Battle for the Planet of the Apes

About Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Battle for the Planet of the Apes is the fifth installment in the Planet of the Apes series, released in 1973. The movie, directed by J. Lee Thompson, comprises a dystopian society where a destructive nuclear war has left the world in ruins. The plot develops around a community of evolved apes who live peacefully with a group of humans but face threats from within and outside their community.

Making / Production

The movie was produced by Arthur P. Jacobs and written by Paul Dehn and John William Corrington. Despite being under tight budget constraints compared to its predecessors, the movie was able to achieve great cinematic moments thanks to smart decisions made in set design, costuming, and filming techniques. The movie was shot in California, primarily in Simi Valley and the Fox Movie Ranch.

Actors

• Roddy McDowall as Caesar - McDowall reprised his role as Caesar, bringing depth and empathy to the character's struggle between peace and power.
• Natalie Trundy as Lisa - Trundy portrayed Caesar's wife, a character required to express emotions subtly and effectively through heavy makeup and costumes.
• Severn Darden as Kolp - Playing the role of the vindictive human antagonist, Darden presented a engaging villain, struggling with the power dynamics in this post-apocalyptic world.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Battle for the Planet of the Apes is the shortest movie in the original series, running at 93 minutes.
• The film includes a post-credits scene, something not typical for movies produced in the 1970s.
• This was the last Apes movie produced by franchise creator Arthur P. Jacobs.

Quotes

• "In all our years of slavery to mankind, the word 'No' was the one word we were electrically conditioned to fear." - Caesar
• "Ape has never killed ape, let alone an ape child." - Lisa
• "This is not how it was to be." - Caesar

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's original score was composed by Leonard Rosenman, who had previously scored the second movie of the series.
• The soundtrack includes various compositions that evoke elements of suspense, tragedy, and hope, creating an engaging backdrop to the post-apocalyptic world of the movie.