Planet of the Apes Blu-ray

Planet of the Apes

 (1968)

Action | Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi



Three astronouts after a crash landing find themselves stranded in an upside-down planet--a place where talking apes are in charge and mute humans are hunted and enslaved by the tyrannical primates.

For more details about Planet of the Apes on Blu-ray, see the Planet of the Apes Blu-ray Review

Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner

Planet of the Apes Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


Planet of the Apes reveals its secrets on Blu-ray in what is an exceptional 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer, no surprise coming from Fox. Detail reproduction throughout the film is exceptional. The film's opening sequence occurs inside a space shuttle, a set that is sparse, pedestrian, and nearly monochromatic, but functional. In hindsight, it looks extremely outdated and goofy, but like the sets on the original "Star Trek" television series, there is a certain charm to it. Despite its uninteresting visual appearance, the disc shows off all of the nuances of the set well, from the black and silver metallic captains chairs to the overly large and antiquated buttons and readouts. After the ship crash lands, the disc never falters in revealing the natural detail and beauty of the mysterious planet. The rock cliffs, the dirt-laden and rocky desert floor, and the water itself look marvelous. As more life and vegetation is discovered, the transfer continues to look sharp. The dense greens fill the screen with the first-seen bold and abundant colors. They look bright and natural, each sporting individuality and distinctiveness one from the other, simply not appearing as a smudge of green pigment. Facial detail is marvelous; the beards, the fine detail, and even the sweat glistening off the skin of the crashed survivors is lifelike. Flesh tones, too are rendered with a natural appearance. Ape makeup has never looked better; even under the 1080p spotlight, the seamlessness remains remarkable. Save for a few long-distance shots later in the film during the court room scenes, the imagery lacks any hint of softness. There are some small pops, speckles and stray hairs on the print, but nothing to be concerned about. If anything, they add to the old-time feel of the visuals and the nostalgia of the film. Planet of the Apes also features a fine layer of grain, and the overall experience is theatrical in feel. This is yet another film that begs to be displayed on the largest of screens, particularly considering the quality of this Blu-ray release.

Planet of the Apes Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


Planet of the Apes arrives on Blu-ray with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and Fox has also included the film's original mono soundtrack. The DTS track is fairly good, perhaps a bit rough around the edges and sometimes ear-piercingly loud at reference volume, but it supports the original material very well. Nevertheless, despite the 5.1 monicker, this is a very center channel-centric soundtrack. Rarely does the track spread out across the front, let alone into the rears. The crash-landing sequence is loud and high-pitched, almost an annoyance at reference volume, but considering the disoriented and confused visuals, it works well to add to the sense of panic and to the out-of-control, foreboding moment. As the film moves on, sound effects start to spread around the soundstage if only reservedly; a brief thunderstorm as the astronauts search for civilization is the most engulfing moment of the early part of the film outside the crash. Regardless, there isn't much in the way of subtle environmental nuances in support of the action or discrete rear-channel effects. That's not a bad thing; a poorly done, "forced" multi-channel remix that throws sound around just for the sake of making listeners turn their heads would ruin the experience. Dialogue reproduction is fantastic, clearly the strongest element to be found on the disc. Likewise, Jerry Goldsmith's (First Blood) Oscar-winning soundtrack is rendered exceptionally well. As long as listeners don't expect from Planet of the Apes a rip-roaring, head-turning, action movie extravaganza soundtrack, and instead prefer one that remains faithful to the original intent of the mix, Planet of the Apes's Blu-ray audio presentation is not only adequate, but is probably the best the film is ever going to sound.

Planet of the Apes Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - November 4th - November 4, 2008


• Fox Reveals Individual Apes Films; Super Troopers - September 18, 2008

Planet of the Apes Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

Topic

Replies

Last post

» Show more forum threads