember seeing the animated series. I seem to remember it being overly beige like the first film.

laterz!

Wouldn't THAT be interesting?

I also don't think she's very attractive. I would definitely put her on my list of "Women Whose So-Called Beauty Is Overrated."

On a less serious note:

I think Charleton Heston should play a Gorilla arms dealer selling extra ammo (through the PRA--Primate Rifle Association) to the apes for the hunt....

How about
Taylor: Gene Hackman (why not...)
Nova: Pamela Anderson
Cornelius: Jerry Seinfeld or Ben Stiller
Zaius: Alanis Morrisette (aka Dogma)
2 astronauts who die anyway: William Shatner & Samuel Jackson

Maybe he'll get fired...IT COULD HAPPEN!

Hollywood is not about artistic integrity. Its a BUSINESS!! That means money!

We should all be thankful that Burton is attached because WE ALL KNOW it could be worse. Hey, how about a Bruckheimer Apes film huh?!! Oh I know, how about a Devlin/Emmerich Apes movie. THAT WOULD BE JUST AS GOOD AS GODZILLA!!!! Can't you just see the opening of the film being like the opening of Godzilla? Instead of these dumbfounded looking Igaunas they'd have dumbfounded looking Apes!!!!!

No WAIT!!!! Disney should make it a musical like on the Simpsons.....YEAH!!!!!!

anyway.........

"Planet of the Apes

A film by Joel Schumacher."

More like "PLANET OF THE gAYPES"

. . . um, I mean Marky Mark.