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Remaking PLANET OF THE APES??? (I have a very Bad Feeling about this!)

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Author	Topic: Remaking PLANET OF THE APES??? (I have a very Bad Feeling about this!)

Ford A. Thaxton Standard Userer	Well, just based on the various items that I've heard about this project so far, I have this awful feeling we could be seeing a film that just might be worse then then PSYCHO 98 and BATTLEFIELD EARTH put together... it's also worth mentioning that Mark Wahlberg has signed to take the lead role for the remake of ``Planet of the Apes'' in a two-picture deal that also includes a sequel. Director Tim Burton is scheduled to begin shooting in the fall, with Fox planning a release in summer 2001. Now this could turn out to be a very fine film, but I do have a quesiton: WHY REMAKE THIS FILM IN THE FIRST PLACE? It's a classic movie that is still as fresh and exciting today as it was when it was first released in 1968? I wonder if anyone at FOX who thought this was a good idea has ever seen the the original film. They would have been better remaking FANTASTIC VOYAGE, that could be greatly improved upon. It's their money, they're free to spend it anyway they wish. I guess we'll know next year if it was a wise use of their funds. Regards Ford A. Thaxton
posted 07-01-2000 10:30 AM PT (US)

Kevin Standard Userer	Ford, You make some excellent points. I too woinder why they are remaking it, but then I think "hey, it's Hollywood. They don't always think clearly." The bigwigs at FOXD probably just see an easy money maker for their studio. Why bother to come up with something original when you can copy what's already been done? But as you say, time will tell. Some remakes have been fairly good, in my opnion (Sabrina, Always, etc.), but one never knows. It will be interesting to see what Elfman comes up with for the score. Kevin
posted 07-01-2000 10:41 AM PT (US)

Jeron Standard Userer	Ford, I share your concerns as well. Let's hope this doesn't turn into a project that can only be saved by the score... of course, if the score saves it, than that'll be a heck of a thing to have, won't it? As I understand it, this isn't exactly a remake. It's more of a re-envisionment of the book. Apparently it's not supposed to be compared to the original film, as they have some different plans for this one. Unlike Psycho, which WAS a remake, this could turn out to be good... and like you said, I suppose we will see in about a year. Jeron [This message has been edited by Jeron (edited 01 July 2000).]
posted 07-01-2000 10:42 AM PT (US)

André Lux Standard Userer	I feel exactly like you... Indeed it sounds like a really bad idea. Specially with some freak as Tim Burton on helm. I wonder which role Pee-Wee Herman will be called to do...
posted 07-01-2000 10:46 AM PT (US)

PeterK FishChip	http://www.moviemusic.com/mb/Forum1/HTML/003132.html
posted 07-01-2000 11:18 AM PT (US)

Gae Standard Userer	I do hope that it will be a "re-interpretation" of the novel and not just a "remake" of the classic movie. After all, unless you have no ideas of your own or out to make fast buck, why bother re-making a classic movie like "Planet of the Apes"? Why not just re-release the original digitally re-mastered etc. Exact re-makes of films do seem a bit self-indulgent to me. Its almost like a director liking a movie so much that he wants to imitate it so that he can feel as though he made the movie and is riding on the back of the success and fame of a classic etc. I haven't seen the remake of "Psycho" and judging by the reviews of it I dont think I'll bother. It will certainly be interesting to see what vision Tim Burton will come up with. Will they still be using Ape masks like the original or are they going to use CGI effects etc...anyone know? Gae NP Music from the Hammer films (J.Bernard)
posted 07-01-2000 12:22 PM PT (US)

Howard L Standard Userer	Kinda hard to top that Serling/Goldsmith connection...
posted 07-01-2000 01:34 PM PT (US)

JJH Standard Userer	I must be missing out on something, but why can't films be looked at the same way as something like opera, or ballet, or theater? We constantly get the same pieces offered up with new sets, wardrobe, etc., with the same libretto, dialogue, music... Why is film any different? JJ, devil's advocate
posted 07-01-2000 03:25 PM PT (US)

meegle Standard Userer	Why is Hollywood remaking this film? BECAUSE THEY CAN!!!!!! 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.........
posted 07-01-2000 03:36 PM PT (US)

logied Standard Userer	It is my understanding that this will be more like the TV version and not a remake of the movie. Burton has a way of making a plain like joe such as Walberg into a guy you care about and I hope Burton is maturing and the movie will hold up under business pressure.
posted 07-01-2000 04:11 PM PT (US)

Chris Kinsinger Standard Userer	20th Century-Fox has been milking the Planet Of The Apes cash cow for over 30 years now, and they need a fresh start to get that milk flowing once more. In the AMC documentary, Behind The Planet Of The Apes, director J. Lee Thompson lamented that Fox kept cutting budgets with each successive sequel. He felt the series was worth more, and that larger budgets would have produced a better film series. I'm guessing that attitude remains the same, and that Burton's first Apes film will be a big budget affair, followed by less expensive sequels. If they follow the novel, these movies will be very different from the first series.
posted 07-01-2000 06:02 PM PT (US)

Crono/Kyp Standard Userer	I saw that documentary! I liked it, it was wel done and gave you a good insight into the films. If you ever get a chance to see it, do. --Kyp NP: MI2/Hans Zimmer
posted 07-02-2000 10:31 AM PT (US)

