Beneath the Planet of the Apes is (1970) science-fiction film directed by Ted Post, and the first of four
sequels to 1968's Planet of the
Apes. The film stars James Franciscus and Kim
Hunter, and features Charlton Heston in a supporting role.
Plot summary
- This is a summary of the plot from the DVD.
The film story begins at the conclusion of Planet of the Apes,
with the discussion between Dr. Zaius and Taylor about mankind and the quotation from the apes' sacred scrolls read by Cornelius
(Roddy McDowell):
| “ |
Beware the beast, man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he
kills for sport or lust or greed. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him!
For he is the harbinger of death. |
” |
The opening credits are shown with Taylor and Nova riding through the desert of the "Forbidden Zone".
Elsewhere in the Forbidden Zone is severely damaged spacecraft which
has crash-landed. It contains two survivors: an astronaut named Brent
(James Franciscus) and his skipper, though the skipper succumbs to his injuries and
dies soon after. Brent is aware that a significant amount of time has passed and everyone he knows is dead. After burying his
skipper, Brent is approached by Nova, who is on horseback and wearing Taylor's metal I.D. tag. Hoping that Taylor may still be alive, Brent mounts the horse behind her and they ride
out of the desert into the greener, cultivated area outside of Ape City.
They sneak to an amphitheater filled with cheering apes. Addressing the crowd is
General Ursus (James
Gregory), leader of the Ape Army, who is calling for the total extermination of all humans. The orangutans and chimpanzees in the crowd are silent, not agreeing with the
statement. Ursus wants the Apes to invade the Forbidden Zone, conquer it, and use it as a potential food source. After the rally,
Dr. Zaius and General Ursus discuss the impending invasion, with Dr. Zaius conveying his misgivings about fighting an unknown and
potentially dangerous enemy. Ursus says, “We invade or we starve. It’s as simple as that.”
While leaving the amphitheater, Brent is wounded by a patrolling gorilla trooper. Nova takes
him to the home of Cornelius and Zira, who explain the situation to Brent and
treat his wound. Dr. Zaius arrives, so Brent and Nova hide and overhear how Zaius protected Cornelius and Zira from charges of
heresy and treason [month]]s before, but now scolds Zira for her
behavior during the meeting, wherein she remained seated when everyone else stood in
applause. He informs them that he will be joining Ursus on the invasion of the Forbidden Zone. While he is away, he asks for
reassurances that they will stay out of trouble.
Brent and Nova quickly leave Ape City, but are immediately captured by a gorilla patrol. They are taken back to Ape City,
passing squads of gorilla soldiers going through military exercises using humans for targets. At the compound, they are spotted
by Zira, who feigns scientific interest to save them. However, Ursus has authority over them. As they are loaded back into the
wagon, Zira pretends to lock the door but leaves it unlocked, enabling them to escape.
After escaping, Brent and Nova hide in an unnatural-looking cave which Brent soon recognizes is a former subway station. Overwrought, he wonders aloud what could have happened to destroy the world he knew. Brent
and Nova go deeper into the tunnels, eventually following a humming sound. Separated from Nova, Brent enters the remains of
St. Patrick's Cathedral, and finds a person inside, kneeling before
the high altar. However, the object of worship fills him with horror - an intact nuclear
intercontinental ballistic missile.
The unmasked mutants and their god.
In the ruins of Grand Central Terminal, the city rulers barage Brent with
questions asked telepathically. When it is apparent that he can not handle their telepathic communication, their leader instructs
them to verbal questioning. Brent confirms their worst fears; “The Apes are
marching on your city!” Other than their “Divine Bomb”, the mutants’ only defenses are telepathic illusions.
In the Forbidden Zone, the ape army comes upon the horrible sight of their gorilla scouts crucified on inverted crosses, engulfed in flames. Ursus is outraged and then frightened when a monolithic
statue of their Lawgiver appears over them and begins to bleed. Instead of instilling fear, Zaius is incensed at the sight but
recognizes it as an illusion, and charges through it, confirming its falsehood. Ursus orders the army to continue their
advance.
With the failure of their illusion to dissuade the apes, the mutants have no choice but to prepare to detonate the “Divine
Bomb.” The mutants hold a worship service in the cathedral, Brent and Nova are given robes to wear and attend. The congregation
sings a corrupted version of the Anglican hymn
“All Things Bright and Beautiful”, praising “the Bomb Almighty,” and in
unison removes masks which had concealed their true appearance. Exposed to centuries of radioactive fallout, the mutants are skinless and horribly scarred.
