Updated: August 19, 2015

By Ken Netzel:

Hi all...Thanks to "Uncle Odie" for the opportunity to write about a great franchise such as "Planet of the Apes." I've been a fan of the series from the first film, down to the animated series. Not a big fan of the Tim Burton film, however. I felt you can't "Re-imagine" perfection. I feel the makeup's from the original stand up to the new film perfectly. One of those "Why remake the good movies...leave them alone and do the bad ones." But POTA has always been a favorite of mine...even to the point where the Lost in Space episode, "Fugitives in Space", is one of my favorite episodes because I read that the episode was used as a "screen test" for the ape makeup's used in the movie. The Creech makeup was essentially a gorilla appliance with flesh tone paint.

Once again a time where these two great franchises cross. The others: the LIS music used on the POTA screen test, and the Jupiter-2 landing gear used for the wreck of Brent's ship. Not to mention the J2 sound effects used for the Icarus crash.

I always enjoyed the TV series...I have the DVD set. I can watch them over and over again. I always felt the character development to be great. Where Taylor was happy to leave earth, you felt sympathy for Pete and Allen for who they left behind. Too bad it didn't last long. The animateds were good too. I read a review of the new DVD about to be released, and agree with the comments "the animation is poor and the acting flat, but the excellent scripts make up for it. Guaranteed to fill the apes appetite." I already have mine on pre-order and am waiting with baited breath for their arrival.

So in conclusion, let's hope the franchise continues (more with the traditional aspects) and there will be more apes in the future. In the meantime, "GO APE" over the great pics in these galleries.

Ken