First time I found out about the original ending was watching TCM when they aired it. Was excited when the Blu-ray came with option to watch it that way.
I first watched Conquest on The Fox Movie Channel back when it had no commercials, censorship, etc. (just like HBO, Cimemax, Showtime), and it’s also where & when I first saw the original ending. I didn’t actually see the theatrical ending for a couple of more years.
It’s conflicting because you root for the apes by the end of this movie, but when you remember the first movie and see what becomes of humans under apes, you may remember you rooted for humans. I think it just shows that we naturally oppose tyranny just as we naturally breed it
"Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" is my second favorite film from the original series. Roddy McDowall's monologue as Caesar is just downright chilling, you tremble with fear to the words he'd spoken.
My headcannon is Ceasar, which was a nickname Armando gave him. Because he saw Milo had great chrisma and leadership qualities. It's only until that moment with Brek's book that he chooses the name Ceasar "offically". I don't mind that this movie has the world like this only 20 years after Escape. Cause I saw it as the events of Escape caused the timeline to be speed up. Like a butterfly effect. It was fear of the future that Cornelius and Zira came from cause the government to become this way sooner than it did in the original "Aldo" timeline.
I always took it that "Caesar" was the original name of the baby chimp that Heloise had that was switched by Zira for Milo. So to keep the ruse that "Milo" was killed with Zira, Caesar was renamed by Armando.
That’s what I assumed. In addition, Ape Nation made it sound like Caesar named himself in front of the Governor but I’m sure that’s not what he was trying to say in his review.
With Armando running a circus, it makes sense that he would have given Caesar a more powerful name than Milo. He was performing in the circus and doing things other apes couldn't do, so was king of the apes.
There's a bit about the name change in the novel: “Caesar, listen to me most carefully. As I have reminded you before, there can be only one-one!-talking chimpanzee on all of earth: the child of the two other talking apes, Cornelius and Zira, who came to us years ago, out of the future. They were brutally murdered by men for fear that, one very distant day, the apes might dominate the human race. Men tried to kill you, too, and thought they had succeeded, but Zira took a newborn chimp from my circus and left you with its mother, hoping to save your life. I guarded you-even changed your name from the Milo they had given you -and raised you as a circus ape. But of course you inherited the ability to speak.”
New subscriber to your channel I’m a disabled, retired garbage man, living in northern California my favorite movies of all time planet of the apes came across your channel. I love it. Thank you my friend.🙏💙💯🇺🇸
Caesar easily picks his name from the book because he knows his own name, & it"s a kinda "in your face" signal to Breck. That's what I believe is the screenwriter's intention in this scene.
Isn't his name Ceasar because in the first movie Cornelius tells the story of apes rebelling. I think he tells Turner that an ape named Ceasar said "No"
I’m so glad I found your channel. This series was part of my happiest childhood memories growing up in the 70’s. I was always fascinated by Conquest primarily because I couldn’t see it due to the rating but eventually saw it on TV in the 80’s.
Same with me. I wanted to see Conquest for years, and eventually screened here in the UK in 1979. I used to pour over the occasional stills in the Marvel comic, and thought Roddy McDowall always looked furious in pictures where he was portraying Caesar.
Like a lot of folks who were kids in the 70s, I grew up watching and re-watching the Apes films. I find, for me anyway, that Conquest is the film i appreciated more as I got older. As a kid, you still look at the world through a "humans aren't evil" lens. It takes time, experience and cynism to fully appreciate Conquest. Terrific film.
Kind of went the other direction for me. I remember as a kid being more sympathetic to Caesar but as I grew older and started viewing the world through a less "good vs evil" lens the more I shifted towards supporting the humans. After all the humans might have been "evil" but they wouldn't shatter my skull in or force me into slavery. The Apes on the other hand, as we've seen, desire not equality but merely to be the hand holding the whip.
Always been my favourite of the original series. Love that we see how the Apes rise (in a way not consistent with what we had previously learned about the rise of the Apes, which is a very clever way of telling us that the timeline has been changed and advanced due to the events of Escape), bringing with it some great messages about slavery, oppression and tyranny. Very much tapping into the issue plaguing the Western world at the time of the film's making. Superb stuff.
I became a fan with the most recent apes trilogy & got started watching the older movies recently. Watched this one last night & I think it was great. I think for me the issue I have is the scale of the movie. I feel like 100+ apes ( most of them being primitive couldn’t stop a a real government with a military. I know that’s over critical tho & really did enjoy the movie & I think this was my favorite in the series Keep pushing content, I really enjoy the channel & looking forward to more content on the new movie coming up
I just wish this movie was allocated a bigger budget. Its such a shame how the backing dwindled for the films, because the story developed really well.
Definitely my favorite sequel in the OG series, love the change in tone, the story and darker atmosphere, and Roddy McDowall’s performance as Caesar. The original uncut ending made this film almost just as good as the original 68’ film for me. Caesar’s monologue is very quotable to 😂. Love this film.
This was a very, dark and brutal movie in the "Apes" series. I have heard that the original ending was a little darker in tone. Both my twin brother and I were amazed by it. Thanks for sharing your insights and opinions on this film Josh. Keep up the great work! 😎👍🎊🎉
I think in regards to the name change from Milo to Caesar, Armando did it for the sake of not only protecting Caesar. But i believe that Armando believed that Milo (Caesar) would eventually lead the apes to freedom, away from human control
I think you are splitting hairs in your argument that it is unbelievable things changed in less than 20 years. Just look at the rise of fascism in Europe in less than 20 years between world wars, the holocaust, pandemics and apocalyptic events. Things can change abruptly. This film is a cautionary tale that is relevant today if we draw parallels to the ape slavery and the shifting policies of US immigration and a rampant increase of racism and political and religious intolerance not seen since the 1960’s. This film is the most brilliant entry of the franchise. Don Murray is completely over the top and ham fisted but his melodrama drives the performance home.
Totally fair and I'm not saying it's impossible, but the way it's presented in the movie just makes it a bit too much of a stretch for me. If more context was given and the way the government operates was fleshed out more, I think it would have worked better for me.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's and I found this totally believable in the time line. I was looking at the future, and when you see other movies like Soilent Green, Fahrenheit 451 and then there were Twilight Zone episodes and such, that many were set off in the not too distant future. WWII was only 30 years behind us, and we also had the politics of the world which, we could envision a world like this coming forth as a warning.
Thank you for your channel. You prompted me to purchase the DVD set and rewatch these classic films that were such an important part of my childhood - introducing them to my son…
I remember seeing this one when TMC was showing a 30th Anniversary marathon in 1998. I agree 👍 with the majority of what you said in the video 📼. I think 🤔 the concept of this movie is absolutely what Rise was adapting in 2011.
Conquest is unabashedly my favourite original Apes film. Yep, even more so than the first one. I saw it in my late teens, in the late 80s, over & over on VHS. I think it was just the timing of my life & my view of the world then, that this film resonated incredibly. I loved the clever setup of a near future dystopian fascistic human society on a dime, which I thought was pulled off well. So much is inferred instead of shown, the quiet menace of totalitarianism, the callous subjugation of a slave population. Montalban & McDowall stood out. And that slow tightening of the noose throughout the film, ratcheting the tension till the explosive end. And the ending... wow. I was cheering for the demise of Humanity! The last time I saw this was probably in the early 90s, and I'm sure it hasn't held up if I watched it now, but I'm grateful for the experience it gave me at the time, and it further entrenched my love for scifi even deeper, and to this day.
