1. The Actors
Even in the less compelling outings, each Planet of the Apes movie has managed to get at least a few excellent actors to bring out the potential of the characters. Most characters are brought out above expectations to bring the story together with flying colors. The first movie consists of an extremely powerful leading castCharlton Heston, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, and of course, Roddy McDowall (Ill get back to him in a minute). Each actor in the first movie brings such a passionate vibrancy that makes the themes hit home. Taylor quietly contemplating the human legacy with his every breath, shouting to the heavens all alone; Ziras passion, intelligence, and humor; Zaiuss dark burden hidden at the heart of the movie. And the supporting cast solidifies the movie further. After the first movie, another of my favorite performances in the franchise includes Hari Rhodes as the charismatically intelligent and sympathetic human MacDonald. What he brings to his role, every movement in his eyes, face, posture, and voice, greatly elevates what could have been a very simple part. His dialogue is frequently short and literal, but Rhodes gives it compelling nuances that fulfill his characters potential. It gives the movie weight and elevates it greatly as a whole. Ricardo Montalbáns Armando may sometimes be overly dramatic, but his signature presence is complementary, fascinating to watch, and unforgettable nonetheless. And Kolp is the other side of MacDonald, calculating and cold; Severn Darden is very chillingly understated about it. Now on to Roddy McDowall. At the time the original Apes film was released, who would have thought that he could ever overtake Charlton Heston as the star of a movie series? Roddy McDowall is much of the reason why the original movies kept up their steam. He plays both Cornelius and his son Caesar. Both characters have only subtle makeup changes, but McDowall makes the two chimpanzees seem like completely different characters, in his every mannerism, the time he takes, and in his voice and silence. Cornelius comes off as a gentle, if slightly sardonic, pacifistic scientist who avoids stepping on any of his colleagues thumbed toes. Caesar, on the other hand, goes through a great transformation, in an under 90-minute movie no less. He starts as naïve, then gets angry, becomes scared, and gradually, increasingly asserts his strength while masking his pain, leading the apes headlong into war in the final act of the movie. McDowalls performance is very powerful. Furthermore, Caesar has echoes of both his mother and father. McDowall underscores how all the actors play off of each other throughout the series. Their voices, eyes, movements, and silence enrich everything. Even the actors in Burtons filmlike Paul Giamatti, Helena Bonham Carter, Tim Roth, and Michael Clarke Duncanhave this energy, but unfortunately the movies soul is reduced so it doesnt go as far as it should.
The original seriess tradition of acting has continued with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The two emotional cruxes of the story, Andy Serkiss Caesar and John Lithgows Charles Rodman, are absolutely heartrending, and each characters respective responses to their circumstances pull at all of our emotions at once. It really is legitimately intense. Two supporting cast members, a scientist and a pilot who ultimately become victims to the films virus, are especially poignant in their characters simple actions. Technology has also increased the potential of the actors, not only through performance capture of the actors playing the apes, but through being able to animate more dynamic movements in the apes. Each Apes story has more and more potential to thrill and strike us on numerous very cool levels, as only the Apes franchise can.
Conclusion
Whenever we think about a franchise, we should always think of Planet of the Apes. Not only does it surviveit lives on, in terms of script, technical innovations, and its place in our culture. We can always learn something from it, whether were in the audience or employed at the studio. Sometimes we may forget, but it always resurfaces. Like all the best franchises. Im excited for the future, regardless of how good Dawn of the Planet of the Apes turns out to be.