SBD Standard Userer	Ford, I couldn't agree more. If it ain't broke, why ruin it? My theory is that films that weren't classics, but are good anyway, should be remade. Thereby, Hollywood is proclaiming that the original PotA was bad, and that it needs to be redone. For shame!
posted 07-02-2000 11:22 AM PT (US)

Howard L Standard Userer	"Why is film any different?" I think it's because of the larger-than-life aspects of the silver screen. And when it's done oh so right the first time, the impression's impregnable. And then you resent the motivations behind the 'tampering' with that impression, as this thread illustrates.
posted 07-02-2000 03:12 PM PT (US)

Vladimir Standard Userer	Well i am also woundering if this should be remade but??? Over the years directors have recreated old movies and comic book hero's into movies.I think Tim Burton (my favorite director)is the guy this movie needs to have a recreation of it.He just has that majic touch that some directors don't have and he has a weird imagination also.So putting him and Danny Elfman on this project should be a plus for an awesome remake.One last suggestion Burton should bring back his old buddy production designer Bo Welch to design the sets for this film. He previously worked on Burton films such as Beatlejuice Batman Returns and Edward Scissorhands I loved his work on Batman Returns!!! seeya guys!
posted 07-02-2000 07:59 PM PT (US)

Nicolai P. Zwar Standard Userer	Actually, I have a rather good feeling about the whole project since I know that the director will be Tim Burton. The old 20th Century Fox movie won't be gone, it is already there and a classic. But there is room for a different take on a visit to the PLANET OF THE APES.
posted 07-03-2000 04:27 AM PT (US)

Greg Bryant Standard Userer	I don't have a lot of confidence in the remake for exactly the same reasons mentioned above. Why remake it other than to score a new franchise? The original is damn near perfect and really doesn't need any updating. The only way I can see the film going ahead is for the producers to MAKE Boulle's original novel, not REMAKE Schaffner's film. If you've read the novel, then you know that the film departed from most of the book (the simian culture was a modern one with cities, airplanes, etc., whereas the original film placed the apes in a pre-industrial culture, I suppose because it was cheaper that way. With today's digital effects, it would be easier to recreate Boulle's vision). Some of the story ideas I read has the ape culture taking place at the center of the earth (ala Verne or Burroughs). It all seems pretty lame. I can also voice agreement with jerry Goldsmith's decision not to accept any offer to score the film. His comments was something to the effect "I've said everything there is to say musically about the subject." In other words, keep your stinking paws off this film, you damn dirty producers!
posted 07-03-2000 06:41 AM PT (US)

Howard L Standard Userer	"If you've read the novel, then you know that the film departed from most of the book (the simian culture was a modern one with cities, airplanes, etc., whereas the original film placed the apes in a pre-industrial culture, I suppose because it was cheaper that way. With today's digital effects, it would be easier to recreate Boulle's vision)." Contrast that approach with the one taken for the film version of War Of The Worlds. The novel took place in the pre-industrial age but the movie was updated to the present. I suppose it worked but the defenselessness of the populi was compromised a tad.
posted 07-03-2000 03:28 PM PT (US)

Swashbuckler Standard Userer	quote: I must be missing out on something, but why can't films be looked at the same way as something like opera, or ballet, or theater? Why is film any different? The answer is because film is a technological medium, and the others that you mentioned are not. The results produced by filmmakers are (not counting the aging of the elements) immutable and will be the same each time you watch the film. [This message has been edited by Swashbuckler (edited 08 July 2000).]
posted 07-08-2000 04:27 PM PT (US)

Chris Kinsinger Standard Userer	It doesn't matter to me what Tim Burton or anybody else does with Planet Of The Apes. (Frankly, I was rather disgusted that the latest home video release shows the Statue Of Liberty right on the cover, totally blowing the ending for a new generation of movie watchers who have never seen the film!) The experience that I had in the theatre in 1968, watching Planet Of The Apes impacted me powerfully, and no one can ever take that away from me. I relive that same excitement each time I see the film, and I'm sure that I always will. So, let them make a hundred "new, improved" versions, I don't care! I will ALWAYS love the original! And who knows? Maybe Burton will do something really great with that material...
posted 07-08-2000 06:28 PM PT (US)

Darth Fart Standard Userer	I'm NOT watching a re-make of Apes, the original is a true classic.
posted 07-10-2000 07:25 AM PT (US)

Pete M Standard Userer	I'm actually feeling fairly positive about this film now. When I first heard about the project, I thought it would be a pretty bad idea, but then Arnie & James Cameron were being suggested. Apparently the original idea for the first film was to make the ape civilzation much more sophisticated & technological living in big cities, & having cars & helicopters & things. This was deemed too complex, so they scaled down the ideas. I don't know if this new film will follow those ideas or not. And just be reworking the idea, it's not going to make the original any worse, is it? It's still going to be just as great a film as it always has been. Did Psycho '98 make people think worse of Hitchcocks version? Of course not. If anything, it makes them appreciate it more, because they can see how much better it is. Plus, of course, Tim Burton is on board. Anyone who's read my profile will know that I'm quite a big fan of his, & frankly, I trust hi judgement. He's never let me down yet (I adore ALL his movies), & if the re-working is okay by him, then it's okay by me too. np nothing.
posted 07-17-2000 09:24 AM PT (US)

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