This is my second favorite film of the original series, but you are correct---it is definitely rushed. That is why I love the new trilogy so much. We actually get to see Ceaser become the leader of the apes and by the third movie, it is very believable that the Apes would bow down before him and show submission as he walks by. In Conquest, Ceaser's rise to prominence is so fast that it really stretches credulity, but I can believe that Andy Serkis' version of the character would be held in reverance. He gave the apes the drug that makes them intelligent; he helped them escape from the lab and the zoo; he taught them and lead them, and he created their entire society. Ceaser is everything in the new trilogy, and it was clear that is what they were going for in the original franchise; they just didn't do as good as job as the new films.
Being an Ape-ophile since 1968 I have a great love for this movie in particular. In my eyes it was the strongest and most dramatic film of the series and after seeing it in the theater I was so stoked when they announced the fifth. I wish I had known what was coming because it was a major disappointment to say the least. This film however I rate as the second on my list of POTA movies with the original at the top of that list. The new movies in the series are great but, it may sound weird, the human condition has been removed and replaced with CGI which IMHO lessens the connection with the viewers. Conquest still had that relate-ability with the audience and the characters, actors in make-up, made you want to cheer or jeer them and I don't get that feeling with the newer ones. Maybe I am just old and stubborn lol I love what you are doing here Josh, thank you!
As time and time passes since this films release it has become the most prophetic warning and metaphor for modern society. The ape uprising can be mirrored to any group anywhere in the world
I love the video but I have to disagree with the criticism of how long it takes for the society to change in the film. Mussolini basicly changed Italian life within a 21-year span. Look at how much our society had changed in the last 20 years. How people consume movies, how they buy groceries, and how we go to the doctor has changed in 5 years' increments in ways we can not understand. I have always liked this way of moving things forward than the 100s of years that other Apes movies have done. Great video!
I didn't do a great job of explaining in the video, but my issue is less with the time frame, and more to do with the lack of explanation for it in the movie beyond "all the cats and dogs died 8 years ago."
@Ape-Nation that makes sense, I agree with you about that, and the name change for Caesar. I always told myself that Armando changed the name because he saw Caesar as a king because of who his parents were. I have to rewatch to see if he actually says that, but it's always been my impression. I truly love this series, and this movie is one of my favorite movies in the Apes series. I will check out your other videos. I enjoyed it.
Original Apes fan since Planet in 1968 at the Capitol theater. Went through it all in the early 70's. Had original audio recordings hard wired from drive in speakers, thousands of dollars worth of publicity materials etc. etc. Too much to explain. Very glad you mentioned Tom Scotts music which is great and surpasses Goldsmiths score in some instances even in its truncated form. J Lee wanted to give Conquest a documentary feel even to almost desaturating the color palette in post. At the preview in Arizona on June 1st 1972 there was a prep title sequence of the ape getting killed by police which was deemed to violent and therefore cut. Parts were repurposed for the scenes when Caesar is running from police before his execution. I had family that was at the showing and my mother had a cousin working at Fox in publicity in NY, NY. I can keep going on about myself but this is your site and I love what your doing. Oh by the way its pronounced Paul Dehn (Dane). Keep up the great work, us original Apes fans need you youngsters lol. Good luck 😀
As a child I was fascinated how the apes took charge. I was always puzzled by the two parts of the final speech. Then in 2008 finally seeing the unrated original version it all makes sense, including all the changes made to the theatrical release. I love all the characters. Governor Breck does get that final speech. Don Murray was amazing
I always felt that a young Milo heard of Caeser and, knowing the plan he had for a possible ape uprising, took the name. When he 'chose' it out of the book, it was just (for him) an affirmtion.
This and Escape are the best of the OG series. I loved how dark (not that it wasn’t dark already) the movie got, especially with the depictions of torture and violence. The original downbeat ending definitely felt more organic than the changed, somewhat optimistic ending.
I always took it the reason for the renaming of Cornelius and Zira's son was due to his name being similar to that of Sal Mineo's Dr. Milo. My take is that Armando, believing in the chimpanzee's intelligence and need to rise felt Cornelius and Zira's son needed a name suited to his rise as it were. I think it was Armando who renamed Baby Milo to hid his true identity therefore changing it to Caesar. I really don't think it's anything other than that. I think you as the viewer, if you've seen the prior films, kind of understand that from the jump. My two farvourite scenes are the one in Breck's office where Caesar names or rather affirms his name to Breck. My other favourite scene is the ending in the unrated cut. I really wish they'd have kept that because it made more sense than the benevolent Caesar telling his formerly enslaved brethren to lay down their weapons and become like lambs despite having been tortured and abused throughout the earlier parts of the film. I adored Hari Rhodes as McDonald and felt his gravitas was appropriate considering the whole Caesar plot. And of course what can be said about Roddy McDowall? His Shakespearean background came excellently into play with this film. Considering too he had played Octavius Caesar in "Cleopatra." I personally didn't mind Don Murray as Breck. We had to have this horrible villain so we could actively root for the ape uprising.
In anticipation of "Kingdom" coming out later this year, I wanted to watch all of the original series movies. I had previously only ever seen the first one. I really enjoyed all of them, but in particular, I loved "Conquest"! Each of Roddy and Ricardo's performances, the setting, and the overall story were really well done. I chose to watch the unrated version, and I was glad I did. Fantastic review as well! 👍
Conquest was the one PoftheApes movie I could claim as my own. I saw it when it came out, eerie af. And, its not hokie, a more serious , dire tone. Loved it.
Another good review. Your reviews/opinions of the original 5 movies aligns perfectly with how I feel about them. The only thing I would question is how you don't think a more fascist state could take hold in just 18-20 years. Have you not been paying attention? It doesn't seem to take that much these days
It's closer to 8 years in the movie, the dog/cat plague didn't happen until 1983, but that's totally fair! I'm not saying it's completely out of the question, but the way the movie presents it with so little context just makes it hard to believe imo.
Got 1/3 through your video and had to go watch Conquest of the Planet of the Apes again for first time in a long, long time...Thanks for that, what a great film! Love your review of the film and agree on so many points! I loved the locations. You can tell they had limited locations that fit but they kept the feel for the city with creative angles.
This was very rarely shown on UK in the 70’s when I got into the POTAs films, it was my favourite post original film and as a kid so I watched it multiple times and really love it, I think I’ll check out the uncut version
I have always dug Conquest and I think you even handicap yourself slightly by immediately showing its best part. Caesar's epic rant feels like the climax of all four movies. (Battle more formally closes the time loop but I find it rather superfluous.) Yes, the instant slavery feels ridiculous -- but please consider the context. The great original has America flinging astronauts out into the galaxy presumably in the full knowledge that they can never report back, a funny way to do space exploration. Beneath has Brent landing exactly when and where Taylor is. Beneath never breathes one syllable about Milo, yet by Escape he has presumably dredged up the starship from that bay, fixed it up, and taken it back in time -- a tough feat for any scientist to manage, particularly from a culture amazed by a paper airplane. So there has always been a kind of loopy "ridiculosity" to these movies -- but I hear Caesar's rant and think "Ahh, so this is why." As for Ricardo Montalban, pop culture may recall him best as Khan, or perhaps Mr. Roarke, but I love his Armando best of all. In Escape, Armando says "If it is man's destiny one day to be dominated, then, oh please God, let him be dominated by such as you!" When I heard that, I thought, THIS GUY GETS IT. It's not about WHICH species is dominant, but HOW it's dominant. (It's also a beautiful compliment to the lovable Cornelius and Zira. It also gets me to thinking about Cro-Magnons vis-a-vis Neanderthals, but that's a whole other discussion.) I recall the giant newspaper ad for all five movies in one day proclaiming GO APE! My father took me to that and was amused by all the kids in the audience cheering on the enslaved apes clobbering the humans. The apes were a race metaphor AND a youth metaphor. Do you cover the comic books as well? I vaguely recall something about the far-future mutants being led by a long-standing dynasty of guys all named Mendez. Anyhow, I greatly appreciated this look back, thank you.