Afterward, Brent is separated from Nova and put in a jail cell with Taylor, an explanation from the mutant explains their
practice of getting their enemies to kill each other. Under his telepathic control, Taylor and Brent fight each other. Hearing
the sound of the fighting, Nova escapes her guard and runs to the cell. She cries out “Tay-lor!” The sound of her voice breaks
the mutant’s concentration, freeing Brent and Taylor from his control and they kill him. At this time, the apes have entered the
tunnels of the city, and one manages to kill Nova.
Using a battering ram, the apes force their way into St. Patrick’s Cathedral to be
confronted by Mendez, the leader of the mutants. The missile rises into launch position, and Taylor and Brent arrive just in time
to see the Mendez gunned down by the gorillas before he can fire it. The gorillas start to pull down the missile with ropes.
Brent had described the missile to Taylor in the cell which, from the "ΑΩ" (Alpha and Omega) markings, Taylor recognized as
the "doomsday bomb"; if it is launched, it will destroy the entire planet. Brent and
Taylor attempt to stop Ursus from accidentally set off the weapon, but Taylor is shot. Seeing this, Brent goes into a rage.
Coming out into the open, he starts killing gorillas, beginning with Ursus himself.
As this is going on, Zaius confronts Taylor. The mortally wounded man pleads with Zaius for help. Zaius contemptuously
refuses: "You ask me to help you?! Man is evil, capable of nothing but destruction!" With this remark, Brent's rifle empties and
the gorillas kill him in a barrage of gunfire. Taylor dies, and his outstretched hand (extended in a last, futile plea for help)
falls on the control switch that triggers the bomb, destroying the Earth itself. The film ends with a narration (spoken by
veteran voice actor Paul Frees):
| “ |
In one of the countless billions of galaxies in the universe, lies a medium-sized
star, and one of its satellites, a green and insignificant planet, is now dead. |
” |
Cast
Production
In
Beneath the Planet of the Apes, the mutant society is realised with the help of reused sets from
Hello, Dolly!. The above pictures show the sets as they appeared in the two films for
comparison
Relation to the Planet of the Apes series
- Roddy McDowall did not return for his role in this sequel (he was directing a movie
overseas). Actor David Watson portrays Cornelius through most of the film. Although uncredited, an edited version of the ending
of the first movie was used in "Beneath", making McDowall the only actor to appear in all five "Ape" movies. The animated TV
series is the only original Apes project of which McDowall is not a part.
- Actress Natalie Trundy appears in all 4 of the sequel movies.
- Charlton Heston showed little interest in reprising his Colonel George Taylor role from the first movie, agreeing to briefly
appear with the provison that Taylor be killed at story's start. Instead, Taylor disappears at the story's start and is killed
near the end[3].
- Actor Heston claimed it was his idea that Taylor destroy the planet. He hoped that would end the series; not so, three
prequel were made by APJAC Productions.[4]
- This movie mentions the "Hasslein Curve", a rift in time that returned Taylor's and Brent's spaceships to Earth, far in its
future. This is the second reference to Dr. Otto Hasslein, who appears
in the next sequel, Escape from the Planet of the Apes.
Novelisation
- The novelization of the film by Michael Avallone, retained the original scripted
ending. Brent does not kill General Ursus. Taylor confronts him and Dr. Zaius. As Taylor tries to reason with Zaius, Zaius
condemns him and Ursus repeatedly shoots Taylor with his pistol; Brent's rifle empties and the gorillas kill him. Ursus is
horrified, telling Zaius that he has emptied the pistol into Taylor; he should be dead, but he still lives. Knowing he is dying,
Taylor (after Zaius refuses to help him) decides to stop the violence by detonating the bomb. This he does, destroying the Earth
itself.[5]
References
- ^ BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES Original Soundtrack by Leonard
Rosenman Label: Film Score Monthly Vol. 3 No. 3, background notes
- ^ PLANET OF THE APES: THE LEGACY COLLECTION
- ^ BEHIND THE PLANET OF THE APES documentary, in the DVD box sets).
- ^ BEHIND THE PLANET OF THE APES documentary.
- ^ Beneath the Planet of the Apes by Michael Avallone (Paperback -
1970)
External links
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