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PLANET OF THE APES NEWS 1998 PLANET OF THE APES NEWS 1999 PLANET OF THE APES NEWS 2000

FOR UP TO DATE POTA RELATED NEWS CHECK OUT:

http://www.ape-city.com/news/index.html

My name is Cindy Lutz and I am from Vandalia Illinois. I wanted to tell you a little about my experience with planet of the apes. In the late 70's and early 80's I was in a group known as Disco/Starship Galactica. We dresses in planet of the ape atire and danced all over the state of Illinois. We were also taped for the television shows, Real People, Thats Incredible and 60 minutes. In July of 2003 we paln on reuniting and doing a show one more time as a benifit concert for our creator who has now passed away. We paln to open a scholorship fund or donate something to the high school where he taught. We looked very much like the apes. I thought this might be of some intrest to you due to your love for the apes. I am very lucky and have a few pictures of us back when we did this and have been fortunate enough to find the origanal molds that Bob Barker (our creator) had made and used to make our masks. Just wanted to tell you a little about our love for the apes and I am glad you have such a site on here for all of us ape lovers.

JAMES NAUGHTON WEBSITE NOV 2002 UPDATE (submitted by lapalme@webtv.net 11/6/02 )

Most of James site is done but we're still waiting for Jim to help out on the biography.  The website is www.jamesnaughton.net.  Jim is currently directing rehearsals of the Broadway bound revival of Thornton Wilder's classic play "Our Town" which is starring his buddy Paul Newman.  It opens in late November and will run until Jan. 26th - Newman's 78th birthday!  Naughton also has (FINALLY) released his first solo CD entitled (appropriately) "It's About Time" on the DRG label.  It features an eclectic collection of fifteen songs including ones by Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Randy Newman, Leiber and Stoller and also, one by his son, Greg.  Most of these songs were featured in his act that he did at the Cafe Carlyle in NYC.  BTW, he'll be returning there in April with another brand new show. 

JAMES NAUGHTON APRIL 2002 UPDATE (submitted by lapalme@webtv.net 4/1/02 )

Some very exciting news about James Naughton has just been announced
during the past week. Starting on Tuesday, April 16th and continuing
until Saturday, May 4th, he will be performing a brand new follow-up
show to his critically acclaimed "Street of Dreams" entitled "Back to
the Street" at the famous Cafe Carlyle in NYC. Accompanied by a quartet
led by his musical director John Oddo, Naughton will perform tunes by
Randy Newman, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Dave Frishberg, Hoagy
Carmichael, and others plus he'll enthrall you with funny theatre
stories with that dry "Pete Burke" wit of his. The Cafe is located in
the Carlyle Hotel, Madison Avenue at 76th St. He'll perform Tuesdays -
Saturdays at 8:45 PM plus on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, he'll do
a second show at 10:45 PM. Call (212)570-7189. Also, on this Sunday,
March 31st, we've got a Naughton double-header! First, he'll be
appearing as an arch conservative politician on CBS's Max Bickford at 8
PM EST and then right after that, he'll switch networks to be on NBC's
"Law and Order, Criminal Intent" at 9 PM EST. On that, he'll play a
doctor. Just about two weeks ago, he was the narrator for the "E.T.
20th Anniversary Special" on NBC, too.

Besides his TV work and up-coming cabaret act, Naughton's been keeping
busy around NYC by doing many benefits like the recent "Nothing Like A
Dame" one for the Phyllis Newman's Women's Health Initiative plus many
one night musical events like the Rodgers and Hart one at Carnegie Hall
on Valentine's Day and the recent Wall to Wall Richard Rodgers Marathon
at Symphony Space. For that one, he crooned "You Are Too Beautiful"
from his up-coming show, and then he joined the chorus of other Broadway
stars to do "There's Nothing Like A Dame" from "South Pacific" and the
title song from "Oklahoma!"

After the Carlyle, he'll head to Washington, D.C. to see his daughter,
Keira open in the Stephen Sondheim revival of "Company" at the Kennedy
Center. (BTW, his son, actor Greg Naughton is pursuing a songwriting
career on the side. Check out his website www.gregnaughton.com to hear
some of his work.) Then he'll head back up to Connecticut to start
rehearsals for a production of Thornton Wilder's classic, "Our Town" at
the Westport Country Playhouse. He'll be directing his good friend Paul
Newman who'll play the Stage Manager and Jane Curtin from Saturday Night
Live. This will be Mr. Newman's first true stage play (where he has to
actually learn his lines!) in over 40 years! This show will run through
most of the month of June and will be a very hard ticket to get, we're
sure!

JAMES NAUGHTON 2002 UPDATE (submitted by lapalme@webtv.net 1/12/02 )

James Naughton just appeared as a detective on the Arts and Entertainement (A&E) channels's new TV series, "100 Centre Street" with Alan Arkin.  If you missed it on Tuesday, January 8th, it will be repeated on Saturday night, January 12th from 11 PM - 12 AM (EST) and on Sunday, January 13th from 3 AM - 4 AM (EST) and 7 PM - 8 PM (EST).  If you still missed it, keep an eye on A&E because they'll repeat the episodes later in the year.  For those of you in the New York City area, next Friday night (January 18th) at 8 PM, Naughton will be a guest performer with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall.  He'll be singing some of his Broadway songs because they'll be honoring composer Cy Coleman.  (Coleman did the music for two of Naughton's shows: Naughton's Broadway debut show, "I Love My Wife" (1977) and his Tony-Award winning performance one:  "City of Angels" (1989)).   Should be a great show!  For you West Coast people, from Thursday, January 24th through Sunday, January 27th, Jim will be bringing his critically acclaimed one-man show, "James Naughton:  Street of Dreams" to the Orange County Performing Arts Center outside of Los Angeles.  This version might be slightly different than the one he was doing for the past three years because he was working on some new material over the summer.  If you want tickets, go to www.ocpac.org.  Meanwhile, you can still catch his TV repeats on Fox cable's "Ally McBeal" as Ally's Dad (3 shows 3rd season, finale for 4th) and Turner's "Who's the Boss?" (2 2-part shows from the mid-80's) where he plays the ex-husband.  On three of the four "Ally" shows, he gets to sing and play the piano.  Also recently seen on cable are two of his newer movies, "Oxygen" (1999) where he plays the wealthy husband of a kidnapped woman who is held in an underground coffin and "The Truth About Jane" (2000), co-starring Stockard Channing,  in which he deals with his teen-age daughter's coming out.  Jim also had an on-going guest role as a very wealthy villain in the short-lived CBS series, "Big Apple" which was shown in Spring 2001.

JOHN CHAMBERS R.I.P.

John Chambers, the creator of the original POTA movies masks and makeup  passed away on Saturday, August 25th 2001.  His full biography and details for each film he worked on can be found at: http://us.imdb.com/Name?Chambers,+John

His health had been failing for months. Condolences can be sent to his wife Virgie "Joan" Chambers at:

Motion Picture & Television Fund
23388 Mulhulland Drive
Lodge Room 429
Woodland Hills, Calif. 91364-2733

John Chambers' Service will be held at 1:30PM Thursday, August 30th, at the Lodge. 23388 Mulhulland Drive Woodland Hills, Calif. 91364-2733

JOHN CHAMBERS UPDATE (submitted by Brian penikas 1/19/01 afryt4u@earthlink.net )

John and his wife are alive and well these days.  And he thanx those of you who were involved with the really nice tribute package that Dave Ballard and the UK fans put together.  When we visited him right before Christmas he was in great spirits.   He loves getting correspondence and visitors.  Please be aware though, because of his stroke, he now has to use his opposie hand for everything, so signing autographs can be difficult for him.  I've seen him struggle with that.   Anyway, if anyone would like to check in with him, you can contact him here:

  John & Joan Chambers
c/o Motion Picture Home
23388 Mulhulland Drive
Lodge Room 429
Woodland Hills, Calif. 91364-2733

CHIP FARM.COM (submitted 1/17/01 by Lynne Miller  cosmicraye@hotmail.com )

I just wanted  to let the list know about a little place by me here in Florida...Alex, I'm not sure if you have heard of it.  It's called The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary and you can see it at www.chimpfarm.com   I have worked there on a volunteer basis whenever I can make the time    The Chimp Farm is located just outside Tampa, in Pinellas County.  It is a very enriching place to volunteer...except that the orang has a bit of a temper!  I think he is trying to communicate using hand signals, and if you don't pay attention to him he will throw 'caca' at you!  LOL!  The baby chimps are precious!!

I was there when they brought an egret in...horrible!  Someone had shot off it's wings and left it to die.  I have to go there today, so I'll check up on that.  I go at least once a week to drop off cans for recycling..and the profit goes directly to the chimps.

CHARLTON HESTON IN THE NEW FILM (submitted 1/16/01 by Philip Nobile pjn1209@earthlink.net )

Is Heston going to be in the Planet of the Apes remake? Yes, he is...and contrary to his own comments in the past, he's wearing ape make-up.

While talking to Variety columnist Army Archerd, producer Richard Zanuck revealed how he got Heston on board the project. During a meeting for breakfast at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Zanuck managed to get Heston to come in to do a four-hour make-up test. Eventually, the actor agreed to come on board the Tim Burton directed project, but for only one day of shooting.

Beyond Heston's involvement, Archerd goes on to describe the production's set on Stage 30 at Sony Studios. The columnist gives his assessment of the apes' culture, writing, "The stage is transformed by Rick Heinrichs into the apes' city of Derkein; it is multi-terraced, with ape homes carved into the sides of a mountain whose many caverns provide the humans with temporary escape from their ape captors."

Though the film will be short on digital effects, there will still be some. Archerd notes that there is a "large blue screen at one end of the massive set, giving the opportunity to expand the 'city' to even greater depths."

In addition, when production moves to the desert next week, 300 apes will be on hand. That group will also provide the digital basis for many more in the film's crowd scenes.

Archerd also talks of Rick Baker's new Apes make-up, which he declares feels like real flesh upon touching Helena Bonham Carter. He also reports that the actress really loves playing the role of the chimp named Ari, even though she has to be at the studio at 1 a.m. to start putting on her make-up.

Regarding set security, Archerd reports, "Stage 30 is separated from the rest of the studio by large black curtains drawn across the surrounding streets to prevent prying eyes of mere human actors working on other stages. Trams with blackened windows circle back and forth to the stage from a staging area on Washington Blvd. for makeup, hair, costumes and food. But there is a crafts services table outside the stage and it was funny watching the 'apes' munching on (real) bananas."