I always knew of Planet of the Apes, but didn’t know about the sequels, so as a teen around 14 these started playing on marathon on I think Sci Fi channel the summer before the reboot came out, and I was completely obsessed as I felt like I was in an alternate reality because I couldn’t even believe these movies existed and nobody talked about them, and not only that but just how completely different they were from the original which I also loved.
I’m loving your content. I’m rewatching in order all the movies with my kids and we just finished Conquest last week. After each movie I watch your corresponding reviews. I never knew about an uncut, darker version of Conquest. I’m going to get right on watching it! Will you at some point be reviewing the subsequent POTA toy lines and playsets? I would love to know the history of them and a review of all the components. I’m going to buy and set up a diorama in my hang out room. Anyways, keep up the great work!
Tom Scott hasn't written a lot of soundtracks, although he has played on quite a few. He has had quite the career though, having played with many of the greats over the years. I first heard about him due to his work with George Harrison. He co-produced at least 1 album with George as well as providing arrangements on 4 albums where he also played a variety of woodwind and brass instruments. It was a few years later that I realized that he was the same guy who did the music for Conquest. He's also worked with The Carpenters, Joan Baez, Neil Diamond, Wings, Donovan, Rickie Lee Jones, Ringo Starr, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Dolly Parton, Boz Scaggs, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Barbara Streisand, Steely Dan, Paul Williams (who appears in the next film) and The Blues Brothers...and that's only a short list of some of the artists he has worked with over the years. He's also had his own band, The LA Express and a solo career that has spanned 5 decades. He's played with 3 out of 4 Beatles (John Lennon does appear on the same Ringo album as Tom but not on the same songs). He seems to have slowed down now that he's in his 70s but he's still active and now hosts his own radio show. He's one of those people in the industry who has pretty much done it all.
Im a huge fan of the scores for the Apes movies. My favorite of all the Apes films was Goldsmith's score for Escape. I love that 60s kind of jazzy beach vibe. Conquest has some fantastic horn cues. 👍
Love your show, by the way, looking forward to your review of the newer films! I think Caesar's name change for this film was because Armando never knew of the name given to him by Cornelius and Zira and so he renamed him Caesar. Well that's what think and I believe I addressed this inconsistency in my book about the series some years back...but it would make sense.
Awesome review glad you love Conquest, for me it's not great as the first hour feels like a drag but I admit the third act is epic and Caesar's speech is one of the best scenes in the entire franchise!
Personally, what I understood about the reasons for the limited budgets on the "Planet of the Apes" sequels, like "Conquest...," was because 20th Century Fox had serious financial issues at the time especially after failures of some of its big-budgeted features in the past. As for "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes," I enjoyed the unrated version MORE than the theatrical version even though it was NOT perfect at all in terms of the way the film's plot was developed by the late Paul Dehn anyway. I also want to add that the review by the Ape Nation person was great indeed.
I first saw this, when they did the entire ape series in a theatrical marathon, when battle, for the planet of the apes came out. Actually, as a kid, it scared me for sure with Armando jumping out the window and how out of hand, the apes get in the end, etc. I put it last as my favorite of the original series but think it has moved up a notch or two as I’ve aged. I’ve grown to like it more as an older man. And I would often in my 20s go to the century city mall here in so cal and walk around it noting all the locations from the movie.
Well, it was put out in 1972 and 1991 seemed so far away to this then 12 year old. The city made it so - future over what American cities were. The rest - on the spot. It's not my favorite of the series, but it worked very well for the property. It tied together the third and the last of the series. And, I think actually allows the idea to feel free to alter the time-line and a sense that fate is that - series of highways that here you moved into another lane and... Further, I did take in the whole series when it put back into theatre for single day viewing. They seemed well put together.
Probably because I’m seeing these originals for the first time but again, I LOVED this movie. Definitely the most with the same tone as the recent trilogy. Roddy McDowell. Wow. His performance just blew me away. That last scene. The way he was standing was even perfection. Such a solid movie in the Apes movie world.
Very fair review of conquest. I first saw it in 1988 when it was released on Video. It's roddy's best performance in the Apes series. I personally think its changed the future of Apes history. Before seeing it .l really thought it was a circle of events that never ended. The story is about how one Ape revenge on the Humanity . I think the longer version is best one . I Love the Character of Macdonald is great . The scene always gives me goosebumps with Jerry's music and Roddy saying " this is brith of planet of the Apes " I have got film stills of conquest that have had for years also Spanish poster of Conquest from 1972 . Its very dear to my heart. Once again amazing video Josh .all the best .
@13:52 Milo is not the name of a leader that has any resonance to it, while Cesar is especially to humans. And I love this scene I think it’s a symbol of how some things are just destined to be.
Agreed that the whole name change from “Milo” to “Caesar” was confusing, and I feel like the fix would have been relatively simple. 1. Have Armando call him “Milo” in private, and then when he is allowed to pick his name, he chooses for himself “Caesar” (which I think would’ve been cool) or 2. Just have a scene, even just a line, where Armando explains that his name was Milo, and now it’s Caesar for discretionary purposes. Otherwise a great film, definitely up there (although it sounds like I’ll have to check out the uncut version)!
Conquest is up there it is my third favourite of the series The humans are portrayed nasty enough that you want the apes to rise up and conquer Your review was excellent I'm going to rewatch the movie as soon as I finish posting this Thanks for doing this series of reviews of the original movie series Looking forward to the last one
Regarding your doubt regarding the speed of societal change, compare 1910-1918 Germany with 1938-1945 Germany. Or 1900 Russia to 1920 Russia. It can happen really fast given the right circumstances.
Totally valid point, and I'm not saying it's impossible. It's just really hard for me to buy that the US would have that radical of a shift in just 8 years (the plague was in 1983) all just because dogs and cats all died.
@@Ape-Nation Totally understand. Love your content…Escape has always been my favorite even though (as you point out) I think it’s social commentary was the least subtle. Keep up the great work!
One thing I wished the film did was explain what happen to Doctor Lewis and Stephen. I really like them in Escape and it felt weird they’re never addressed again.
I didn't have a big problem with the toned down ending. Because of it, Battle for the Planet of the Apes came about. Not that that was a great movie, but if they would have kept the original ending, Ceasar's character trajectory would have been a General Thade type of character. The end of Conquest had Caesar take a higher road and make him more likable.
At the time on the news they were talking about "guerilla attacks" in conflict zones, so I would keenly watch the news as a young child thinking these were the gorilla's from Planet of the Apes attacking people and hoping to see them
The backstory is somewhat similar to the film, Children of Men in that having all the dogs, and cats die from a plague leading to slavery of the apes is a stand in for there being no children in that film or this one, depicting a loss of innocence. Without their pets, many humans seemed to have become somewhat nihilistic about the point of living, and turned a blind eye the dramatic increase in the police state that policed humans, and apes alike. With these factors it's really no wonder that a nuclear war was inevitable, as though the downfall of mankind was a collective deathwish whether most admitted it or not. When MacDonald as an African American laments about the treatment of apes as slaves, Governor Brecht sarcastically replies, "We were all slaves once." But, he seems to between the lines question is it fair that as the former oppressed population to gain equality with whites only to see another race take their place as slaves?
*SPOILERS* I always assumed Armando renamed Milo to Ceaser to aid in concealing his identity. I know Dr. Hasslein wasn’t around during the birth of Milo to hear & know the name of the world infamous child, however I believe it’s possible that Lewis and Stevie may have spoke of his name in informing others of the tragedy. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t speak to someone due to their frustration and morning of all who died at the end of Escape. Considering that it seemed Armando was the only one who knew of the child switch, I can see how Lewis and Stevie wouldn’t have thought anything of it due to the believed fact that Milo was killed. It makes sense that if Armando heard about this, having his ape in a circus with the same name of the infamous Milo would be a dead giveaway.
