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AMC Goes Bananas Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of THE PLANET OF THE APES In September
Featuring Two-Hour Original Special, "Behind The Planet Of The Apes," and All Five "Apes" Films
Hosted On-Air by Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter
WOODBURY, N.Y., August 7, 1998 - In September, AMERICAN MOVIE CLASSICS goes ape when the network
celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the smash hit, sci-fi film THE PLANET OF THE APES by presenting all
five "Apes" movies and a two-hour original special, BEHIND THE PLANET OF THE APES, hosted by "Apes" star
Roddy McDowall. The "Apes" invade AMC all month long when the network presents a two-day festival
on September 6 and 7, and a day-long festival on September 12, all hosted on-air by stars from the "Apes"
saga, Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter. (Complete
schedule attached.)
AMC showcases the five unforgettable motion pictures in the series: THE PLANET OF THE APES (1968), BENEATH THE
PLANET OF THE APES (1970), ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES (1971), CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (1972)
and BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (1973). AMC's special, BEHIND THE PLANET OF THE APES, features exclusive,
behind-the-scenes footage, screen tests, rare photographs and home movies of the historic making of Hollywood's
first cinematic saga, as well as revealing interviews with Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter, Linda
Harrison, Ricardo Montalban, Natalie Trundy and the key-players involved with creating the
films. Additionally, BEHIND THE PLANET OF THE APES chronicles the entire "Apes" phenomena that includes five
films, a television series, an animated series, comic books, toys, games and. merchandise. The in-depth special
explores the compelling history of the making of each feature film and how the story lines were affected by the
social issues of the time.
AMC presents the fully restored version of the 1968 classic science fiction film that kicked off the first
Hollywood cinematic saga, THE PLANET OF THE APES. Charlton Heston stars as "Taylor," the leader of a group of
American astronauts who discover a world where apes are the master race and humans are non-speaking slaves.
Roddy McDowall is "Cornelius" and Kim Hunter is his wife "Dr. Zira," both sympathetic chimpanzees trying to
help "Taylor" unravel the mystery behind their existence and a strange human who can speak. The leader of the
"Apes," "Dr. Zaius," played by Maurice Evans, is determined to keep the secret of the genesis of the "Ape"
society, thwarting any hopes of "Cornelius" and "Dr. Zira" finding the truth. Make-up designer John Chambers
won an Oscar for his legendary work on the blockbuster film that not only succeeded as a savvy political satire,
but as a social phenomenon.
BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES (1970), is the second installment of the saga. Charlton Heston returns as
"Taylor," who mysteriously disappears at the film's opening. James Franciscus plays a space explorer who had
been searching for Taylor in space, only to crash on a planet inhabited by a primitive world ruled by apes,
which he discovers is Earth. Kim Hunter, Linda Harrison, and Maurice Evans reprise their roles, but because
Roddy McDowall was shooting another film, David Watson portrays "Cornelius." In this chapter, the "Apes"
battle teiepathic human mutants who survived a nuclear blast. The mutants, who ironically worship the atomic
bomb as their god, bring a tragic end to the "Apes" world as they know it.
In the third motion picture in the series, ESCAPE FROM PLANET OF THE APES (1972), Roddy McDowall is back
as "Cornelius," as well as Kim Hunter as "Dr. Zira." The tables are turned on the "Ape" couple as they
travel back in time to modern day Los Angeles in "Taylor's" space ship, which they salvaged before the planet
was destroyed by a nuclear explosion in the last installment. This thought-provoking and suspenseful film
explores how society reacts to these speaking primates -- man tests them, welcomes them with open arms, then
turns on them when "Corneilus" accidentally kills someone when defending Zira and their expectant baby. Ricardo
Montalban is the sympathetic circus owner who takes them into hiding and saves their baby from the same untimely
death the couple ultimately faces.
Roddy McDowall and Ricardo Montalban star in the fourth and darkest chapter of the series, CONQUEST OF THE
PLANET OF THE APES (1972), which goes 20 years into the future from the last film, where mankind has turned apes
into servants under civil regulation. Montalban again plays the kindly circus owner "Armando" who has cared for
McDowall, who portrays "Cornelius" and "Zira's" grown son, "Caesar" -- the only one among the "Ape" slaves who
can talk. Caesar becomes the rebel leader of the apes who revolt against their keepers and organize a revolution
to overthrow the men in power and destroy the human race.
BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (1973), the fifth and final installment of the saga, is set after the "Apes"
have revolted. A nuclear war has occurred and created an environment where Apes and humankind live together in a
fragile co-existence. Roddy McDowall returns as "Caesar," who has become the benevolent leader of the "Apes,"
Natalie Trundy plays his wife "Lisa" and Claude Akins plays the imposing gorilla leader "General Aldo. John Huston
has a cameo roll as an aged philosopher who sets the flashback at the beginning of the film.
Also celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the theatrical debut, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will
release the spectacular, original movie, fully·restored and THX-certified for the first time, on video for a limited
time only on August 18. TCFHE has also remastered and THX-certified the four exciting sequels to be part of
the Planet of the Apes Collectors edition.
AMERICAN MOVIE CLASSICS is the premier 24-hour movie network, featuring award-winning original productions about
the world of American film. With one of the finest, most comprehensive libraries of classic films from the 1930s
through the 1970s and a diverse blend of original programming, the service brings to life the sophistication and
style of a revolutionary era in American film. All motion pictures are presented as they were originally intended
to be seen uninterrupted and without colorization. AMC can be seen in 68 million homes.
All times Eastern.
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