CHARACTER NAMES IN NEW FILM (submitted 1/16/01 by Philip Nobile pjn1209@earthlink.net )

Here's a cast list they've put together at IMDB - some interesting character names I'd not heard mentioned before-

 Cast (in credits order)
Mark Wahlberg ....  Jordan 
Kris Kristofferson ....  Leo 
rest of cast listed alphabetically 
Erick Avari ....  Tival 
Helena Bonham Carter ....  Ari 
Emmy Collins ....  Gorilla/Human Outcast 
Michael Clarke Duncan ....  Krull 
Luke Eberl  
Paul Giamatti ....  Limbo 
Spike Jonze  
Evan Dexter Parke  
Tim Roth ....  Cornelius 
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa  
Estella Warren ....  Nova

LINDA HARRISON IN NEW POTA MOVIE (submitted 1/10/01 by Jeff  Krueger )

I talked to Linda Harrison this morning. She shot her cameo a couple weeks ago, just before the end of the year. She says "they could have a big picture here. I've never seen Dick (Zanuck) happier".

NEW POTA BOOK IN CANADA (submitted 1/10/01 by Adrienne Weiss luludelage@hotmail.com )

My name is Adrienne Weiss and I'm running a fact-check on an upcoming book about "The Planet of the Apes." 

Adrienne Weiss  ECW Press, Toronto, Canada

COMMENTS ON CHARACTERS/PROMO PICTURES FROM NEW FILM

(submitted 1/01 by members of pota@egroups.com )

Coming Attractions  The photos of the female is indeed the princess as I suspected. From the genetic ape line which makes her princess. And no doubt the bad guy is related as not only he looks the same as her. But his "Chest Plate" is no doubt that of ROYALTY!  Now you know why those two look kind of funny looking.   Half Ape/Half Human! The line of the Genetic Ape!

And no doubt the bad guy is related as not only he looks the same as her. But his "Chest Plate" is no doubt that of ROYALTY! 

Just to positively set the record straight, the images floating around of  the supposedly rejected Rick Baker test make-ups are actually tests that  Stan Winston's crew had done some time ago.  The tests are actually Stan  and his son, Matt.

Anyway, about those ape pictures. Looks promising, especially when one considers they are only tests. At first I thought they were more jokes at fans' expense but closer examination proved these had to be Tim Burton designs. Obviously "Attar" is the gorilla Fox used on the poster (perhaps they are planning to use others in this batch for the next teaser posters; perhaps that's how those scalliwags got the photos in the first place, from Fox publicity). Who's going to play "Attar", Jimmy Durante? That snoz has to go! I like the princess, again except for the nose (and hopefully they just
didn't bother to put chins on them). The "bad guy" is my favorite, except that he reminds me of the "Wizard of Oz" (and Baker said the GRINCH was his "Wizard of Oz"). The gorilla warrior (in red) c0ould be a lighting nightmare. Obviously those were the costumes the extras were wearing in those OTHER well-traveled pics. A good start but hopefully they were improved upon

For anyone not too happy about the new chimp size, well again it's a new concept. But I don't think the the chimp in this film will be as highlighted in this remake as it was in the original. If you would notice by the new pitures, these chimps are militant. (army pons at chess if you will) I personly believe that the genetic ape will replace the chimp in this remake. For so far the only apes I see with human size is the Gorrila, Orang and "Genetic Ape". (Chimp Replacement)  And allthough I see nothing wrong with their size, I don't believe that militant chimps will replace militant Gorillas as a focal point in the film. Chimps will no doubt be a more backdrop as most different apes and monkeys in this film will be.  The only adjusting is the Genetic Ape who started it all 50 years from our future and sent back 3 to 4000 years in the past. So the only Genetic Ape is the one who begins the line of Ape Royalty. The others are just a case of a smart ape breeding a dumb ape. So outside of of the genetic line, the rest would look more ape than human, as is not the case with the genetic ape line. Half Human/Half Ape.   Just a wild guess.

For those who a bit confused about the storyline here is what I think this story may endup being.For those who a bit confused about the storyline here is what I think this story may endup being.A geneticly engineered ape is send back 4000 years in the past. Once there he mates with every female on the block. Now out of all of these offsprings, there will be a few that will appear like him. Half Ape/Half Human.  While the rest will appear as their mommies, Orangs, Gorillas, Chimps and so on. Now you do this generation after generation and by the time Wahlberg appears on earth 2000 years in the past (2000 years after him) he will endup in a world were you will have smart Gorillas, smart Chimps, smart Orangs and smart Genetic Apes.

There is only one genetic ape, the one who started it all, the ones you see like the princess and her possible (bad guy) brother in the pictures are not genticly changed, but are simple offsprings of the one and only genetic ape. "THE ROYAL LINE".

Just trying to make the record clear as to what I'm trying to say here guys.  And thus at Walhberg's "VISIT" you have PLANET OF THE APES!  What is important is that the is one KICK ASS SCRIPT if I'm right. And more than one possible kick ass sequal dealing with past present and future.

  It amazes me that we haven't see a script for this one yet.   Every other film script has turned up on the shelves of film stores or at least on eBay. Now with this version...nothing.  Security must be very tight (read extreme) on the set.  I would think that someone would lose a copy of it, accidentally on purpose.  Maybe after shooting is wrapped up a copy or two will turn up some where, or we'll hear a leak and we can have a better idea of the storyline.  Then again hearing the story and seeing it are two different animals.  Expect nothing...you'll never be disappointed!

If it's not a "remake" then why have the same names?   There's no "Zira" no "Taylor".  Then why have even a Cornelius and a Nova? Why Call it Planet of the Apes for that matter? And I though Tim Roth was the Zaius character.  Since when is he Cornelius?  I though Johnny Depp was doing a cameo!

NEW POTA BOOK by BRIAN PENDREIGH (submitted 1/10/01 by Brian Pendreigh Bpendreigh@aol.com )

My name is Brian Pendreigh and I am a freelance film journalist and author based in Scotland. I write regularly for the Sunday Times, Guardian and a number of other papers, but for the last few months I have been working
full-time - six days a week - on a book about Planet of the Apes, which will be published worldwide by Macmillan in July.

I have already done a lot or research on the subject and have interviewed several of the key personnel who are still around, unearthing what I feel is some very exciting new material. I will be visiting Los Angeles later this
month to trawl through the various archives (and visit John Chambers in hospital), and then I have two further months to knock the whole MS into shape.

My book is aimed primarily, not at Planet of the Apes devotees, but at a wider, albeit cineliterate, public, but I did wonder if there were any big, unanswered questions that you as a fan might want to ask - given that I might
have access to people to whom most fans would not have access.

Brian Pendreigh, 223 Ferry Road, Edinburgh EH6 4SP

"Oh my God, I'm back. I'm home, all the time. You finally really did it, you maniacs. You blew it up. God damn you. God damn you all to Hell."

The camera pulls back from Charlton Heston, standing at the water's edge on a beach, on a distant planet, where apes rule and humans are slaves. The camera backs off to reveal the top half of a statue poking through the sand, a
familiar crowned head and an arm holding aloft the torch of freedom and welcome. The Statue of Liberty is instantly recognisable in all its symbolic shame. What it means is that space traveller Heston has gone precisely
nowhere. The Planet of the Apes is none other than Earth.


THE LEGEND OF THE PLANET OF THE APES:  Or How Hollywood Turned Darwin Upside Down
By Brian Pendreigh

That final scene in Planet of the Apes was one of the most effectively shocking in the history of cinema. Planet of the Apes was filmed at the height of the Cold War when fears of nuclear apocalypse were at their height, but its conclusion remains one of the most dramatic, surprising and chilling in cinema. But in that ending lay the beginnings of a legend...

Proposals to make a film based on Pierre Boulle's novel Monkey Planet were met with widespread disdain in Hollywood in the early Sixties. He had written the source novel for Bridge on the River Kwai, but even Boulle regarded Mokey Planet as a minor and unfilmable work. Rod Serling, the former paratrooper who virtually invented TV sci-fi with The Twilight Zone, brought credibility to the script, but it took the personal involvement of Charlton Heston to get the film made.

A huge hit, it grossed more than $25 million on its initial cinema release in 1968. Its success led to demand for a follow-up, despite the opposition of Heston, who thought a sequel would put it in the same category as Andy Hardy. But the success of the sequels rewrote the Hollywood rulebook and, for better or worse, set the fashion for action "franchises" for three decades.

Planet of the Apes was a phenomenon. There were to be four sequels, two TV series - one live-action, one cartoon, and a whole range of merchandising, from bubble-gum cards to ape masks to mugs and waste-paper baskets. The exploitation of Planet of the Apes merchandising opportunities would encourage George Lucas to accept merchandising rights rather than money on Star Wars.

On screen, Planet of the Apes spawned a fashion not just for sequels, but for science-fiction films set in a post-apocalyptic future, including of course Mad Max; and for sci-fi that contained not just scary aliens, but also
social, political and religious commentary. But its influence did not stop there. In the first Apes sequel, young, idealistic, placard-carrying  chimpanzees protest against the militaristic regime and the gorilla army. Other genres, including the western, began to use their storylines to comment on contemporary social issues and on the war in Vietnam.

It was a time of turmoil and social revolutionnot just on the Planet of the Apes, but also on Earth as we used to know it, when man was at the top of the food chain.

But Planet of the Apes never lost sight of its principal commitment and that was as a piece of first-rate storytelling and entertainment.

Commercially and critically successfull at the time of release, it has grown in stature over the years. It remains hugely popular, but it has also
acquired a cult following as dedicated as that of The Wicker Man or This is Spinal Tap, but considerably bigger. The videos are best-sellers and big prices are paid for original merchandising. Its position in popular culture
can be measured by the number of references made to it in The Simpsons, one of the most cineliterate shows on TV.

This month 20th Century Fox begins shooting a $100 million remake, or "reimagination" of Planet of the Apes, with the working title of The Visitor.   Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 90s equivalent of Heston, was linked to the film,
but it is Mark Wahlberg who will play the human hero. The ape cast is headed by Tim Roth, with Michael Clarke Duncan, the condemned man in The Green Mile as his lieutenant, a huge silverback gorilla, and Helena Bonham Carter as an ape princess. Rumour has it she will have an affair with Wahlberg's character. It seems unlikely but the director is Tim Burton, one of the most exciting and original directors in Hollywood today, with a CV that includes Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and The Nightmare Before Christmas; and the idea of a half-human, half-ape boy was included in the script for the first sequel.

The Visitor could just turn out to be one of the biggest hits of all time.
AND THE PROVISIONAL US RELEASE DATE IS 27 JULY 2001... JUST NINE MONTHS AWAY!

In its own right, Planet of the Apes merits a book, looking at its making, legend and legacy. But its commercial potential would be boosted enormously if publication tied in with the release of the remake, and ended with a
chapter or two previewing the new film. If the new film is a big hit, it will boost interest in the original and its sequels. If the new film fails to measure up, then the standing of the original may even be enhanced.