Still say this is the best of the original films, even with the compromised ending. It's very dark with some interesting humor throughout. The relationship between Armando and Caesar is very touching, and we are really rooting for Caesar throughout. He learns quickly how nasty we humans can truly be, and also kinda stupid since we knew what was going to happen if we went ahead with enslaving the apes and we did so anyway. It's still unfortunate that they had to refilm the ending, though, considering the times, it's understandable. Now that the original ending is available on the current blu ray release, it makes you realize how unsatisfying the refilmed ending truly is. I suppose, however, that the decision to make the last film, Battle, more kid-friendly despite the dark subject matter fits in with that revised ending. But it's just unfortunate that Battle is where we end up after the promise of this film. RIP Don Murray, the nasty Governor Breck, whom we lost earlier this month. Murray said that he translated his script into German so he could get into character. It definitely worked - he is an incredible presence throughout. He's a great bad guy - he seems almost pragmatic in his actions, and you know that he acts in full awareness at what might happen should the apes actually take over. There's a very real fear in Breck, which is proven justified by the end of the film. Now, I live in Santa Monica, so I've been to Century City where they filmed Conquest many times. Unfortunately, the only thing that is really recognizable nowadays is the bridge, which is where the apes are massed for the final revolution. Filmed carefully to avoid showing much of Avenue of the Stars. 🤣
The social commentary was appropriate for the time. Today, we see the same messaging as if we still lived in a world of 50 years ago. Today there is racism alive and well but its going the other way to an extreme. This is all done for money and why we see so many hoaxes. Someday victimhood will lose its currency and we will just judge people as individuals and the choices they make.
For those who try to create one timeline with the old and new movies, is the idea that the new movies come first, and then this and Escape create a different version of events with a different Caesar?
Once again you've taken the words out of my mouth with the pros and cons of this film. Like many others here I also do agree that it's probably the second best film in the original series. I too really liked it when I first watched it as a kid especially since it was right after I saw Rise in theaters and so it was neat seeing an alternate version of Caesar who rises up against a fascist government. On rewatch, I do still enjoy it but notice the flaws that you mentioned. Particularly with how in the later half once the ape rebellion occurs it doesn't stop. The 70s action is cool but there definitely should've been more room for the film to breathe and take its time. Something I would've liked to see is Caesar bonding more with the apes that shows his more vulnerable and empathetic side. Like maybe he is trying to teach some of them to speak and confides about his relationship with Armando and his confusion on where he fits in with being an intelligent ape raised by a kind human
I saw this movie originally when I was 8 years old, and loved it. I saw the theatrical version in the theatre, and didn’t even know the alternate version existed where Caesar instead of taking a conciliatory tone, goes literally ape, has the Governor killed, wants to set off a nuclear holocaust, and goes a bit insane! I mean, he goes out of his mind, and I think he would kill every human he could. No way the nut case Caesar could ever be the happy go lucky family apeman from the next movie, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, where he even defends a human who says, “NO!” The nutcase Caesar would have locked up all the humans for experimentation!!! So, there really are two Caesar’s, the theatrical Caesar, and the unrated cut Caesar. Personally, the nut case Caesar is much more interesting than ape family man Caesar.
I always wondered about the Milo name too. It makes sense that he would rename himself after a conquerer, but like you said, he refers to himself as Caesar earlier. I honestly think they just messed up and didn't realize when they filmed Armando calling him Caesar that his name wasn't Caesar yet but was still Milo. The continuity errors in this movie always bothered me. A major theme in the earlier movies dealt with humans destroying themselves in nuclear war but this movie ignores that and shifts to a slavery theme as why apes take over
There are a couple things about the plot of this movie that were glossed over I was always curious about too, especially regarding the timeframe from Escape to Conquest. Like the virus that killed all the world’s pets. Or that there was some kind of forced evolution of apes where they were all now more human in their stature and appearance. But most especially (and I’m surprised you didn’t touch on this) is the fact that the orangutans are pretty much nonexistent in this movie.
I had the same experience with Conquest I liked it best when I was younger, and then the flaws became more obvious But in my case this took a huge hit in how much I liked it. It was good seeing Roddy again, and I think I related to Caesar, and that was probably why I liked it, but the story happens too quickly If they redid this as a mini series to allow the proper timing for the events, it might be better
Loved the review-for me, the first original POTA film is its own masterpiece (and the precurser for all the others that follow) and then I love Escape & Conquest equally, but of course very different tones-just the realism of social issues always struck home and the way they were portrayed rang/rings true; as with Zira & Cornelius in the previous film, just was mesmerised by Ceasar. As a kid, when I first saw this sequel, that brief scene of Ceasar reading the in memoriam statue to cats and dogs dying off from a pandemic virus had a lasting shock effect in my psyche, as I remember thinking ‘the virus destroyed the world as we know it rapidly’ and I was terrified/gullible enough to accept the time-line 😂😅 Just a great film, imho, in its own right (especially with what they were restricted with tech-and-budget wise) and Roddy McDowell❤
You have to laugh at the start of this video because Caesar kept referring to the apes as 'people', which is a word used to describe just humans. The screenwriter should have used, 'species'. They made this same error in Beneath when Dr. Zaius referred to protesting chimpanzees as 'people'.
It's admittedly been a while since I've seen the original five films. Armando might have renamed Milo to honor the chimp that died in his place and/or for the added secrecy.
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The unrated cut is the best hands down. That speech by Caesar is more powerful with the original ending.
Agree 100%
I understand why it they felt the need to reflim the ending. I still wish they didn't, and I am glad that it's available now.
First time I found out about the original ending was watching TCM when they aired it. Was excited when the Blu-ray came with option to watch it that way.
I first watched Conquest on The Fox Movie Channel back when it had no commercials, censorship, etc. (just like HBO, Cimemax, Showtime), and it’s also where & when I first saw the original ending. I didn’t actually see the theatrical ending for a couple of more years.
This.
It’s conflicting because you root for the apes by the end of this movie, but when you remember the first movie and see what becomes of humans under apes, you may remember you rooted for humans. I think it just shows that we naturally oppose tyranny just as we naturally breed it
So true. People are against tyranny until they are apart of the tyrant class.
Ah yes. The whole point of the movie lol
"Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" is my second favorite film from the original series. Roddy McDowall's monologue as Caesar is just downright chilling, you tremble with fear to the words he'd spoken.
👏😢
Every scene he's in, McDowall dominates. So much emotion done behind such thick makeup. Amazing! I'd argue the best of his career.
In my head canon, Armando renamed him "Caesar" once Zira and Cornelius died to disassociate him from his famous parents.
Having a baby chimp on hand with the same name as the ape that arrived with Cornelius and Zira would've been very suspicious.
Same! I agree
Did Armando know what the parents named him?
Do adopted parents keep name....
@@TheRoidemortetfleuri mean he was there at the naming so I hope he knows
My favorite line:
Mr. McDonald: An emperor ape might do slightly better?
Cesar: Slightly!
Delivered immaculately by both.
I loved the father son dynamic between Armando and Caesar.
Same. One of the best parts of the movie!
My headcannon is Ceasar, which was a nickname Armando gave him. Because he saw Milo had great chrisma and leadership qualities. It's only until that moment with Brek's book that he chooses the name Ceasar "offically".
I don't mind that this movie has the world like this only 20 years after Escape. Cause I saw it as the events of Escape caused the timeline to be speed up. Like a butterfly effect. It was fear of the future that Cornelius and Zira came from cause the government to become this way sooner than it did in the original "Aldo" timeline.
