Comments on: Beneath the Planet of the Apes http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/ Jeff VanderMeer Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:39:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: GlenH http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6468 GlenH Sat, 02 Feb 2008 01:32:00 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6468 Alright... It's been a little while for me too but here goes. The black boxes were placed by some unknown alien civ to facilitate the growth of intelligent life. Thus the apes learn to use tools etc. When Bowmen goes through some kind of wormhole thingy created by the box on Io he arrives in an environment that mimics a hotel room albeit imperfectly and is transformed/reborn into a superior being which is the fetus thing we see at the end. Alright… It’s been a little while for me too but here goes. The black boxes were placed by some unknown alien civ to facilitate the growth of intelligent life. Thus the apes learn to use tools etc. When Bowmen goes through some kind of wormhole thingy created by the box on Io he arrives in an environment that mimics a hotel room albeit imperfectly and is transformed/reborn into a superior being which is the fetus thing we see at the end.

]]> By: Mark L. Williams http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6458 Mark L. Williams Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:56:47 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6458 Hey, Glen! It's been many many moons since I read the book -- my recollection is that it indeed did "disambiguate" a lot of the material, but hey -- in a century whose impulse and trajectory is as opaque as the 21st's, I'm always up for more disambiguation! Hey, Glen!

It’s been many many moons since I read the book — my recollection is that it indeed did “disambiguate” a lot of the material, but hey — in a century whose impulse and trajectory is as opaque as the 21st’s, I’m always up for more disambiguation!

]]> By: GlenH http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6455 GlenH Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:48:12 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6455 @ Mark L. Williams - You can be somewhat less puzzled by reading C. Clarke's book; if you so desire. This is of course assuming you haven't already done so. Or (still assuming you haven't read said book) I can disambiguate here - if you're still reading the responses. @ Mark L. Williams – You can be somewhat less puzzled by reading C. Clarke’s book; if you so desire. This is of course assuming you haven’t already done so. Or (still assuming you haven’t read said book) I can disambiguate here – if you’re still reading the responses.

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6443 Jeff VanderMeer Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:04:55 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6443 I remember a swamp in the movie. I wonder if it was shown as a movie-movie overseas. Hmmm. JV I remember a swamp in the movie. I wonder if it was shown as a movie-movie overseas. Hmmm.
JV

]]> By: James http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6435 James Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:10:42 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6435 Your offhand John Savage comment is just the kind of thing to get under my skin. <i>The Deer Hunter</i> certainly had some tropical scenes, but it's not quite old enough for you to have seen it in 1974. IMDb says that he was in a TV movie called "Evil in the Swamp" around the right time, but I have no idea what that might be like. Nor do I really have an interest in finding out, I have to say. As for PotA, my spousal equivalent peformed a masterly silent version of pretty much the whole movie during a charades-like game once. Her partner was the only one in a room of a dozen people not to know what she was doing, so it went on for about two minutes and was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Your offhand John Savage comment is just the kind of thing to get under my skin. The Deer Hunter certainly had some tropical scenes, but it’s not quite old enough for you to have seen it in 1974. IMDb says that he was in a TV movie called “Evil in the Swamp” around the right time, but I have no idea what that might be like. Nor do I really have an interest in finding out, I have to say.

As for PotA, my spousal equivalent peformed a masterly silent version of pretty much the whole movie during a charades-like game once. Her partner was the only one in a room of a dozen people not to know what she was doing, so it went on for about two minutes and was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.

]]> By: Jayme Lynn Blaschke http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6428 Jayme Lynn Blaschke Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:01:17 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6428 Escape from the Planet of the Apes is a lot of fun, as they reverse the scenario and really engage in some scathing satire. Some willing acceptance of hand-waving is necessary at the beginning for the premise to work, but once you get past that the film moves along swimmingly. Escape from the Planet of the Apes is a lot of fun, as they reverse the scenario and really engage in some scathing satire. Some willing acceptance of hand-waving is necessary at the beginning for the premise to work, but once you get past that the film moves along swimmingly.

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6410 Jeff VanderMeer Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:55:54 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6410 Hey, Rick. Yeah, the Burton sucked. It was just...awful. I agree Beneath is pretty awful in places, but the audacity of it in places was amazing. I'll check out the next two now. ONE of them is the one I saw as a kid. I also remember seeing, as part of the Singapore double-feature, what looked to me, at least when I later learned his name, Jon Savage in a kind of semi-tropical setting, on the lam. Never been able to figure out what that movie might've been. JV Hey, Rick. Yeah, the Burton sucked. It was just…awful. I agree Beneath is pretty awful in places, but the audacity of it in places was amazing. I’ll check out the next two now. ONE of them is the one I saw as a kid. I also remember seeing, as part of the Singapore double-feature, what looked to me, at least when I later learned his name, Jon Savage in a kind of semi-tropical setting, on the lam. Never been able to figure out what that movie might’ve been.

JV

]]> By: Mark L. Williams http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6408 Mark L. Williams Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:49:22 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6408 I don't know if when and how you first see a movie helps determine what you think of its intrinsic content: I saw "2001" with my dad on the big screen (Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco -- they were selling *programs*) and have loved it (and been puzzled by it) ever since. "Beneath" was the fist ape film I saw in theatres -- a school buddy and I were dropped off for the matinee -- and likewise (because it also confirmed by budding dystopian/apocalyptic sensibilities, currently being borne out in the Age of Bush) retain a soft spot for it. That said, nothin' against "Planet" -- quite the contrary. "2001," however, is firmly lodged atop the celluloid sf heap for me, however... I don’t know if when and how you first see a movie helps determine what you think of its intrinsic content: I saw “2001″ with my dad on the big screen (Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco — they were selling *programs*) and have loved it (and been puzzled by it) ever since.

“Beneath” was the fist ape film I saw in theatres — a school buddy and I were dropped off for the matinee — and likewise (because it also confirmed by budding dystopian/apocalyptic sensibilities, currently being borne out in the Age of Bush) retain a soft spot for it.

That said, nothin’ against “Planet” — quite the contrary. “2001,” however, is firmly lodged atop the celluloid sf heap for me, however…

]]> By: Rick Klaw http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/comment-page-1/#comment-6407 Rick Klaw Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:45:51 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2008/01/30/beneath-the-planet-of-the-apes/#comment-6407 Jeff as you can imagine I've done a lot of research and watching of The Planet of the Apes films. PotA was quite simply the best science fiction film of 1968-- much more enjoyable and entertaining than the overblown, over-hyped, and at times boring 2001. PotA is a beautifully realized dystopian reflection of American society in the 1960s, complete with a perfect cast, excellent script, and outstanding direction. That's not to say it's a perfect film, but it is the ideal model on how to make a sensational, successful Hollywood science fiction movie. Beneath is one of my least favorite of the sequels. I much prefer the time travel third installment, Escape to the Planet of the Apes. And don't even get me started on the wretched Tim Burton film.... Rick Jeff as you can imagine I’ve done a lot of research and watching of The Planet of the Apes films. PotA was quite simply the best science fiction film of 1968– much more enjoyable and entertaining than the overblown, over-hyped, and at times boring 2001. PotA is a beautifully realized dystopian reflection of American society in the 1960s, complete with a perfect cast, excellent script, and outstanding direction. That’s not to say it’s a perfect film, but it is the ideal model on how to make a sensational, successful Hollywood science fiction movie.

Beneath is one of my least favorite of the sequels. I much prefer the time travel third installment, Escape to the Planet of the Apes.

And don’t even get me started on the wretched Tim Burton film….

Rick

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