I would propose to tell the entire story of the Planet of the Apes phenomenon from Boulle's novel through to the remake, with interviews, analysis, anecdotes, gossip and trivia, though the focus would be on the original 1968
film that continues to attract huge audiences on TV and video. I would also like to take a humorous, sideways look at Hollywood's and America's view on Darwin's theory of evolution.

BRIAN PENDREIGH:
   Brian Pendreigh was film correspondent/cinema editor of The Scotsman for ten years before becoming a full-time freelance film journalist in 1997. He now writes regularly on film for the Sunday Times, Guardian and the Scottish press. His books include On Location: The Film Fan's Guide to Britain and Ireland (Mainstream, 1995) Mel Gibson and His Movies (Bloomsbury 1996), Ewan McGregor (Orion, 1998, 1999) and The Scot Pack (Mainstream, 2000). Awards include Ainsworth Film Journalist of the Year, in 1995 and 1999.     Previously he was a feature writer on the Scotsman, during which time he accompanied the Commando to Central America, swam with sharks, crewed on a sailing ship and had one of his pieces selected for an interpretation paper
by the Scottish Examination Board. It was about what seagulls think about people in outdoor swimming pools, which says more about exam boards than the author.      His favourite film is The Magnificent Seven.

POTA MERCHANDISING FOR 2001 (submitted by Hunter Goatley 1/7/01 goathunter@GOATLEY.COM      http://www.goatley.com/hunter/

The article below is from Reuters and is about the merchandising for the new Apes film....

Sunday January 7 10:16 PM ET Fox goes "Ape" with merchandising   By Dana Harris

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Twentieth Century Fox hopes its big summer picture "Planet of the Apes" will generate a lot of monkey business in the merchandising world.     Together with toy manufacturer Hasbro and specialty marketer Applause, the studio has unveiled a major marketing push for the Tim Burton epic.

The program, which will be launched at New York's Intl. Toy Fair (Feb. 11-15), is expected to generate revenues for the studio along the lines of those for other Fox event titles such as "Independence Day" or "X-Men."  
Hasbro will unveil a line of action figures and collectible toys at the Toy Fair, and will ship them to retailers just before the film's July release.

Dark Horse Comics will publish "Planet" comic books and graphic novels, while Buster Brown will produce footwear. In addition to traditional products such as lunch boxes, posters, knit caps, trading cards, T-shirts and backpacks, the "Planet" line will also include dioramas, inflatable furniture, scooters and scooter heads, underwear,
clocks and shower caps.

The picture, which began shooting Nov. 6, is expected to wrap in April. Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter and Michael Clarke Duncan star.

POTA THEME AT MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL(submitted 1/8/01 by JSe3689836@aol.com)

     I came across a website for this years Memphis Film Festival

http://zeus.ia.net/%7Emarydee/memphis/       http://zeus.ia.net/%7Emarydee/memphis/guests.htm

It's being held August 1-4,  2001. It looks like it's going to have a distinct POTA slant. Linda Harrison, Kim Hunter, Wright King(Dr. Galen) & William Windom have been announced so far. Looks like it will be a lot of fun, what with   the "reimagining" come out the week before. I've already booked my room. (I'll be flying in from Long Island) Check out the website & see what you all think. It would be a blast to have a good POTA fan turnout.

POTA INTERVIEW ON BBC (submitted 1/3/01 by Helen Foster helen.foster.01@bbc.co.uk )

Hello!  I am a BBC radio producer based in London.  I am looking to set up an interview with a good talker from the POTA Fan Club regarding the re-make due out in July 2001.  Ideally, I'd like to speak to a fan from the UK, but a fan from the USA is also fine, provided they are good talkers, and know their subject!

The interview will be broadcast on the Radio Five Live Breakfast programme on Thursday 4 January 2001.  This is all speach news and sport programme which tends to be live.   Depending on where the guest comes from we would prefer to do the interview live, alternatively we can pre-record it - particularly if you come from the USA.

If you can help at all, please call me on the number below.  If you're calling from the USA, the international code is "00 44" then you dial "20 8624 9501".

Helen Foster  Broadcast Journalist  Wk:  020 8624 9501

www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive - perhaps you could have a look at it and let us know what you think?

The breakfast show is presented by Victoria Derbyshire and Julian Worricker.
It is all speech and like the rest of the network aims to produce a less "stuffy" approach to news - hence our enthusiasm for POTA. 

SELF-WORTH NOW! - POTA (submitted 12/29/00 by Mike Selby  mike@mikeselby.com )

I thought my new book (Self-Worth Now!) would make a good edition to your POTA NEW PRODUCTS page.

In the last chapter of my new book, I describe one of the most amazing and life-changing occurrences of my life: While I have attached the full chapter, it basically describes how I was able to recreate my fetal life through the end credits of the original Planet of the Apes film. It enabled me to have memories of my biological mother, whom I have never met.  I feel it is an important and unexplored aspect of POTA lore. Most of the reviews of my book always mention the POTA part of it. In fact David Gerrold , who wrote Battle for the Planet of the Apes, was so impressed that he wrote a major review of my book.

Self-Worth Now! has just been bought by iUniverse for reprint rights, and it has also been nominated by the SOHP as one of their favorite books of 2000.  Please contact me should you need more information.

Self Worth Now! by Mike Selby

Unparalleled among self-help books!, May 16, 2000
Reviewer: David Adams from Arizona
You can throw all your other self-help books away-Self-Worth Now! is the only one you will ever need. Selby has written a fascinating and intimate account of self-hate; where it comes from, and how to get rid of it. Full of courage and humor, this is the only book I ever read that makes you feel GOOD to be a human being. The amazing final chapter is worth the price of the book alone. Do yourself-and the people you care about-a favor; buy this book.

DETAILS OF THE GORILLAS IN NEW FILM (submitted 12/22/00 by Shelby Rhodes slave1@ee.net )

I was just talking with a friend of mine last night whose buddy is working on the film --dressed as a gorilla.

Security on the film is pretty tight, so of course no pics, however, the guy did give us some details as to how layered the costumes are.  There's a layer of foam-rubber musculature which makes the actors appear huge.  Over that goes the uniforms, armor, shin guards, etc.  (I think we knew the gorillas would be wearing armor from the teaser pic).  He was talking about the "gorilla army", which I think we knew there would be an "army" going by the tent pics.  Army against who or what?  Mutants or each other?  Are they meshing the first two original films?   This would seem to be a logical answer.  And of course they sent him on to ape walking school to teach them how to move correctly and consistently with each other.

THE APES CHRONICLES - NEW BOOK (submitted 12/19/00 by plexus@plexusuk.demon.co.uk )

Plexus Publishing are currently putting together a tribute to the Planet of the Apes phenomenon, provisionally entitled The Apes Chronicles - from the Pierre Boulle novel right through to the current remake/revision in the
works and the various screenplay drafts that preceded it. (For more information please see attached blurb below.)

We would like to extend an invitation for POTA collectors to provide photographs of their collections - particularly toys and masks - for inclusion in the pop-culture section of the book. Any which are accepted will receive a full credit and a complimentary copy of the book.

I can be contacted by e-mail on paul@plexusuk.demon.co.uk / by telephone and fax on 0044 - 207 - 622 - 2440/1, and very much hope to hear from you.

Sincerely,
Paul A. Woods.
The Apes Chronicles

In the year 2001, humankind is not ascending to the stars but is returning to the time of the Apes . . .

Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes is one of the most eagerly anticipated Hollywood blockbusters in years. The maverick director's latest personal homage to the "monster culture" of his 1960s childhood, it is a project loaded with cultural potency.

When the original Planet of the Apes made its screen debut in 1968, it created countless fascinated fans and confounded critics who expected a B-movie schlockfest. With a distinguished cast, the film convincingly created a world where evolution is inverted, where wise orangutans and fierce gorillas keep Man the savage beast in check - becoming a metaphor for its times that represented the fear of war and nuclear destruction, racial intolerance, civil unrest and ecological disaster.

Evolving into a cult cycle of five films that ran through to the mid-1970s, the Apes series told an ingenious story of how space travel via a timewarp led to the end of (human) civilisation as we know it - and, ultimately, to the destruction of the earth itself. The Apes Chronicles traces the narrative of the Apes saga and features selected articles placing the original source novel, film and sequels in the tradition of apocalyptic cinema and science fiction. Illustrated throughout, it also describes the impact of the Apes upon mainstream popular culture, spawning TV and cartoon animation series, several comic books and various ephemera including toys and collectibles.

The Apes Chronicles is the first book to examine the history of how the films' early fans, now grown up to be Hollywood players, revised and subverted the series' narrative themes throughout the 1990s. Early draft
screenplays by different authors are analysed as to their influence on the final finished project - Planet of the Apes 2001, which promises to controversially re-imagine and re-visualise the original concept while retaining its humanistic vision.

DAY BY DAY HISTORY OF THE POTA FILM submitted 12/17/00 by dcnjc@earthlink.net 

Reprinted from CORONA.BC.CA http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/apes.html  

Planet of the Apes

Genre: Science Fiction/Action.

Studio: 20th Century Fox.
Production Company: Unknown.

Project Phase: Greenlighted.

Who's In It: Mark Wahlberg; Tim Roth; Helena Bonham Carter; Paul Giamatti (Limbo); Michael Clarke Duncan; Estella Warren; Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa; Spike Jonze; Linda Harrison; Glenn Shadix (Senator Nado); David Warner; George Clooney (unconfirmed); Kris Kristofferson; Charlton Heston (rumored).
Who's Making It: Tim Burton (Director); William Broyles, Larry Konner, Mark Rosenthal (Screenwriter); Richard Zanuck (Producer); Ralph Winter (Executive Producer); Emmanuel Lubezki (Director of Photography); Colleen Atwood (Costume Designer); Rick Heinrichs (Production Designer); John Dexter (Art Director); Russell Bobbitt (Props Coordinator); Mika Sait (Production Coordinator); Denise Chamian (Casting Director); Andy Armstrong (Second Unit Director); Tom Peitzman (Visual Effects Producer); Rick Baker (Special Effects Makeup); Danny Elfman (Musical Score)..

Premise: Unknown.

Release Date: July 27, 2001.

Developments:

December, 1993... Fox gives the go-ahead. Don Murphy, Jane Hamsher, Oliver Stone set as producers for the film. Terry Hayes (screenwriter of The Road Warrior) hired as the pensmith.

March, 1994... Stone gets the interest of the Ah-nuld. Inside info indicates that Fox expected a "Flintstones" movie script, but it got a "Terminator".

January, 1995... Schwarzennegger approves Philip Noyce as director of project. $100 million budget approved, rumors say. Fox still leary about script.