I always took it that "Caesar" was the original name of the baby chimp that Heloise had that was switched by Zira for Milo. So to keep the ruse that "Milo" was killed with Zira, Caesar was renamed by Armando.
That’s what I assumed. In addition, Ape Nation made it sound like Caesar named himself in front of the Governor but I’m sure that’s not what he was trying to say in his review.
This is what happened. I just recently watched Escape. It's at the end.
Exactly what I came here to say.
This. The ape baby had a birth certificate, not sure if that would contain a name? But it was my take as well.
Very plausable. Plus "Milo" was dead, killed by Dr. Hasslein (sp?). So that name must "die" too...
With Armando running a circus, it makes sense that he would have given Caesar a more powerful name than Milo. He was performing in the circus and doing things other apes couldn't do, so was king of the apes.
There's an unrated cut out there? I NEED to see that! It's one of my favourite movies of all time, possibly my absolute favourite of all time.
There's a bit about the name change in the novel:
“Caesar, listen to me most carefully. As I have reminded you before, there can be only one-one!-talking chimpanzee on all of earth: the child of the two other talking apes, Cornelius and Zira, who came to us years ago, out of the future. They were brutally murdered by men for fear that, one very distant day, the apes might dominate the human race. Men tried to kill you, too, and thought they had succeeded, but Zira took a newborn chimp from my circus and left you with its mother, hoping to save your life. I guarded you-even changed your name from the Milo they had given you -and raised you as a circus ape. But of course you inherited the ability to speak.”
Authoritarianism doesn't waste time once the door is open. It's frightening just how quickly it can happen.
True
It's 3am in Scotland, i was about to go to bed . But i guess i'll pour one more glass of wine and watch this.
Just Do it!
I'm in Canada. Different time zone, but I hear you.
Cheers.
New subscriber to your channel I’m a disabled, retired garbage man, living in northern California my favorite movies of all time planet of the apes came across your channel. I love it. Thank you my friend.🙏💙💯🇺🇸
Caesar easily picks his name from the book because he knows his own name, & it"s a kinda "in your face" signal to Breck. That's what I believe is the screenwriter's intention in this scene.
Isn't his name Ceasar because in the first movie Cornelius tells the story of apes rebelling. I think he tells Turner that an ape named Ceasar said "No"
I’m so glad I found your channel. This series was part of my happiest childhood memories growing up in the 70’s. I was always fascinated by Conquest primarily because I couldn’t see it due to the rating but eventually saw it on TV in the 80’s.
Same with me. I wanted to see Conquest for years, and eventually screened here in the UK in 1979. I used to pour over the occasional stills in the Marvel comic, and thought Roddy McDowall always looked furious in pictures where he was portraying Caesar.
Like a lot of folks who were kids in the 70s, I grew up watching and re-watching the Apes films.
I find, for me anyway, that Conquest is the film i appreciated more as I got older. As a kid, you still look at the world through a "humans aren't evil" lens. It takes time, experience and cynism to fully appreciate Conquest.
Terrific film.
Kind of went the other direction for me. I remember as a kid being more sympathetic to Caesar but as I grew older and started viewing the world through a less "good vs evil" lens the more I shifted towards supporting the humans. After all the humans might have been "evil" but they wouldn't shatter my skull in or force me into slavery. The Apes on the other hand, as we've seen, desire not equality but merely to be the hand holding the whip.
Always been my favourite of the original series. Love that we see how the Apes rise (in a way not consistent with what we had previously learned about the rise of the Apes, which is a very clever way of telling us that the timeline has been changed and advanced due to the events of Escape), bringing with it some great messages about slavery, oppression and tyranny. Very much tapping into the issue plaguing the Western world at the time of the film's making. Superb stuff.
That plague is still going.
I became a fan with the most recent apes trilogy & got started watching the older movies recently. Watched this one last night & I think it was great.
I think for me the issue I have is the scale of the movie. I feel like 100+ apes ( most of them being primitive couldn’t stop a a real government with a military.
I know that’s over critical tho & really did enjoy the movie & I think this was my favorite in the series
Keep pushing content, I really enjoy the channel & looking forward to more content on the new movie coming up
RIP Don Murray (he passed earlier this month).
Damn, I somehow missed seeing that. RIP.
I just wish this movie was allocated a bigger budget. Its such a shame how the backing dwindled for the films, because the story developed really well.
Definitely my favorite sequel in the OG series, love the change in tone, the story and darker atmosphere, and Roddy McDowall’s performance as Caesar. The original uncut ending made this film almost just as good as the original 68’ film for me. Caesar’s monologue is very quotable to 😂. Love this film.
This was a very, dark and brutal movie in the "Apes" series. I have heard that the original ending was a little darker in tone. Both my twin brother and I were amazed by it. Thanks for sharing your insights and opinions on this film Josh. Keep up the great work! 😎👍🎊🎉
saw the original POTA in the theater when I was 5. I remember it vividly and was blown away. Been a massive fan of all the films ever since.
What an Actor Roddy Mcdowell was!
Roddy was brilliant
I think in regards to the name change from Milo to Caesar, Armando did it for the sake of not only protecting Caesar. But i believe that Armando believed that Milo (Caesar) would eventually lead the apes to freedom, away from human control
That I can believe, I just wish that they would have explained it.
I think you are splitting hairs in your argument that it is unbelievable things changed in less than 20 years. Just look at the rise of fascism in Europe in less than 20 years between world wars, the holocaust, pandemics and apocalyptic events. Things can change abruptly. This film is a cautionary tale that is relevant today if we draw parallels to the ape slavery and the shifting policies of US immigration and a rampant increase of racism and political and religious intolerance not seen since the 1960’s. This film is the most brilliant entry of the franchise. Don Murray is completely over the top and ham fisted but his melodrama drives the performance home.
Totally fair and I'm not saying it's impossible, but the way it's presented in the movie just makes it a bit too much of a stretch for me. If more context was given and the way the government operates was fleshed out more, I think it would have worked better for me.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's and I found this totally believable in the time line. I was looking at the future, and when you see other movies like Soilent Green, Fahrenheit 451 and then there were Twilight Zone episodes and such, that many were set off in the not too distant future. WWII was only 30 years behind us, and we also had the politics of the world which, we could envision a world like this coming forth as a warning.
Still the best of the series! I saw this for the first time in 1991. Hail Caesar! 🦍
I've always enjoyed this film. Most underrated POTA movie imo.🙌🏻
Thank you for your channel. You prompted me to purchase the DVD set and rewatch these classic films that were such an important part of my childhood - introducing them to my son…
Love that!! Hope he enjoys them!
@@Ape-Nation: Yes indeed. We watched one and two last week, and will continue on next week. Thanks again!
I remember seeing this one when TMC was showing a 30th Anniversary marathon in 1998. I agree 👍 with the majority of what you said in the video 📼. I think 🤔 the concept of this movie is absolutely what Rise was adapting in 2011.
Conquest is unabashedly my favourite original Apes film. Yep, even more so than the first one. I saw it in my late teens, in the late 80s, over & over on VHS. I think it was just the timing of my life & my view of the world then, that this film resonated incredibly. I loved the clever setup of a near future dystopian fascistic human society on a dime, which I thought was pulled off well. So much is inferred instead of shown, the quiet menace of totalitarianism, the callous subjugation of a slave population. Montalban & McDowall stood out. And that slow tightening of the noose throughout the film, ratcheting the tension till the explosive end. And the ending... wow. I was cheering for the demise of Humanity! The last time I saw this was probably in the early 90s, and I'm sure it hasn't held up if I watched it now, but I'm grateful for the experience it gave me at the time, and it further entrenched my love for scifi even deeper, and to this day.
Dare I saw it is the Empire Strikes Back of he Ape movies?
