Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (Ted Post, 1970)

"Mr. Taylor, Mr. Brent, we are a peaceful people. We don't kill our enemies. We get our enemies to kill each other."

Introduction

The end of Planet of the Apes may give the impression of a further story. But, if you think about it, there is not much to explore. Taylor (Charlton Heston) has realised that earth is destroyed, and he is the only speaking human on the planet. He has Nova (Linda Harrison) and, originally, an ending was toyed with whereby Nova and Taylor had a child, but this was scrapped for the Statue of Liberty finale. It was 1970 and, in terms of sequels, they only had a few around to be inspired by. Paul Dehn was hired to write the screenplay, a writer who co-wrote Goldfinger, a sequel that completely re-invented the James Bond franchise. Though, like the James Bond films, Dehn seems to think that the best way to continue to Planet of the Apes story, is by imitating the basic set-up of the previous film. In terms of 007 influencing the Apes, I think a tunnel-sequence does seem to recall a little bit of Dr No. But Dehn does seem to go a different direction in the final few acts - with an ending you won't see coming.

The Ape-World Has Been Disrupted

This time, the ship is on a rescue mission to save the astronaunts in the first film. Brent (James Franciscus) is the only survivor. Unsure what to do, he comes across Nova who is wearing Taylors dogtags. Through a series of flashbacks, we realise that Nova and Taylor continued to travel through The Forbidden Zone after realising they were on planet Earth. Taylor and Nova witness the ground breaking up, and fire emerges, until suddenly Taylor disappears - leaving Nova alone. Brent and Nova travel to the Ape City and the council are in session. The Gorilla's are keen to explore The Forbidden Zone and destroy all human life as, because of Taylors actions, the Apes do not trust humans anymore and know that they present a threat.

So far, it is very much the same. Nova and Brent soon find Cornelius (The only film in the original franchise to not include Roddy McDowell, instead casting David Watson) and Zira (Kim Hunter), who again, trust the humans. But unlike the first film, the Apes are not as fearful about exploration. The Gorillas are keen to explore for the sake of dominance and power. We see similar sequences as Gorillas chase the humans, but this time Zira assists them in escaping too. Almost by accident, as Brent hides, he realises the planet is Earth himself and he explores underground to find a hidden human race who worship the A-Bomb. This is where the film becomes very strange and, changes direction completely to the first film. Humans exist and they are powerful, using their minds to control others...


Arrogance of Peaceful People

Planet of the Apes attacked people who blindly followed a faith - the idea that true exploration and discovery is hindered by those of a particular doctrine. The dwellers who exist underground are humans who have been irreversibly scarred. Though the people 'beneath' the planet are 'Peaceful People', they have the power to control other peoples minds and will comfortably let others kill each other rather than commit murder themselves. Opposed to the society established by the Apes, ignorant to the reality outside of their own borders, these dwellers are arrogant and pray to a bomb. An A-Bomb.

This is where the full strangeness of the film kicks-in. We witness a prayer ceremony, very-much modelled on Catholic Mass. The repetition of traditonal prayer mixed with uncomfortable, bomb-related notions.

"Glory be to the Bomb, and to the Holy Fallout. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end. Amen"

"May the Blessings of the Bomb Almighty, and the Fellowship of the Holy Fallout, descend upon us all. This day and forever more."

This is where, originally an attack on religious-dogma and blind-faith, appears to be more specific in attacking Catholicism and the corrupted "history" attached to the faith. Words have been switched from "Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit", so that slight changes are highlighted. Over time, it seems, words and meaning have changed. How can we still stick to a Bible, a document thousands and thousands of years old, when clearly its true meaning and intent could have been changed?

Akin to fundamentalistm and terrorism, these religious characters are dangerous and, though they do not believe it, they are a threat to the society they represent. Their humanity has been replaced by a deeply-rooted sense of purpose - the bomb. They can force the Apes to see visions which are untrue as if to highlight how faith is beyond what you can see in front of you, and what is around you. It is this same attitude to faith that ensures Dr Zaius (Maurice Evans) and General Ursus (James Gregory) push through the vision and manage to break past. These apes have seen too much - and no image will satisfy their deep-desire for dominance of the planet. Both faiths are in opposition and we see the age-old argument as two conflicting dogma's compete for control of a civilisation.

The Definitive End

So often, to mock the 'don't spoil it' attitude of others, I will use a nuclear bomb as an example of what the film includes ("Don't tell me what happens at the end of The Deer Hunter!"/"Of course I won't, as long as nobody has told you about the nuclear-bomb explosion, you should be fine!" *applause*). Word to the wise, don't mention that finale for this film because that does indeed happen. Before the bomb even goes off, the vast majority of the cast are killed off, and Taylor, struggling to stand manages to limp to the bomb and set it off. Boom. Credits.