February, 1995... Noyce switches gears to The Saint movie. Chris Columbus takes over the helm, re-writes script with Sam Hamm (Batman). James Cameron nearly enters the party to help produce.

Somewhere between February '95 and January '96... Columbus passes on the directing gig.

January, 1996... Both Peter Jackson and Roland Emmerich pass on the directing assignment. Fox still maintains that the film will be done.

[A tremendous timeline job sent in by the 'Splatpunk' via his informants in Ape City.]

November, 1997... James Cameron agrees to lend a hand helping out this project in an unspecified capacity.

Rumors: Of the most interesting rumors is the one highlighting the involvement of Arnold Schwarzenegger for the lead role (and no, it's not the character of Taylor). Over the course of the summer of 1995, nothing was confirmed by any party as to Schwarzenegger's involvement - but knowing Arnie's history with carefully reviewing potential projects, it's a given he's mulling over his options with this pic.

As for the director's chair, Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger) was being positioned to helm the vehicle, but dropped out of favor in July/August '95. Now the rumor is circulating that Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months) wants the gig. No word if MacCauley Culkin will play a pint-sized Cornelius, though.

As well, rumors circulate that a part is being written to fit for actor Charton Heston. Advance word is that it will not be related to his previous role of the astronaut Taylor.

Scoop Feedback:

May 11, 1996... A rumor reaches us that Oliver Stone may be considering casting actor Ben Kingsley in the role of the scientist who travels back in time, and Arnold Schwarzennegger as a primitive man in the distant past. [Scoop submitted by 'Sylvester'.}

July 31, 1996... The film may be in the process of being re-titled to Return of the Apes. [Scoop furnished by 'Johnny-S'.]

October 31, 1996... This scooper worked last year at Stan Winston Studios, where he spent a large amount of his time on research and development work for the Apes project. "Of course, this was when Chris Columbus was still involved. After the R&D work was said to be complete all of the stuff just got shelved and we never really heard about it again. The makeup that was designed for the tests was really pretty impressive. Stan and his son made a demo reel of improvisational stuff in the makeup under the direction of CC. It was great." [Scoop sent in anonymously.]

December 15, 1996... Who owns the rights to Planet of the Apes? Twentieth Century Fox. The rights to Predator? Fox. What studio has Arnold Schwarzenegger experienced his most profitable working relationship with? Fox. And the director who's helmed his most profitable movies? James Cameron.

And which studio has Cameron's development company, Lightstorm Entertainment, made a $500 million production pact to produce and develop films with? Again, Fox. And Robert Rodriguez, the director of From Dusk Till Dawn, has just turned in to Fox his proposal for Predator 3, which is owned by Fox.

Someone's heard something very interesting. "What if I were to say... 'Twentieth Century Fox presents a Lightstorm Entertainment Production of Robert Rodriguez film starring Arnold Schwarzengger Planet of the Apes. Produced by James Cameron. Coming to a theatre near you in Summer 1998."

According to our source, it's coming your way. [Scoop reported in by 'shape'.]

December 26, 1996... Screenwriter Sam Hamm, best known for his Batman, Batman Returns and his unproduced treatment for a Watchmen movie may have written a new screenplay for this project. A scooper reports that he's seen a Hamm draft kicking around, dated January 12, 1996. [Scoop sent in by an anonymous source.]

January 28, 1997... Army Archerd reports that Schwarzenegger's been involved with talks with Lightstorm Entertainment regarding the Apes film. Check out our 12/15/96 scoop. Maybe someone in Toronto can ask Robert Rodriguez if he is in discussions as well... [Scoops sent in by Joe Hanna and 'Compukiller'.]

May 25, 1997... Here's a review sent to us of the Hamm script:

"Sam Hamm appears to have retained only the most basic premise from Terry Hayes awful version: babies are being born very old, and scientists must figure out why, or the human race faces extinction.

Infinitely superior to Terry Hayes version, this one is still mired in utter silliness. A billboard is shown for Macaque Culkin in Home Alone. The Simians, a cartoon family, is a popular show. The Statue of Liberty, at the fade out, has been recarved into the face of an ape. At one point Troy escapes and is recaptured by a circus who use him in their human act. The script has definite possibilities, but there is a fine line between social satire and parody, which the script trips over again and again. Hopefully they'll fix up the script some more..." [Review sent in by 'webmaster'.]

December 17, 1997... December 16th's The Hollywood Reporter lists a rumor that James Cameron wishes to get this project on the fastrack come the new year. He'll produce the film for Lightstorm/20th Century Fox. [Scoop submitted anonymously.]

January 10, 1998... Now the Los Angeles Times picks up the Cameron rumor. An article by Claudia Eller in the Times mentions that this project is but one of the many the director has with Fox. [Harvested by 'superknot'.]

April 14, 1998... The Cameron rumor (which we first heard about from our scooper 'shape' back in December '96) gets a new twist from our new source. We have it on good authority that Cameron's next project will be Planet of the Apes. On top of that, our source specifically tells us that Cameron will write, produce and direct the new Apes! The old Terry Hayes script has been rejected and Cameron will start from scratch...but get this. Cameron's new script will fit in with the existing movie arc!

We're told an official announcement should be soon. It also means that the red tape surrounding Spider-Man hasn't been resolved. [Thanks to our man 'Mr. Clark' for the tres cool scoop, and for not laughing at our Planet of the Apes lunch box.]

July 9, 1998... "It makes perfect sense for Cameron to remake Planet of the Apes as a continuation of the original series." That's how our latest scooper began their email...and if the scooper isn't yanking our chain, they spilled the beans about the new storyline Cameron penned for Fox's monkey franchise.

Here's the remainder of the scooper's message:

"The last series installment, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, set the stage for astronaut Taylor to return to a much altered 'planet of the apes.' That's exactly what the new script deals with. It is intended for the new film to open the same way as the first, with the exact same footage of Taylor aboard his spacecraft. The ship still crash-lands in a lake but the lake is no longer in the middle of a desert - it is now sitting alongside a research facility. The story soon shifts to thirty years later, when five time-traveling astronauts from the 1990's arrive at the research facility. The facility, mostly burned out, has been abandoned. The astronauts hike across the Forbidden Zone. A spooky hooded sniper stalks the astronauts and manages to kill one.

"The survivors of the astronaut crew befriend an eccentric old orangutan, who tells them he had met astronauts before. He tells them that one of these earlier astronauts - 'a real gun nut' - took the best looking human babe and dragged her off with him into the wilderness. The 'gun nut' hidden out in the woods turns out to be an old Taylor, appropriately played by NRA head Charlton Heston. Taylor has kept busy with the local women and has sired a large brood of intelligent humans. Landon is the religious leader of a savage community. Dodge has again managed to become lobotomized but there's a little twist to how this has happened."

So if this is the Cameron Apes storyline it'll pay homage to the original 60s/70s series of films as well as reinventing the concept of intelligent apes. We don't have a shred of evidence to prove what the scooper is telling us is for real, but dammit, it sounds like it'd be a fun ride, especially if Heston does a cameo!

[This message from 'ABaldu' was found by ape scientists in an newly discovered anteroom deep under the ruins of the Forbidden City.]

October 2, 1998... Cameron rumors are a dime a dozen these days. And rather than throw any more dimes around, Cinescape decided to call on Lightstorm Entertainment to answer them. There, they spoke with Lightstorm President, Rae Sanchini. On Planet of the Apes, Sanchini said that there is no script. She says that Cameron "would like to be involved," he wants to, in fact, produce and write the project. Sanchini also says that Fox wants to roll with this as soon as they can. Regardless, Cameron is officially on vacation for about a year and does not want to be caught behind a camera. [Originally appeared in Cinescape Online; reported by Widgett.]

November 24, 1998... We've been sent an anonymous email that James Cameron is no longer involved with this project. We haven't confirmed that this news is true. [Anonymous.]

December 14, 1998... Now that our November scoop has been confirmed and reported by others, we've been told some more by a new scooper. According to their sources, Fox fired (what!?) Cameron as producer-writer and stated all inquiries as to the reason why Cameron left should be directed to Lightstorm Entertainment. When the scooper asked Lightstorm they coldly replied with a "No comment." Jeepers...what went down??? [MikeG wants to know where he can find a girl like Nova these days.]

December 15, 1998... Responding to the question we asked yesterday, this scooper responds: "Cameron left the project after reading the Graham Yost draft of the screenplay. Fox is currently meeting with several top directors and writers." Ah, interesting. So Yost took a crack at the project as well, eh? We haven't heard any details about Yost's draft, but now we're curious to know exactly what Cameron didn't approve of in the latest script. [An anonymous chimpanzee from Ape City told us so.]

January 7, 1999... According to this anonymous scooper, "Graham Yost is NOT the writer on this project. There is no writer yet. The studio is beginning a process of looking at new writers and trying to figure out a new direction now that Cameron is no longer writing." Since Fox doesn't comment on their projects in development we couldn't confirm Yost's involvement or non-involvement. [Anonymous.]

January 31, 1999... With no one willing to comment on our report that Graham Yost turned in an Apes proposal we're left with an anonymous scooper who claims that our Yost scooper was false. Fox said they're not in the habit of commenting on projects that are in development so we can't even tell you who's officially working on the project, if anyone.

Ain't It Cool News posted our next scoop first, breaking 'Ma-Gog's story that Andrew Kevin Walker (8 MM, Seven) has just penned a new Apes script. We side with Harry on this: it probably isn't true and Walker probably never penned a script -- but maybe, just maybe, 'Ma-Gog' knows more than both our sites do. In any case it makes for fun speculation and reading...

"Andrew Kevin Walker recently submitted his story treatment for the Planet of the Apes remake. Walker has taken the saga in a dramatic new direction, something different than anything we've seen before. This is the world of Planet of the Apes, but as seen through the eyes of the man who wrote Se7en. Fox is VERY excited about Walker's work, and I suspect that the project will finally awaken from its torpor.

"Sorry I can't tell you more now. Perhaps later."

[Your banana were peeled by 'Ma-Gog'.]

February 18, 2000... IGN Movies heard a tip that the latest Apes draft, written by William Broyles, got turned in a couple of weeks ago...and 20th Century Fox is rumored to be speaking to directors Tim Burton (Sleepy Hollow) and Frank Darabont (The Green Mile) about possibly directing the new ape-fest. [Reported by IGN Movies.]

March 22, 2000... Former 20th Century fox studio head Richard Zanuck, who oversaw the original 1968 Apes movies in his former job, was announced as producer for the new Apes film yesterday. Burton is still attached as director, and filming may begin this fall if all the chips fall in their proper places. ['AlecFrost' likes bananas.]

March 23, 2000... According to a Yahoo! news story credited to Variety, Tim Burton has now officially committed to direct this film. [Briana lives somewhere in Ape City; originally appeared in Variety.]