This is my second favorite film of the original series, but you are correct---it is definitely rushed. That is why I love the new trilogy so much. We actually get to see Ceaser become the leader of the apes and by the third movie, it is very believable that the Apes would bow down before him and show submission as he walks by. In Conquest, Ceaser's rise to prominence is so fast that it really stretches credulity, but I can believe that Andy Serkis' version of the character would be held in reverance. He gave the apes the drug that makes them intelligent; he helped them escape from the lab and the zoo; he taught them and lead them, and he created their entire society. Ceaser is everything in the new trilogy, and it was clear that is what they were going for in the original franchise; they just didn't do as good as job as the new films.
Being an Ape-ophile since 1968 I have a great love for this movie in particular. In my eyes it was the strongest and most dramatic film of the series and after seeing it in the theater I was so stoked when they announced the fifth. I wish I had known what was coming because it was a major disappointment to say the least. This film however I rate as the second on my list of POTA movies with the original at the top of that list. The new movies in the series are great but, it may sound weird, the human condition has been removed and replaced with CGI which IMHO lessens the connection with the viewers. Conquest still had that relate-ability with the audience and the characters, actors in make-up, made you want to cheer or jeer them and I don't get that feeling with the newer ones. Maybe I am just old and stubborn lol I love what you are doing here Josh, thank you!
As time and time passes since this films release it has become the most prophetic warning and metaphor for modern society.
The ape uprising can be mirrored to any group anywhere in the world
100%
I love the video but I have to disagree with the criticism of how long it takes for the society to change in the film. Mussolini basicly changed Italian life within a 21-year span. Look at how much our society had changed in the last 20 years. How people consume movies, how they buy groceries, and how we go to the doctor has changed in 5 years' increments in ways we can not understand. I have always liked this way of moving things forward than the 100s of years that other Apes movies have done.
Great video!
I didn't do a great job of explaining in the video, but my issue is less with the time frame, and more to do with the lack of explanation for it in the movie beyond "all the cats and dogs died 8 years ago."
@Ape-Nation that makes sense, I agree with you about that, and the name change for Caesar. I always told myself that Armando changed the name because he saw Caesar as a king because of who his parents were. I have to rewatch to see if he actually says that, but it's always been my impression.
I truly love this series, and this movie is one of my favorite movies in the Apes series.
I will check out your other videos. I enjoyed it.
Original Apes fan since Planet in 1968 at the Capitol theater. Went through it all in the early 70's. Had original audio recordings hard wired from drive in speakers, thousands of dollars worth of publicity materials etc. etc.
Too much to explain.
Very glad you mentioned Tom Scotts music which is great and surpasses Goldsmiths score in some instances even in its truncated form. J Lee wanted to give Conquest a documentary feel even to almost desaturating the color palette in post.
At the preview in Arizona on June 1st 1972 there was a prep title sequence of the ape getting killed by police which was deemed to violent and therefore cut. Parts were repurposed for the scenes when Caesar is running from police before his execution. I had family that was at the showing and my mother had a cousin working at Fox in publicity in NY, NY.
I can keep going on about myself but this is your site and I love what your doing.
Oh by the way its pronounced Paul Dehn (Dane).
Keep up the great work, us original Apes fans need you youngsters lol.
Good luck 😀
As a child I was fascinated how the apes took charge. I was always puzzled by the two parts of the final speech. Then in 2008 finally seeing the unrated original version it all makes sense, including all the changes made to the theatrical release. I love all the characters. Governor Breck does get that final speech. Don Murray was amazing
I always felt that a young Milo heard of Caeser and, knowing the plan he had for a possible ape uprising, took the name. When he 'chose' it out of the book, it was just (for him) an affirmtion.
It's thanks to this film we have one of the greatest heroes of modern cinema.
Caesar's monologue makes this movie extra special. I saw it when I was about nine years old and it stuck with more to old age.
This and Escape are the best of the OG series. I loved how dark (not that it wasn’t dark already) the movie got, especially with the depictions of torture and violence. The original downbeat ending definitely felt more organic than the changed, somewhat optimistic ending.
I always took it the reason for the renaming of Cornelius and Zira's son was due to his name being similar to that of Sal Mineo's Dr. Milo. My take is that Armando, believing in the chimpanzee's intelligence and need to rise felt Cornelius and Zira's son needed a name suited to his rise as it were. I think it was Armando who renamed Baby Milo to hid his true identity therefore changing it to Caesar. I really don't think it's anything other than that. I think you as the viewer, if you've seen the prior films, kind of understand that from the jump. My two farvourite scenes are the one in Breck's office where Caesar names or rather affirms his name to Breck. My other favourite scene is the ending in the unrated cut. I really wish they'd have kept that because it made more sense than the benevolent Caesar telling his formerly enslaved brethren to lay down their weapons and become like lambs despite having been tortured and abused throughout the earlier parts of the film. I adored Hari Rhodes as McDonald and felt his gravitas was appropriate considering the whole Caesar plot. And of course what can be said about Roddy McDowall? His Shakespearean background came excellently into play with this film. Considering too he had played Octavius Caesar in "Cleopatra." I personally didn't mind Don Murray as Breck. We had to have this horrible villain so we could actively root for the ape uprising.
In anticipation of "Kingdom" coming out later this year, I wanted to watch all of the original series movies. I had previously only ever seen the first one. I really enjoyed all of them, but in particular, I loved "Conquest"! Each of Roddy and Ricardo's performances, the setting, and the overall story were really well done. I chose to watch the unrated version, and I was glad I did.
Fantastic review as well! 👍
My personal favorite of the sequels. I’ve recited Caesars speech so many times. 😂
Me too! :D
Conquest was the one PoftheApes movie I could claim as my own. I saw it when it came out, eerie af. And, its not hokie, a more serious , dire tone. Loved it.
I always felt that when he yelled out at 7:05, he lost his foster father,(Armando), so he had no compassion left for the human race.
Another good review. Your reviews/opinions of the original 5 movies aligns perfectly with how I feel about them.
The only thing I would question is how you don't think a more fascist state could take hold in just 18-20 years.
Have you not been paying attention? It doesn't seem to take that much these days
It's closer to 8 years in the movie, the dog/cat plague didn't happen until 1983, but that's totally fair! I'm not saying it's completely out of the question, but the way the movie presents it with so little context just makes it hard to believe imo.
Got 1/3 through your video and had to go watch Conquest of the Planet of the Apes again for first time in a long, long time...Thanks for that, what a great film!
Love your review of the film and agree on so many points! I loved the locations. You can tell they had limited locations that fit but they kept the feel for the city with creative angles.
This was very rarely shown on UK in the 70’s when I got into the POTAs films, it was my favourite post original film and as a kid so I watched it multiple times and really love it, I think I’ll check out the uncut version
I have always dug Conquest and I think you even handicap yourself slightly by immediately showing its best part. Caesar's epic rant feels like the climax of all four movies. (Battle more formally closes the time loop but I find it rather superfluous.) Yes, the instant slavery feels ridiculous -- but please consider the context. The great original has America flinging astronauts out into the galaxy presumably in the full knowledge that they can never report back, a funny way to do space exploration. Beneath has Brent landing exactly when and where Taylor is. Beneath never breathes one syllable about Milo, yet by Escape he has presumably dredged up the starship from that bay, fixed it up, and taken it back in time -- a tough feat for any scientist to manage, particularly from a culture amazed by a paper airplane. So there has always been a kind of loopy "ridiculosity" to these movies -- but I hear Caesar's rant and think "Ahh, so this is why." As for Ricardo Montalban, pop culture may recall him best as Khan, or perhaps Mr. Roarke, but I love his Armando best of all. In Escape, Armando says "If it is man's destiny one day to be dominated, then, oh please God, let him be dominated by such as you!" When I heard that, I thought, THIS GUY GETS IT. It's not about WHICH species is dominant, but HOW it's dominant. (It's also a beautiful compliment to the lovable Cornelius and Zira. It also gets me to thinking about Cro-Magnons vis-a-vis Neanderthals, but that's a whole other discussion.) I recall the giant newspaper ad for all five movies in one day proclaiming GO APE! My father took me to that and was amused by all the kids in the audience cheering on the enslaved apes clobbering the humans. The apes were a race metaphor AND a youth metaphor. Do you cover the comic books as well? I vaguely recall something about the far-future mutants being led by a long-standing dynasty of guys all named Mendez. Anyhow, I greatly appreciated this look back, thank you.