The fear of the unknown has stopped true peace. Again, man destroys itself in it's efforts for dominance. Charlton Heston returned for his role under the assumption that this would be the end of the Planet of the Apes saga - indeed, he never returns until Tim Burtons Planet of the Apes in 2001. But, the producers had other plans. The final act shows the fight between Brent and Taylor amongst the deformed-humans and Gorilla Apes, with Dr Zaius alongside them - until the bomb hits, killing them all off. Cornelius and Zira were not amongst the fighters though, and for good reason ...

A Matter of Life and Death (Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger, 1946)

"One is starved for Technicolor up there"

Introduction

In 2004, Total Film magazine called on 25 critics to decide on the Top 50 British Films ever. From Russia with Love, came in at No.9, Trainspotting hitting the No.4 spot whilst The Third Man sat at the No.3 spot. A Matter of Life and Death sat pretty at No.2 whilst Get Carter nabbed the No.1 position. It was initially a propaganda film trying to smooth relations between England and America following the second World War. It does indeed do this, but becomes so much more than that ...

Stairway to Heaven

Called Stairway to Heaven in America, A Matter of Life and Death is a film created by the hugely-influential filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The duo are often considered to be directors who were ahead of their time and when you consider how A Matter of Life and Death discusses the profound and fascinating idea of life-after-death within the context of World War II, you can see how. This was not your usual romantic-drama, this was a film that equally argues its case for life-after-death and atheism as our lead character, Peter (David Niven) appears to have skipped death and is consequently put on trial by the court of Heaven. Whilst, on Earth, we are told he is hallucinating.

To show such a concept, it required large, dynamic film-sets to present the court and stairway to heaven itself. These few sequences became iconic themselves as imitations feature in the music video for the Pet Shop Boys Go West single whilst another set-up appears on the sleeve for Phil Collin's single Something Happened on the Way To Heaven. Not to mention how Conductor 71 has an interest in chess and games - a staple of the character of Death in both The Seventh Seal and Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.

The Big Break

Jack Cardiff discusses on a Special Feature on the DVD for A Matter of Life and Death: "I had worked in black-and-white, of course, before colour came in but by the time I was old enough, or whatever, to become a cameraman, technicolour had arrived, so my first photographic job was in fact in colour - and it was called A Matter of Life and Death". Jack Cardiff's "big break" was due to Michael Powell and as a challenge, the use of colour in A Matter of Life and Death was intrinsic to to the story as Heaven was shot in black-and-white whilst Earth is shot in colour - according to Michael Powell this was because it is what the audience didn't expect. Like a reversed version of The Wizard of Oz, it seem to even give a nod to Victor Fleming's 1939 classic by even doubling-up characters in Heaven and on Earth as the Judge in Heaven doubles-up as the doctor who is operating on Peter. D.O.P. Jack Cardiff went on to become Director of Photography on The Red Shoes, Rambo First Blood: Part II and The African Queen.

Controversial Talking Point

The film initially opens on text that reads: "This is the story of two worlds, the one we know and another which exists only in the mind...". Suddenly, it scrolls up to continue the statement: "...of a young airman whose life and imagination have been violently shaped by war."

The very nature of creating a film about life-after-death and the judgement of God and starting a film noting how it only "exists in the mind" is incredibly brave. More fascinating is how the film continues to keep this theme throughout the film. Peter has survived jumping from an airplane without a parachute and you either see that as luck or you see it as a miracle ... and his 'dreams' and 'hallucinations' are either angels or figments of his mind. A specific line goes further to establish the context as everything he recalls from his dreams and hallucinations is from his memory, stating "nothing is fantastic".

The Future

At one point, the camera is sat from the perspective of Peter lying on a stetcher moving into the hospital ward. Clearly, Brian De Palma's opening - and finale -to Carlito's Way is inspired by this very sequence. The huge stage-sets at Denham Studios, created by Alfred Junge, must have inspired Ken Adams and his Pinewood Studio James Bond sets. Even the start of the film as we see June speaking to Peter as the Lancaster is about to crash down, in the WW2 context, must have inspired those final moments in Captain America: The First Avenger. Seriously - watch the two together, Joe Johnston must have known what he was doing - just compare Kim Hunter to Hayley Atwell. Then we have the ambiguity around the context - are we watching a man fight the madness that has corrupted his mind following war ... or are we watching a Final Destination guy-who-has-cheated-death scenario. Clearly, noting all those inspirations show how much ahead of their time Powell and Pressburger truly were - and how important this film truly is.