May 4, 2000... Hollywood Reporter is reporting that makeup guru Rick Baker is in final negotations with Fox to supervise the makeup for this project. Baker would evidently be taking the place of effects guru Stan Winston. They are still looking for a fall start date. [Originally appeared in Hollywood Reporter, IMDB; reported by Widgett.]

May 30, 2000... Movieline magazine mentions that the current lead role in the film is being looked at by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon or Leonardo DiCaprio. They quote "the rumor mill" as their source, but our initial reaction is pretty much similar to theirs. Huh?! [Originally appeared in Movieline; reported by Widgett.]

June 29, 2000... Mark Wahlberg is in, this according to Variety. In fact--he's in twice, for this film and the sequel, should the need for one arise. Production begins in the fall, and the mag lists the film's premise as a "reimagining of the original series of five Apes pictures released between 1968 and 1973." Okay, sure. [Originally appeared in Variety; reported by Widgett.]

June 30, 2000... Gary Oldman may be looking to join Wahlberg in the flick, this according to Hollywood Reporter. He's in talks to play the President of the Assembly, the leader of the anti-human apes. The film is currently being set for a July 4th release date next year. [Originally appeared in Hollywood Reporter.]

Also, IGN FilmForce has reported that casting info has been submitted to casting agencies under the title of The Visitor, no doubt in an attempt to keep the idly curious at bay. [Originally appeared in IGN FilmForce; Thanks to The Andy Man.]

Early morning, July 13, 2000... Hollywood Reporter reported yesterday that Sports Illustrated model-turned-actress Estella Warren is in final talks to join the cast. The mag theorizes that Warren would play the love interest of Wahlberg. Also mentioned is that instead of an astronaut, Wahlberg's character is a pilot. [Originally appeared in Hollywood Reporter; reported by Widgett.]

Afternoon, July 13, 2000... Al Issacs over at Scoops Wrestling has an exclusive scoop to share with us from the world of wrestling that also pertains to the Apes remake. "I spole with Nills Allen Stewart at a UPW wrestling show in California the other week. He's the wrestler/actor who played Jesse Ventura in that tv biopic and the wrestler 'Kornberg' in an episode of ER. Anyway, he's been cast as one of the 5 lead apes. According to Nills shooting will begin this October. He was busy going in for the face appliances that he says will not hide the actors' features, just make them more ape-like in appearance."

Al's scoop gives us our first real information on the type of ape makeup Tim Burton wants to use to create his new monkeys. It sounds interesting, and if the current plan is to use the face of the actor as a base for the ape makeup, it's a completely different approach than the earlier animatronic ape models idea that Stan Winston Studios wanted to create.

[Thanks to Al Issacs/Scoops Wrestling for contacting us with this one!]

July 17, 2000... Entertainment Weekly did a round-up on big name sequels, and as an aside gave an amusing bit regarding this project. Charlton Heston had a big of advice for the man who'll be filling his shoes: Mark Wahlberg. "He's got to have them design some fake naked feet...or he'll get killed running around on the rocks. You pass that on to him." We're sure he'll get the word, Charlton. [Originally appeared in Entertainment Weekly; reported by Widgett.]

July 20, 2000... Anonymous sent us the following -- which appears to be a listing of who's working on the crew for the new Apes film:

Ralph Winter (Executive Producer), Jason McGatlin (Production Supervisor), Rosemary Brandenburg (Set Decoration), Colleen Atwood (Costumes), Rick Heinrichs (Production Designer), John Dexter (Art Director), Russell Bobbitt (Props), Mika Sait (Production Coordinator), Denise Chamian (Casting Director), Andy Armstrong (Second Unit Director), Tom Peitzman (Visual Effects Producer), Danny Elfman (Score).

[From an anonymous banana-man.]

July 26, 2000... CNN is reporting that Tim Roth has been approached to play an ape in the project, and word has it he's tossing around which project he wants to sign on to: this one or Harry Potter. [Originally appeared in CNN; reported by Widgett.]

July 28, 2000... Hollywood Reporter is stating that Paul Giamatti is in the cast as well, and will play the slave-trading ape known as Limbo. [Originally appeared in Hollywood Reporter; reported by Widgett.]

Also occuring yesterday, Army Archerd reported in Variety that Michael Clarke Duncan has joined the cast and Roth is definitely in. Duncan plays a good guy, Roth...a bad guy. Well, they're not guys specifically, they're...apes. You know. Production kicks off October 23rd. [Originally appeared in Variety; reported by Widgett and Christian.]

August 2, 2000... Well, mark this one as a strange scoop -- although one not entirely outside the realm of possibility. According to our latest scooper (who heard this from Morning Movie beat's movie reporter Ralph Garman on Los Angeles' 106.7 KROQ), Johnny Depp has come in and done several make-up tests for Tim Burton, and is now the one rumored to portray a Cornelius-like chimp in the Apes remake. "Ralph Garman is usually very accurate in his reporting," adds our scooper. "He reported Mark Wahlberg AND Gary Oldman's involvement before anything was announced. He's been following the Ape project for some time now, and has been accurate every time."

What sets the warning light off for us is that, last we heard, Depp was in Prague filming the Hughes' brothers From Hell picture, so it's kinda hard to be in L.A. for makeup tests and also across the world filming another picture. That said, it isn't entirely outside the realm of feasibility -- although it would have to mean Depp isn't filming scenes right now in Prague. Anyone else out there with a little more inside access to either one of these shows could help sort this mess out, if they were willing to oblige.

The scooper also says Paul Reubens, who had earlier been linked to the Cornelius-like role and had completed make-up tests, would not be starring in the film. "Whether or not it was his decision, or Burton's, I do not know," writes the scooper.

[Scooped by L.A. radio listener Diana.]

August 4, 2000... Variety is reporting that Helena Bonham Carter is in to play an "ape princess" who looks at both apes and humans and says, "Can't we all just get along?" Hollywood Reporter points out that the studio wants the project to be thought of as a "reimagination" of the original and not a remake, which we all know is akin to calling used cars "pre-owned." [Originally appeared in Variety, Hollywood Reporter; reported by Widgett, 'Grason'.]

August 7, 2000... Sleepy casts some more doubt on Depp being involved with the film. Again, he says it's possible (hell, they're making an Easy Rider sequel--anything's possible) but it would take some seriously juggling. "You're correct in stating Johnny Depp is in Prague filming From Hell...of course that doesn't mean he can't make a trip to L.A., but I don't see how he could be involved in the Apes film, as it's due to start filming in the fall. He will begin work on The Man Who Killed Don Quixote , with Gilliam, the middle of September."

Sleepy thinks, as we do, that if Depp is in the film, it's definite cameo material. [Thanks to Sleepy for waking us up. Now we can't go back to sleep.]

August 8, 2000... Sometimes there's a reason we don't print scoops that you may have read elsewhere. Sometimes it's because we think...nah, that can't be right. The fact that IMDB's Movie/TV News section has a report today regarding the planned lovemaking scene between Carter's ape princess and Wahlberg's human pilot was one of those things. But we keep hearing about it, so now we've got to say something. Apparently Hollywood is a bit of an uproar at the idea that Carter's character is the love interest of Wahlberg's character. Execs think it's weird and unnatural, but we think Tom Green could probably get away with it -- what's the big deal? Nevertheless, IMDB's source says this is just the tip of the iceberg for the trouble that's yet to come. "I think Tim [Burton] is in for a major battle," says IMDB's insider. [Originally appeared in the IMDB; reported by Widgett.]

August 18, 2000... Thanks to our latest scooper we have a little more insight to Michael Clarke Duncan's character in the upcoming Apes remake. Recently Duncan made a pit-stop into Canada's music station, MuchMusic, where he revealed he will be playing the Lieutenant to Tim Roth's Leader of the Apes character. Duncan also added that after three hours each day in the make-up chair he would be virtually unrecognizable. [Thanks to 'Vindicator'; reported by Reg@CA.]

August 28, 2000... An anonymous scooper pointed out to us that Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's bio on the official Art of War website states he is about to enter production on this project. [Thanks to Anonymous.]

September 6, 2000... According to the gang at Dark Horizons, actress Rena Owen revealed in an interview with Quebec TV that she has already auditioned for a role in the upcoming Apes remake. Owen also commented on shooting for her role in George Lucas' Star Wars, Episode 2. There's been no word on what Apes part the busy actress tried out for. Appeared at Dark Horizons; reported by Reg.]

September 19, 2000... Dark Horizons recently received the following report from an on-set spy who managed to get a glimpse of the cool things to come:

"There were no actors with any make up but he did meet Rick Baker. He said he saw a bunch of the masks on the wall. They are flesh colored with ape like hair. He did see some stunt doubles with the below the neck costumes on...which are very very muscular. He said the masks are so good they looked like someone ripped faces off of people and hung them up. Also very realistic....cause Baker is the best."

[Appeared at Dark Horizons; reported by Reg.]

September 24, 2000... It's been rumored for quite a while that Tim Burton's Apes remake would be called The Visitor but now it appears that the film is reverting back to its original title, Planet of the Apes. You certainly can't go wrong with a classic name, we hope. [Reported by Reg.]

September 27, 2000... Richard Zanuck, the man behind this new Planet of the Apes remake, recently sat down with The Age and talked shop about life in the film industry and the upcoming Apes film:

"...Richard left the [Fox] studio in 1973 but remains extremely active as a independent film maker. His latest effort is a remake of the original Planet of the Apes. Zanuck, however, doesn't think the term 'remake' applies here.

" 'We're not remaking it, we are re-envisioning it. Mark Wahlberg is not playing Charlton Heston's character. He's playing a totally new created part in this upside down world of ape and human.' Zanuck continues to use the same approach to picking a film project that was used by him and his father during those days at 20th Century Fox."

[Appeared at The Age; reported by Reg.]

Morning, September 29, 2000... In a report posted yesterday on the Fandom site, Smilin' Jack Ruby posted photographic evidence that the production is referring to itself as The Visitor, the recently debunked working title for the picture. Jack made his way onto the Sony lot and snapped two photos of the stage door. Maybe the official title will be Apes after all, but around tinseltown, the project is definitely being referred to still as The Visitor. The defence rests its case, your honor. [The only good human is either a dead human or Smilin' Jack Ruby.]

Afternoon, September 29, 2000... One of our deep cover sources has emerged and told us this piece of exclusive news: director (and sometimes actor) Spike Jonze is playing an ape in the film! Jonze's part will be of an "ape outsider" who winds up befriending Mark Wahlberg's astronaut character and (minor SPOILERS follow, swipe to read) eventually winds up helping Walhberg escape from his ape captors. In fact, it was Wahlberg who suggested his Three Kings co-star to director Tim Burton for the part of his monkey pal.