It says something that this is a sequel that got its own remake that led to a whole new series that'd still going.
It’s got a lot of strong ideas worthy of expansion as does Battle.
I always knew of Planet of the Apes, but didn’t know about the sequels, so as a teen around 14 these started playing on marathon on I think Sci Fi channel the summer before the reboot came out, and I was completely obsessed as I felt like I was in an alternate reality because I couldn’t even believe these movies existed and nobody talked about them, and not only that but just how completely different they were from the original which I also loved.
I’m loving your content. I’m rewatching in order all the movies with my kids and we just finished Conquest last week. After each movie I watch your corresponding reviews. I never knew about an uncut, darker version of Conquest. I’m going to get right on watching it!
Will you at some point be reviewing the subsequent POTA toy lines and playsets? I would love to know the history of them and a review of all the components. I’m going to buy and set up a diorama in my hang out room. Anyways, keep up the great work!
This one was the best one for me growing up. Thanks for the memories.
These reviews make me want to watch the original movies I only have seen the remake and the reboot trilogy
Definitely give the originals a watch!!
Tom Scott hasn't written a lot of soundtracks, although he has played on quite a few. He has had quite the career though, having played with many of the greats over the years. I first heard about him due to his work with George Harrison. He co-produced at least 1 album with George as well as providing arrangements on 4 albums where he also played a variety of woodwind and brass instruments. It was a few years later that I realized that he was the same guy who did the music for Conquest. He's also worked with The Carpenters, Joan Baez, Neil Diamond, Wings, Donovan, Rickie Lee Jones, Ringo Starr, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, Dolly Parton, Boz Scaggs, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Barbara Streisand, Steely Dan, Paul Williams (who appears in the next film) and The Blues Brothers...and that's only a short list of some of the artists he has worked with over the years. He's also had his own band, The LA Express and a solo career that has spanned 5 decades. He's played with 3 out of 4 Beatles (John Lennon does appear on the same Ringo album as Tom but not on the same songs). He seems to have slowed down now that he's in his 70s but he's still active and now hosts his own radio show. He's one of those people in the industry who has pretty much done it all.
Im a huge fan of the scores for the Apes movies. My favorite of all the Apes films was Goldsmith's score for Escape. I love that 60s kind of jazzy beach vibe.
Conquest has some fantastic horn cues. 👍
When will you do the final film of the original series? "APE HAS KILLED APE! APE HAS KILLED APE!"
Love your show, by the way, looking forward to your review of the newer films! I think Caesar's name change for this film was because Armando never knew of the name given to him by Cornelius and Zira and so he renamed him Caesar. Well that's what think and I believe I addressed this inconsistency in my book about the series some years back...but it would make sense.
Awesome review glad you love Conquest, for me it's not great as the first hour feels like a drag but I admit the third act is epic and Caesar's speech is one of the best scenes in the entire franchise!
Also note that the color of the Chimpanzee uniform mirrors their tradition clothing color in the original films.
Personally, what I understood about the reasons for the limited budgets on the "Planet of the Apes" sequels, like "Conquest...," was because 20th Century Fox had serious financial issues at the time especially after failures of some of its big-budgeted features in the past. As for "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes," I enjoyed the unrated version MORE than the theatrical version even though it was NOT perfect at all in terms of the way the film's plot was developed by the late Paul Dehn anyway. I also want to add that the review by the Ape Nation person was great indeed.
I first saw this, when they did the entire ape series in a theatrical marathon, when battle, for the planet of the apes came out. Actually, as a kid, it scared me for sure with Armando jumping out the window and how out of hand, the apes get in the end, etc. I put it last as my favorite of the original series but think it has moved up a notch or two as I’ve aged. I’ve grown to like it more as an older man. And I would often in my 20s go to the century city mall here in so cal and walk around it noting all the locations from the movie.
Well, it was put out in 1972 and 1991 seemed so far away to this then 12 year old. The city made it so - future over what American cities were. The rest - on the spot. It's not my favorite of the series, but it worked very well for the property. It tied together the third and the last of the series. And, I think actually allows the idea to feel free to alter the time-line and a sense that fate is that - series of highways that here you moved into another lane and...
Further, I did take in the whole series when it put back into theatre for single day viewing. They seemed well put together.
Probably because I’m seeing these originals for the first time but again, I LOVED this movie. Definitely the most with the same tone as the recent trilogy. Roddy McDowell. Wow. His performance just blew me away. That last scene. The way he was standing was even perfection. Such a solid movie in the Apes movie world.
Very fair review of conquest.
I first saw it in 1988 when it was released on Video. It's roddy's best performance in the Apes series. I personally think its changed the future of Apes history. Before seeing it .l really thought it was a circle of events that never ended. The story is about how one Ape revenge on the Humanity . I think the longer version is best one . I Love the Character of Macdonald is great . The scene always gives me goosebumps with Jerry's music and Roddy saying " this is brith of planet of the Apes "
I have got film stills of conquest that have had for years also Spanish poster of Conquest from 1972 . Its very dear to my heart. Once again amazing video Josh .all the best .
@13:52 Milo is not the name of a leader that has any resonance to it, while Cesar is especially to humans. And I love this scene I think it’s a symbol of how some things are just destined to be.
Agreed that the whole name change from “Milo” to “Caesar” was confusing, and I feel like the fix would have been relatively simple.
1. Have Armando call him “Milo” in private, and then when he is allowed to pick his name, he chooses for himself “Caesar” (which I think would’ve been cool) or
2. Just have a scene, even just a line, where Armando explains that his name was Milo, and now it’s Caesar for discretionary purposes.
Otherwise a great film, definitely up there (although it sounds like I’ll have to check out the uncut version)!
Conquest is up there it is my third favourite of the series
The humans are portrayed nasty enough that you want the apes to rise up and conquer
Your review was excellent
I'm going to rewatch the movie as soon as I finish posting this
Thanks for doing this series of reviews of the original movie series
Looking forward to the last one
Enjoying your Apes retrospective videos and am curious if you’ll be talking about the TV show as well?
Later this year after Kingdom!
Regarding your doubt regarding the speed of societal change, compare 1910-1918 Germany with 1938-1945 Germany. Or 1900 Russia to 1920 Russia. It can happen really fast given the right circumstances.
Totally valid point, and I'm not saying it's impossible. It's just really hard for me to buy that the US would have that radical of a shift in just 8 years (the plague was in 1983) all just because dogs and cats all died.
@@Ape-Nation Totally understand. Love your content…Escape has always been my favorite even though (as you point out) I think it’s social commentary was the least subtle. Keep up the great work!
One thing I wished the film did was explain what happen to Doctor Lewis and Stephen. I really like them in Escape and it felt weird they’re never addressed again.
Damn Roddy went off. Besides the first one this is my favorite. Its so dark
I didn't want to ruin the 420 up votes, but Ape Nation deserves all the thumbs ups. Sorry for making it 421.
Happy 420!
I didn't have a big problem with the toned down ending. Because of it, Battle for the Planet of the Apes came about. Not that that was a great movie, but if they would have kept the original ending, Ceasar's character trajectory would have been a General Thade type of character. The end of Conquest had Caesar take a higher road and make him more likable.