And those earlier reports about there being more ape species than just the three that appeared in the original films? Our source tells us to be prepared for more...a lot more. "I'm talking about double digits when it comes to the number of species," they told us. It's a madhouse! [The name of this ape was withheld.]

October 5, 2000... For months there have been rumors that Tim Burton's new Apes film would feature a number of different ape species. As fans of the original series of films will remember, the only ape species we saw were the benevolent Chimpanzees, the scholarly Orangutans and the warlike Gorillas.

Guess what? Coming Attractions now has a partial list of the ape species we'll see in the new Planet of the Apes -- and based on what we now know, get ready to see a lot more diversity between the talking monkeys...a lot more. With the huge strides in special effects technology since the first Apes movie in 1968, the 2001 Apes film will truly show us a planet full of apes in all different shapes, sizes and colors. Upon being informed of this information, the inner fanboy in us said this: Cool!

Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes will feature Chimpanzees, Baboons, Orangutans, Howler Monkees, Mangabeys, Gorillas, Spider monkeys, Lervet monkeys, Mandrills, and a few Loris monkeys. (This little guy we have a picture of on the right is a Loris monkey, just so you know what our scooper is talking about.) 

The Loris species of monkeys lives in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, and we're told that the 2001 Apes movie will be using CGI technology to show us clothed, speaking Loris monkeys interacting with the other apes in the film! Burton is really going for a complete and true multi-species representation of all the different intelligent apes living on the planet to show they would have as much diversity as humanity does on Earth.

And remember: this is only a partial listing of the different ape species seen in the film! Expect to also see sub-families of each ape species; for example, we now can inform you that Michael Clarke Duncan plays a giant silverback gorilla (like this one on the left) in the film!

[Our ape insider is treating us pretty good and is earning himself a lifetime supply of bananas; Loris image culled from the Primate Center at Duke University website; Silverback picture culled from the Taronga Zoo website.]

October 7, 2000... Variety is reporting that Larry Konner and Mark Rosenthal are on board to tweak Broyles' script. [Originally appeared at Variety.]

October 8, 2000... Not to create a storm of scoops like we did over on our Jurassic Park 3 page regarding a particular dino and what it might or might not be, but we thought this note was a bit informative, and so we just felt like sharing:

"This isn't a scoop but a little bit of info on the involved primate species. Finally being a zoologist major comes in handy. I just think it is interesting that the aforementioned species are not all apes. There are only four groups of apes; two Asiatic groups, the Gibbons and the Orangutans, and two African groups, the Gorillas and the Chimpanzees. All the other species are considered monkeys except the Loris. The Loris is a whole separate group entirely, it is grouped with the Lemurs. There would have to be a whole lot of evolving going on if all these species, from three different branches on the evolutionary ladder, were to evolve into sentient beings."

[Wow. We don't know whether to thank Bobby Seals or remind him it's only a movie.]

October 10, 2000... A faithful scooper over at IGN Film Force recently returned from a Las Vegas convention with great news and more promotional footage from the upcoming Planet of the Apes remake. Here's the latest Apes buzz from the Film Force insider:

"Lots of great things to tell [from the convention], but of interest to you folks would be the Fox studios representative. He showed a few minutes of Planet of the Apes stuff. Obviously no footage yet, but a few interviews with Tim Burton and Rick Baker and a ton of conceptual art. Also, there were a few shots of the actual masks themselves, lined up in rows, hundreds of them! I'm not exaggerating at all here, Tim made a point of saying how every mask in the film would be unique, and that they would all be individually articulated. From the conceptual art of the costumes and the footage I saw of the masks, this is shaping up to be one hell of a film. Just to give you an idea, they are not far from the masks of the original, just updated a lot. Much more realistic! I have to tell you, I wasn't that thrilled about the idea of a POTA remake. But after what I've seen and heard, my mind is definitely open."

[Appeared at IGN FilmForce; reported by Reg.]

October 11, 2000... Just how much of Mark Wahlberg will we see? According to a report over at Pop Culprit, it appears actor Mark Wahlberg's been pumping far too much iron in preparation for his upcoming Apes role. Here's the latest from Pop Culprit:

"...In a rather interesting side note, another reliable source close to thefilm told us a problem has arisen regarding Wahlberg's physique. It seems that after casting the actor, Burton told the already toned star that he could bulk up for the film.

"However it seems that Wahlberg got too buff, and that executives at Warner Bros., co-producers with 20th Century Fox, are unhappy about the way he looks. After being told of the problem, Wahlberg went in to meet with Burton, who agreed with the studio and told the actor that he must shed a little of his muscle."

[Appeared at IFuse PopCulprit; reported by Reg.]

And we just received word Tim Burton is looking for some good apes....extras, that is. "Aaaaahhhh...this morning a flyer crossed my desk, casting for extras for the film, and ape training for The Visitor, a Planet of the Apes remake, on the island of Hawaii, this week. Tim Burton is HERE staying at a local resort (courtesy of my friend at the resort)......aloha!"

[Anonymous.]

October 13, 2000... The call is on for extras to star in Planet of the Apes. Shooting will soon begin in Hawaii, and we've started to receive reports from locals who know little bits and pieces of what's going on...

"I just met someone that is taking pictures for a casting call here on the Big Island of Hawaii. They are looking for tall skinny guys with long hair. Seeing as though that is me I am hoping to be involved. Word has it filming for these extras will happen the begining of December." [Anonymous joe gave us one piece of the puzzle.]

A casting call for human and ape extras was held two days ago. "Ape training to be held 20-22 Nov, and filming at two locations on this island, the island of Hawaii, from 4-8 Dec," writes another one of our sources who had been tailing around director Tim Burton. How do we know? "Burton has checked out of The Orchid at Mauna Lani Resort." [Anonymous is deep undercover.]

October 16, 2000... The latest Apes news is in the October 20th issue of Entertainment Weekly. Michael Clarke Duncan talks about his role and what it's like to play a gorilla in the upcoming remake directed by Tim Burton. Duncan reveals:

"It's tripped out. You have to learn to roll your shoulders forward, hunch your back, and round your arms the way apes do. I'm also learning how to pick things up with a curved arm."

Duncan also likes how actor Tim Roth is fitting in with the Apes:

"Tim's excellent, because he's a chimpanzee and shorter to the ground; he kind of looks the part already."

[Originally appeared in Entertainment Weekly; thanks to Movie Headlines for the tip; reported by Reg.]

October 17, 2000... Okay, here's some interesting info. Seems the Honolulu Star-Bulletin has reported that Hawaii will have play host to only "some second-unit photography...including background scenes to be used in digital effects." [Originally appeared at Honolulu Star-Bulletin; scooped by Lianne.]

However, another scooper, wanting to get a piece of the extra action, if you know what we mean, did some calling about. Here's what he learned: "...they are indeed looking for 'skinny, long-haired' guys BUT the shoot has been moved to March from December and will be for 5 days." [Thanks to Ricky B.]

October 18, 2000... Try this one on for size: apes fighting humans in a giant dust bowl? Daily Radar reports on the recent Planet of the Apes camera tests under way in Sun Valley, California. Here's the skinny on the good news:

"...Dozens of extras done up in many different varieties of ape and chimp, as well as just some regular ol' humans, ran around as the camera crew tested out various apertures and lenses. The scene location is called: EXT. DUST BOWL. There were apes fighting humans with apes in foreground and humans in background. Then they reversed it. Then, just for a little extra fun, they added flying dust into the mix...All said, the crew tested about 25 different camera setups at the location.

"Neither director Tim Burton nor any of the principal actors were involved in these tests, it was solely a day for the camera crew to work out any potential monkey wrenches...

[Appeared at Daily Radar; reported by Reg.]

October 24, 2000... Tim Roth recently revealed more of his Apes training schedule to the gang at Jam Movies. According to Roth himself, he's been taking quite a few movement classes and spending most of his time on horseback in preparation for the upcoming Apes remake which is scheduled to start shooting next month. [Appeared at JamMovies; reported by Reg.]

October 27, 2000... Variety is reporting Fox's announcement of summer 2001 mayhem. This project, for example, is slated for a November 6th kickoff. It has also been pushed back to July 27th. [Originally appeared at Variety.]

According to BBC Radio 2 report broadcast yesterday, George Clooney will be shooting a cameo for Tim Burton's new film -- portraying an ape. According to the BBC, star Mark Wahlberg got Clooney to appear in make-up for Planet of the Apes as some sort of joke between the two of them. It's not confirmed, but it's out there. [Ian Fee told us about it first.]

November 2, 2000... According to this scooper who heard it from a local radio broadcast yesterday, filming begins today for Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes in the small desert town of Page, Arizona. "Page is the desert town north of Glen Canyon Dam which supports Lake Powell - the large reservoir on the Utah-Arizona border," writes our scooper. "Page is centrally located to 'Canyon Lands' and other picturesque locals seen in old westerns. This is generally a good season to get some good desert scenes without the suffocating heat, but unfortunately the long-term forecast shows at least a couple weeks of Seattle weather..." [Scooped by Apollo in Salt Lake.]

November 7, 2000... Apparently, Linda Harrison, who played Nova in the original Planet of the Apes, will be making a cameo appearance in the upcoming Tim Burton remake. According to an update on Harrison's own website, she will play a similar Nova-like character in a scene with Mark Wahlberg. [Originally appeared at Lindaharrison.com; thanks to MovieHeadlines for the tip; reported by Reg.]

November 9, 2000... Okay, put on your skeptic's hat and let's go to work shall we? A scooper who wished to be called "PigBodine" sent us a couple of pics that he claims are of this project's set. Now we'd like to take this opportunity to underscore and highlight the fact that at the present time it's very unconfirmed that these pics are of the Apes set. One thing that would make it a lot easier to judge everything is if there were, we don't know, maybe an ape or two in the shot. But ah well. Next time.

What makes us think that these might be legit pics, however, (bearing in mind that this just us riffing and we did use that word "might") is the fact that these are certainly what we would think of as "Burtonesque" tents. We can see the guy roughing it in one of these babies, can't you? But regardless, click on the pics to see the full deal.

If you'll notice in the first pic there on your right, horses are standing around. In the second pic, you've basically got the Four Seasons version of the Burton tent. [Special thanks to PigBodine for the pics.]

November 16, 2000... The webmaster of The Tim Burton Collective dropped us a line: according to actor Glenn Shadix (a Burton regular in many of the director's films; he played Otho in Beetlejuice and was the voice of The Mayor in The Nightmare Before Christmas), via Shadix's official website, he's been cast as the orangutan Senator Nado!

"I've been spending a lot of time at Rick Baker's (five time Oscar winning make-up artist) having molds and casts made of my head, shoulders, arms, and hands," writes Shadix on his website. "I went in yesterday for another fitting for my ape dentures. Tim called me earlier this week to tell me I'll soon be enrolled in 'Ape School' along with Lisa Marie, Helena Bonham-Carter and David Warner. Hollywood has finally succeeded in making a monkey out of me!" David Warner's in it too, eh? New character and cast listings have been added to the top of our POTA listing!

[Scooped by Mike Jackson; originally appeared on The Glenn Shadix Website.]

November 22, 2000... The Apester swung by and dropped the the following tidbit regarding Burton's remake. Emmanuel Lubezki (Oscar-nommed cinematographer on Sleepy Hollow and Great Expectations) has been tapped to do what he does best on Burton's re-imagining of the 1968 sci-fi masterpiece. ['The Apester' isn't monkeying around.]

November 28, 2000... A bit more on David Warner's part, taken from Variety: He's "an esteemed liberal member of the apes' Senate and father of Helena Bonham Carter. They sympathize with the plight of the oppressed humans -- two of whom are Mark Wahlberg and Estella Warren. On the other side of the Senate aisle is Tim Roth, the ape leader who considers humans as animals, as does Michael Clarke Duncan." [Originally appeared in Variety.]

November 30, 2000... Variety reports that Kris Kristofferson is on board, playing the leader of the human rebels. [Originally appeared in Variety.]

December 5, 2000... E! Online writes up a bit on the premise of the film, which involves a genetically-altered simian being sent into space and winding up going back in time. We read it five times and our head still hurts, so we'll just provide the link to the story in a moment. They also go back to the idea that Heston will have a role in the film. Here's the link, maybe we need more coffee. [Originally appeared at E! Online; scooped by Boraxo Bilgewater.]

LINDA HARRISON AT CONVENTION (submitted 10/7/00 by kig3@bellatlantic.net )

Its being heald in Maryland a city called Gaithersburg. So far,  I have just seen it advertised as a collectibles show. Linda Harrison will be there as well as someone from Beneath. Its being held Oct 7-8. The promoters name is L. Johnson Promotions. The phone is 301-216-0876.

AMERICAN CINEMATEQUE features HESTON (SUBMITTED 8/17/00 BY Vinnie hitmanny@my-deja.com   )

The American Cinemateque at the Egyptian Theater in LA on Hollywood Blvd will be screening "Planet of the Apes," at 7pm on Aug 17th.  The screening will be followed by a discussion and Q&A with Charlton Heston.   A special highlight of the Festival will be in-person appearances by guests including actor Charlton Heston (PLANET OF THE APES),

The theater was packed - it had sold out a couple of days earlier, and the crowd was hot and ready for the Apes film!  The scuttlebut in the theater was regarding the DVD set which went on sale a couple of days earlier, and while most DVDheads were excited about it, the general consensus was that Fox did a competent but uninspiring job - not much in the way of extras, using and old transfer, and no anamorphic widescreen enhancement.  Personally I feel Fox will just release a superior version down the line, but the inclusion of the documentary disc was great, if uninspired, since the only extras on the discs are the trailers.  :-( So it was bumper-to-bumper Apeaholics in there, and I was in heaven! The film began and it was obvious that the print was good and the color was equisite!  The sound was very good also!  Seeing Apes come alive on the big screen was impressive!  The crowd was very animated and anxious for the film, cheering and laughing and having a great time! Afterwards, the host interviewed Chartlon Heston for about 10 minutes, and he told his famous Kim Hunter story at the POTA Premeire, as well as mentioned that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," when asked about the new remake.  He was very gracious and had a great sense of style, speaking highly of all his castmates on the film.  He took questions from the audience for another 10 minutes or so, and then the Q&A abruptly ended as many people groaned, anticipating at least an hour.  I was a bit mad, but nothing could deflate the magic of a great evening at the Egyptian Theater! Notable was the immense positive crowd reaction during a scene where Taylor takes a rifle, and I think Zira remarks he won't need it, and he notes that it will make him "feel better," or "feel safer" or something like that.  The crowd reaction was thunderous and engaging, and appreciative of Mr. Heston's role in the NRA!!!  In the heart of Progressive LA during the Democratic Convention, it was a bit surreal, but there was Mr. Heston, smiling from ear to ear!!  :-)  I was cheering wildly, betraying my age of 32 and acting more like an awed 10 year old!  Heh heh!!!! A great trip!  On a related note, I did all my LA things  - Pinks hot Dogs, Fatburger, Hollywood Blvd, Movie book & Poster stores, 2 more Movies (Godzilla 2000 at the galaxy on Friday, and "This Island Earth" at the Egyptian, with an hour long Q&A with director on Saturday!) - and picked up the Latest issue of FilmFax at the Hollywood Books & Posters, and fans may want to pick it up also as it has a neat interview with Kim Hunter about the Apes films.  Not a long interview, but great nonetheless! Special Thanks to my LA Apeaholic friend Andy who let me stay at his place, making the long weekend/short vacation affordable for me.  A great great trip!!! I

http://www.egyptiantheatre.com/archive1999/2000/fantasyscifihorror2000.htm

Thursday, August 17 – 7:00 PM FANTASY/SCI-FI FEST Charlton Heston In Person!! Brand New 35 mm. Print!

PLANET OF THE APES, 1968, 20^th Century Fox, 119 min. Dir. Franklin Schaffner. One of the greatest modern sci-fi films, a combination of apocalyptic action and evolutionary parable. Astronaut Charlton Heston finds himself stranded on a strangely-familiar world; dominated by a race of highly-intelligent gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans. Featuring amazingly-realistic monkey make-up by John Chambers, and a superb script by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson, based on Pierre Boulle’s acclaimed novel. Discussion following with actor Charlton Heston.

CAST/CREW FOR "THE VISITOR" (submittted 7/20/00 by Phil Nobile soylentphil@hotmail.com)

From Coming Attractions:  listing of who's working on the crew for the new Apes film:

Ralph Winter (Executive Producer), Jason McGatlin (Production Supervisor),
Rosemary Brandenburg (Set Decoration), Colleen Atwood (Costumes), Rick
Heinrichs (Production Designer), John Dexter (Art Director), Russell Bobbitt
(Props), Mika Sait (Production Coordinator), Denise Chamian (Casting
Director), Andy Armstrong (Second Unit Director), Tom Peitzman (Visual
Effects Producer), Danny Elfman (Score).

THE APE HOUSE IN BRAZIL (submitted 7/15/00 by Luiz Saulo Adami tinarosa@melim.com.br
Dear Ape Friends: My name is Adami and I am author of the book about Planet of the Apes  - The Only Good Human is a Dead Human!

In my country, Brazil, I am a journalist and I am working on a big project called The Ape House: a place where you can to find Planet of the Apes items  - toys, masks, magazines, video tapes, CDs, LPs, figures, documentaries, photographis autographed by Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter, Booth Colman, Bradford Dillman, Natalie Trundy, Buck Kartalian, Don Pedro Colley, Lee Delano, Bill Blake, James Naughton, Ron Harper, Beverly Garland and many more Apes stars!  Please, look for our Planet of the Apes Brazilian Fan Club’s web site: www.mcanet.com.br/lostinspace/apes/apes.html

With this e-mail, I want your help. Please, if possible, send for me Planet of the Apes items to our Ape House Exhibition Room. Send the Planet of the Apes items to: Luiz Saulo Adami Caixa Postal 496 Brusque, SC  88350-970 Brazil

ESTELLA WARREN IN NEW FILM (submitted 7/12/00 by Phil Nobile soylentphil@hotmail.com )

From The Hollywood Reporter: Warren dives into Burton's 'Apes' remake

Newcomer Estella Warren is in final negotiations to join Mark Wahlberg in director Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" remake for 20th Century Fox. Details on the project are being keeping under wraps, but the story is different from the original in that Wahlberg is a pilot instead of an astronaut. It's believed that she will play Wahlberg's love interest,
but the studio would not confirm that. The project, being scripted by William Broyles Jr., is expected to begin shooting in the fall for a projected July 4 release. Warren, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and former nationally ranked Canadian synchronized swimmer, has only been acting for several months, having landed roles in Michael Rymer's indie feature "Perfume" and Tapestry Films' indie feature "Tangled" (a k a "Conspiracy of Weeds") opposite Rachael Leigh Cook. Warren went before the cameras this week for Warner Bros./Franchise Pictures' "Champs" for director Renny Harlin. The film, shooting in Toronto, stars Sylvester Stallone and Til Schweiger

RICK BAKER SKETCHES FOR "THE VISITOR" (submitted 7/10/00 by Phil Nobile soylentphil@hotmail.com )

"A friend of mine is doing session work with Rick Baker. Well, Rick has been busy prepping sketches and design for the upcoming "Visitor" project, which you know is the new "Apes" film. Well, on Wednesday they had a special guest
- Paul Reubens. Paul was in to have a lifecast (facial casting) made. Rick supervised it and it took a couple of hours - start to finish. Rick spent about thirty minutes more with him off the floor reviewing the Cornelius/Chimpanzee sketches. Lifecasts are required for all foam latex appliance "glued" facial makeups. It ensures a perfect fit of the appliance
to the actor's features. Rick summed it up with his staff afterward as " keep a lid on this, it's not official yet". But.....it looks like Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee) is set to play Cornelius. If so....that's pretty cool."

POTA DAILY ON TBS (submitted 7/9/00 by  JSe3689836@aol.com )

TBS is showing all 5 films, in chrono order, starting Monday, 7/10/00 with 1 film a day, starting at 2 pm Eastern. So that's SciFi, USA, AMC, FXM, the occasional local station, and now TBS. 

APECON 2000 IN BRAZIL (submitted 6/29/00 by Luiz Saulo Adami adami@febe.rct-sc.br )

Luiz Saulo Adami, head of the POTA Brazil fan club is one of the invited celebrities at the con in Brazil. 

www.comix.com.br/eventos/apecon/     (São Paulo, Brazil - October 8th, 2000)

MARK WAHLBERG IN POTA (submitted 7/6/00 by JSe3689836@aol.com )

Anyone catch the blurb on Wahlberg being cast in the remake in this weeks Time Magazine? (The one with Life on the Mississippi on the cover) It's on page 118 in the People section. Written by Josh Tyrangiel. Has a picture of Wahlberg smiling like Buster Poindexter. It's titled "Damn Dirty Gen-X Ape" Here's the complete text:" Cast Keanu Reeves as Moses in The Ten Commandments if you like. Make Freddie Prinze Jr. into the new Judah Ben-Hur. But why, why, why must Hollywood desecrate Charlton Heston's perfect performance as Colonel George Taylor in Planet of the Apes? Mark (Marky Mark) Wahlberg, 29, signed on this week to fill Heston's giant sandals as the cluelessly histrionic time traveller in Tim Burton's reimagining of the great ape film, tentatively scheduled for a July 4, 2001 release. (Wahlberg
has already committed to the sequel.) Gary Oldman is reportedly being considered for the role of the evil president of the ape assembly. No word if Wahlberg will sport a Calvin Klein loincloth."

http://www.variety.com/body.asp?HbkId=16718064&CatId=NEWS&ArticleId=1117783175&SubCat=13

"WAHLBERG GOING 'APES'   By PAUL F. DUKE ,  CLAUDE BRODESSER
 
Mark Wahlberg has signed to take the lead role in 20th Century Fox's "Planet of the Apes" in a two-picture deal that also includes a sequel.   Pic is scheduled to begin shooting in the fall under director Tim Burton. Fox plans a high-profile release in summer 2001.