At the time on the news they were talking about "guerilla attacks" in conflict zones, so I would keenly watch the news as a young child thinking these were the gorilla's from Planet of the Apes attacking people and hoping to see them
The backstory is somewhat similar to the film, Children of Men in that having all the dogs, and cats die from a plague leading to slavery of the apes is a stand in for there being no children in that film or this one, depicting a loss of innocence. Without their pets, many humans seemed to have become somewhat nihilistic about the point of living, and turned a blind eye the dramatic increase in the police state that policed humans, and apes alike. With these factors it's really no wonder that a nuclear war was inevitable, as though the downfall of mankind was a collective deathwish whether most admitted it or not.
When MacDonald as an African American laments about the treatment of apes as slaves, Governor Brecht sarcastically replies, "We were all slaves once." But, he seems to between the lines question is it fair that as the former oppressed population to gain equality with whites only to see another race take their place as slaves?
Milo was a performing ape who would put on shows with the circus. Armando changed his name to Caesar to be more theatrical.
Favorite Ape Movie
*SPOILERS*
I always assumed Armando renamed Milo to Ceaser to aid in concealing his identity. I know Dr. Hasslein wasn’t around during the birth of Milo to hear & know the name of the world infamous child, however I believe it’s possible that Lewis and Stevie may have spoke of his name in informing others of the tragedy. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t speak to someone due to their frustration and morning of all who died at the end of Escape. Considering that it seemed Armando was the only one who knew of the child switch, I can see how Lewis and Stevie wouldn’t have thought anything of it due to the believed fact that Milo was killed. It makes sense that if Armando heard about this, having his ape in a circus with the same name of the infamous Milo would be a dead giveaway.
Still say this is the best of the original films, even with the compromised ending. It's very dark with some interesting humor throughout. The relationship between Armando and Caesar is very touching, and we are really rooting for Caesar throughout. He learns quickly how nasty we humans can truly be, and also kinda stupid since we knew what was going to happen if we went ahead with enslaving the apes and we did so anyway.
It's still unfortunate that they had to refilm the ending, though, considering the times, it's understandable. Now that the original ending is available on the current blu ray release, it makes you realize how unsatisfying the refilmed ending truly is. I suppose, however, that the decision to make the last film, Battle, more kid-friendly despite the dark subject matter fits in with that revised ending. But it's just unfortunate that Battle is where we end up after the promise of this film.
RIP Don Murray, the nasty Governor Breck, whom we lost earlier this month. Murray said that he translated his script into German so he could get into character. It definitely worked - he is an incredible presence throughout. He's a great bad guy - he seems almost pragmatic in his actions, and you know that he acts in full awareness at what might happen should the apes actually take over. There's a very real fear in Breck, which is proven justified by the end of the film.
Now, I live in Santa Monica, so I've been to Century City where they filmed Conquest many times. Unfortunately, the only thing that is really recognizable nowadays is the bridge, which is where the apes are massed for the final revolution. Filmed carefully to avoid showing much of Avenue of the Stars. 🤣
The social commentary was appropriate for the time. Today, we see the same messaging as if we still lived in a world of 50 years ago. Today there is racism alive and well but its going the other way to an extreme. This is all done for money and why we see so many hoaxes. Someday victimhood will lose its currency and we will just judge people as individuals and the choices they make.
For those who try to create one timeline with the old and new movies, is the idea that the new movies come first, and then this and Escape create a different version of events with a different Caesar?
Once again you've taken the words out of my mouth with the pros and cons of this film. Like many others here I also do agree that it's probably the second best film in the original series. I too really liked it when I first watched it as a kid especially since it was right after I saw Rise in theaters and so it was neat seeing an alternate version of Caesar who rises up against a fascist government.
On rewatch, I do still enjoy it but notice the flaws that you mentioned. Particularly with how in the later half once the ape rebellion occurs it doesn't stop. The 70s action is cool but there definitely should've been more room for the film to breathe and take its time.
Something I would've liked to see is Caesar bonding more with the apes that shows his more vulnerable and empathetic side. Like maybe he is trying to teach some of them to speak and confides about his relationship with Armando and his confusion on where he fits in with being an intelligent ape raised by a kind human
I never had a problem with the name change, I saw it as Caesar rebranding himself and taking on the role of liberator of his species.
I saw this movie originally when I was 8 years old, and loved it. I saw the theatrical version in the theatre, and didn’t even know the alternate version existed where Caesar instead of taking a conciliatory tone, goes literally ape, has the Governor killed, wants to set off a nuclear holocaust, and goes a bit insane! I mean, he goes out of his mind, and I think he would kill every human he could. No way the nut case Caesar could ever be the happy go lucky family apeman from the next movie, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, where he even defends a human who says, “NO!” The nutcase Caesar would have locked up all the humans for experimentation!!! So, there really are two Caesar’s, the theatrical Caesar, and the unrated cut Caesar. Personally, the nut case Caesar is much more interesting than ape family man Caesar.
I always wondered about the Milo name too. It makes sense that he would rename himself after a conquerer, but like you said, he refers to himself as Caesar earlier. I honestly think they just messed up and didn't realize when they filmed Armando calling him Caesar that his name wasn't Caesar yet but was still Milo. The continuity errors in this movie always bothered me. A major theme in the earlier movies dealt with humans destroying themselves in nuclear war but this movie ignores that and shifts to a slavery theme as why apes take over
There are a couple things about the plot of this movie that were glossed over I was always curious about too, especially regarding the timeframe from Escape to Conquest.
Like the virus that killed all the world’s pets. Or that there was some kind of forced evolution of apes where they were all now more human in their stature and appearance.
But most especially (and I’m surprised you didn’t touch on this) is the fact that the orangutans are pretty much nonexistent in this movie.
19:12 love the gorilla hold the rifle like a club!! He aint gotta a clue what to do but thats not stopping him!!
Definitely my favorite from the original films.
The soviet style brutalist architecture is what really makes this movie pop.
CONQUEST came out 3 weeks before I was born 😊
I had the same experience with Conquest
I liked it best when I was younger, and then the flaws became more obvious
But in my case this took a huge hit in how much I liked it.
It was good seeing Roddy again, and I think I related to Caesar, and that was probably why I liked it, but the story happens too quickly
If they redid this as a mini series to allow the proper timing for the events, it might be better
Loved the review-for me, the first original POTA film is its own masterpiece (and the precurser for all the others that follow) and then I love Escape & Conquest equally, but of course very different tones-just the realism of social issues always struck home and the way they were portrayed rang/rings true; as with Zira & Cornelius in the previous film, just was mesmerised by Ceasar. As a kid, when I first saw this sequel, that brief scene of Ceasar reading the in memoriam statue to cats and dogs dying off from a pandemic virus had a lasting shock effect in my psyche, as I remember thinking ‘the virus destroyed the world as we know it rapidly’ and I was terrified/gullible enough to accept the time-line 😂😅 Just a great film, imho, in its own right (especially with what they were restricted with tech-and-budget wise) and Roddy McDowell❤
Your review is excellent! I have only seen the theatrical release. Would love to see the other one.
I always love when you post videos
You have to laugh at the start of this video because Caesar kept referring to the apes as 'people', which is a word used to describe just humans. The screenwriter should have used, 'species'. They made this same error in Beneath when Dr. Zaius referred to protesting chimpanzees as 'people'.
This has always been my favorite entry in the original franchise. The unrated version is terrific.
brilliant video, i'm off to track down the unedited version. keep up the awesome work
It's admittedly been a while since I've seen the original five films.
Armando might have renamed Milo to honor the chimp that died in his place and/or for the added secrecy.