Wahlberg's path to serious talks with Fox was cleared earlier last week, when his negotiations to star in Paramount's "Criminal Conversations" fell apart. He stars in Warner Bros.' "The Perfect Storm," opening Friday.    Burton's last pic was "Sleepy Hollow."

Written by Bill Broyles, the latest version of the "Apes" saga is being produced by Richard Zanuck. Pic is being overseen at Fox by Tom Rothman, president of 20th Century Fox Film Group, and Hutch Parker, prexy of production for the studio's TCF label.

Story of the film is still a closely guarded secret, but it's said to be neither a sequel nor a remake, but rather a reimagining of the original series of five "Apes" pictures released between 1968 and 1973.  Wahlberg is repped by Endeavor."   ©2000, Variety, Inc.

"WE WANT CHUCK" PETITION (submitted 7/4/00 by marmat8@yahoo.com )

They're remaking "Planet of the Apes" without Charlton Heston!   IF this turn of events displeases you as much as it displeases me, then do something about it by Contacting: Richard Zanuck (new "Apes" producer), Tom Rothman
(Film Group President), and Tom sherak (Film Group Chairman) at:
20th Century fox, PO Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213.
Tell them WE WANT CHUCK--HE'S TAYLOR-MADE FOR THE NEW"APES"!
(After all, a "Planet of the Apes" without Charlton Heston is like...a talking human in the Year 3978...they're both mutants.) Don't you agree?     Producer Zanuck can also be emailed at his own company's site, at Zanuckco@aol.com

POTA VHS LEADS TO MURDER CHARGE (submitted 7/4/00 by zonkcathos@aol.com )

FIGHT OVER WHO OWNED VIDEO LEADS TO MURDER CHARGE        Roanoke Rapids-- A man has been charged with murder in a beating death that investigators said resulted from a fight over who owned a copy of
the video "Planet of the Apes."      Halifax County sheriff's deputies responded Wednesday to what they thought
was a fight, but found James Edward Garner Jr. dead. Anthony McQuinn Wills, 37, was charged with murder and was jailed without bond.      Police said the men apparently were arguing over who owned the video.  Garner was hit several times with a baseball bat.

POTA AT MOVIE-MISTAKES.COM (submitted 6/28/00 by Ross T. smoothrt@hotmail.com )

  http://www.movie-mistakes.com/ is a GREAT resource for mistakes on movies, i'm fascinated by it.  They even got some posts on POTA and BPOTA.  But anyways, I check out the "Movie news" part of the page, it's a link on the
frame to the left.  They gots some info on the new POTA movie, here's it pasted:

"It seems that Matt Damon has still to make a final decision between taking the lead in Tim Burton's "Planet Of The Apes" or Doug Linman's "The Bourne Identity." While talking to iFUSE the actor revealed that Burton's "concept
is really ambitious. It's not going to be like the original," before going on to say that he really wants to work with "Swingers" and "Go" director Linman on "The Bourne Identity."

Perhaps Damon should hurry up and let Tim Burton know his decision; while talking to Cinescape "Three Kings," "Boogie Nights," and "The Perfect Storm" star Mark Wahlberg revealed that he too has been talking to Burton about the
role; "People tell me I'm pretty simian, but I think Tim Burton wants me to be the Charlton Heston.Tim is the kind of guy where I just say yes to anything he wants me to do. I did say, `What kind of ape do you want me to play?' and Tim has said, `You're the human.'"

However producer Richard Zanuck revealed recently that whoever does replace Charlton Heston as leading man will not get the chance to play opposite the star of the original, as there is no chance of Heston returning, even in a cameo role; Zanuck said quite succinctly "There's no part for him." He went on to talk about the approach that maverick film maker Burton will be taking with the movie; "It's not a sequel, it's not a remake of "Planet of the Apes," it's a reconstruction of the basic idea -- a reimagination of apes and humans."

RICK BAKER APE DESIGNS FOR NEW MOVIE (submitted 5/12/00 by Hunter Goatley mailto:goathunter@process.com )

Today's USA Today has an article on Rick Baker's ape designs for the new movie.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/enter/movies/movie434.htm

Remaking, not aping, 'Planet'  By Susan Wloszczyna, USA TODAY

When re-creating primates on film, makeup wizard Rick Baker is your go-to guy.

The five-time Oscar winner not only designed the great ape looks for Greystoke:The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Gorillas in the Mist (1988) and the updated Mighty Joe Young(1998), but he also was the man in the gorilla suit for 1976's King Kong. "About 99% was me. The rest was a big mechanical hand."

Baker was the obvious choice to monkey around with director Tim Burton's new version of 1968's Planet of the Apes, which starred Charlton Heston as an astronaut, plus Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter as humanoid hairballs. Trouble is, he had sworn off any more ape assignments.

"For Mist, I created my ultimate gorilla costume. No one knew which ones were real and which were fake. Mighty Joe Young was one of my favorite films as a kid, and I wanted that to be the last one." He wanted a break after working back-to-back on Nutty Professor II: The Klumps and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. But he found he couldn't resist the Planet assignment.

"So here I am again, day and night, making apes."     He vows to give the banana bunch a dental fix for the summer 2001 remake. "In the original, their teeth were attached to the appliance they wore, and they couldn't bare them. I'm hoping to change that."      Baker also wants to boost the lead female's sex appeal. His challenge: "What we are going for is someone that 13-year-old boys will fall in love with."

ALFREDO ALCALA R.I.P. (submitted by Alan Maxwell 4/17/00 mailto:alan@auldgreytoon.freeserve.co.uk )

I have just read on a newsgroup (haven't managed to confirm it yet) that comic artist Alfredo Alcala passed away on the 8th April, aged 74, of cancer. He was one of the many Filipino artists who made such a great impact on the American comics of the 70s (along with Nestor Redondo, Alex Nino, Ernie Chan, Tony DeZuniga, Rudy Nebres and many more). Although he worked on such well known characters as Conan the Barbarian and Batman, he is known to apefans as the artist responsible for Marvel's adaptations of "Beneath" and "Conquest" as well as a couple of other miscellaneous chapters for the 70s PotA mag. An excellent artist whether working on his own or inking others, and verstile too (he was equally adept at a humourous style, used in such publications as DC's "Plop!").

ALFREDO ALCALA DIES AT 74 Comics penciler/inker Alfredo Alcala died from cancer on Saturday, April 9.
Born in the Philippines, Alcala wrote and drew his own line of comic books before working for American comics publishers. DC first utilized Alcala's talents in its horror and war comics like GHOSTS, UNEXPECTED, and WEIRD WAR TALES before moving on to titles like ALL-STAR SQUADRON, Savage Sword of Conan, BATMAN, SWAMP THING and countless others for both DC and Marvel.

Alcala's lines were graceful and moody, and his heavily-textured style connected him to a long line of master illustrators throughout history. Regardless of the industry legends of his 40 completed-pages-a-week output, his work maintained a dynamism and fluid motion perfectly suited to sequential storytelling. He was 74.

TIM BURTON'S CREW (submitted 4/16/00 Brian Penikas www.apemania.com  )

In case everyone hasn't heard the latest, Tim Burton has brought the Academy Award winning costume design team and production designers from Sleepy Hollow to head up their respected departments on the new Planet of the Apes film.

For the longest time though, the really big question has been who would be responsible for picking up the make-up design where John Chambers left off; Stan Winston or Rick Baker.   Hold onto your hats folks, cuz Rick (King Kong '76, Greystoke, Incredible Shrinking Woman, Gorillas in the Mist, Mighty Joe Young) Baker and his team have got the gig!!!   And we all know how convincing Mr. Baker's apes have been throughout the years.

RICHARD ZANUCK BACK WITH APES (submitted 3/21/00 by Philip Nobile philip.nobile@us.pwcglobal.com )

Richard Zanuck is returning as producer of the remake of one of the films he pushed through while president of Fox in the '60s: Planet of the Apes. Zanuck's signing for the important producing position serves to show how serious Fox is about getting the Apes production up and moving quickly. In  addition, Zanuck's participation might calm any doubts fans of the old series have about a contemporary take on the classic film series.

While talking to Variety, current 20th Century Fox Film Group prez, Tom Rothman, says, "This is a big film with a very very significant director. (Zanuck) is a pro's pro and there's the karmic unity of the fact he was here when the series started. There's a certain poetry to that."

Zanuck tells the Hollywood Reporter, "For me to come back into this, I feel like  I'm in a time warp. I initially put this into production when I was at Fox 30-some years ago. The idea was so intriguing to me then, and I think we can do better now because technology will allow us to improve the look and articulation of the apes."

Regarding working with Tim Burton, the producer adds, "Tim Burton is somebody who I admire and have tried to get for a lot of my previous projects, but was never was able to do it." Zanuck is said to have already met twice with Burton and the project and will  do so again after the Academy Awards broadcast, something else he produces.

Now that the project has both a producer and a director, the previously announced Tim Burton, pre-production on the project should start very quickly as well as any necessary re-writes of Bill Broyles script.

TIM BURTON'S NEW POTA MOVIE - ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (submitted by Duncan Sutherland 3/3/00 dcs22@cam.ac.uk

I saw this on Entertainment Weekly's website

Great Apes
The latest about the ''Planet of the Apes'' remake. David Hochman says Tim Burton and Jack Nicholson would make a great team

I can see it now. ''Get your stinking Scissorhands off me, you damned dirty ape!'' Last month, when word came from Twentieth Century Fox that Tim Burton will direct a new millennium version of ''Planet of the Apes,'' I started digging out my old Dr. Zaius mask and my hirsute Roddy McDowell action figurines.

After all, an ''Apes'' remake had been rumored for years and I was going bananas just waiting -- especially after all the false starts. At one point, Arnold Schwarzenegger had reportedly signed on to star for $20 million, and Chris Columbus and Oliver Stone were both mentioned to direct. Stone probably envisioned the film as a true story in which apes really ARE conspiring to rule the world. It's no wonder I was so relieved when Burton finally came on board. Now it looks like Apeheads will be in monkey heaven by Summer 2001.