Planet of the Apes - The Ultimate DVD Collection

I just received this last night so I didn't get a chance to watch any of the DVD's yet so I'm just reviewing the head itself. WOW! This is a must have for any collection. The zippers on the pockets actually work. The DVD holder fits cleanly inside the base of the head so once inside, you can't tell they are in there. I wish they sold companion heads of Dr. Zeus and one of the Gorilla Soldiers.

I've seen these movies numerous times since I was a child, and every time a revisit them (particularly the original), I get something new out of them. Why these movies are still relevant today is clear: We are the apes, and the apes are us. Intellegent design...The War in Iraq...Terry Schiavo...Sadly, Planet Earth is still being run by a bunch of d*** dirty apes. After forty years, the monkeys are still in charge.

The jewell of this collection is, of course, the 67 original. For the few if any out there who haven't seen it, I will say that it contains perhaps the best ending of any sci-fi film in history. The other films are not nearly as good ,especially the crappy Tim Burton film, the absolute worst in this collection. Still, they are all entertaining in there own way. I especially look forward to watching both the live action and animated TV series, neither of which I've seen in over 30 years.

The ape head case is cool, I'll admit, but its also far too geeky to display in my living room. I wish the films themselves were put in DVD size cases instead of CD size jewel boxes, so that I could put my films in my DVD collection and put the ape head in the closet. But its really no big deal. Since there are only 10,000 of these being produced, I guess I ruined its potential value by even opening it. Oh well...

My set arrived today, and words can't say how happy I am with it. If you're thinking of buying this, you're already familiar with the material on the discs, so what I want to do is talk about the special packaging.

The #1 concern with something like this is how the discs are stored. Sometims the casing of a big set will open at a place that leaves a bad and obvious seam in the pacakaging, and it distracts from the look. In this case, the shirt on the back of the figure lifts up from 2 velcro tabs, and the discs are in a box that slides out. PERFECT! No distraction from the look of the figure at all.

The next major concern would be the condition of the discs. The more discs, the higher the risk of one popping out and getting scratched, right? Not here. The discs are in a very compact box, and there is absolutely no chance of them popping out and getting scratched up on the holding hub.

Next up is the packaging of the package itself. The last thing you want is for your outer casing to be damaged. The head is packed in a styrofoam block, which is then packed in a box, with a PotA slipcover, and all of that is put securely in another box. This is an extremely well-packaged set!

Finally, the storage aspect. Since the discs are in their own little box inside the bust, you can take the box out and place it on your DVD shelf, and either display the bust separately or box it back up if you don't have the room.

I really can't recommend this set enough!

I had originally held off purchasing the Apes box set that was released circa 2000, mainly because the video was not anamorphic for whatever reason. Boy am I glad I waited. This set will not disappoint. I received it today, and have to say that the case is bigger than I thought it would be. The ape head isn't life size, but it's close. The movies are hidden under a flap in the back of the ape bust's shirt and are easy to access unlike the Alien Quadrilogy that made you unfold the box 20 times to reach the first disc. The only thing that I would have wanted would be special features for all the films, but I'm sure that if any more features existed, they would have been included. The first film is the same DVD that was released last year, but all the other DVDs are the first anamorphic transfers for the other films. One can only hope that 20th Century Fox can do something similar when it puts out a new set of the Star Wars films which I'm sure will be coming sooner rathre than later. Great set and worth every penny.

This set if for the true Apes fan. If you are an Apes completist, this set is for you. All the Apes sagas are here, housed in a very nice Ape head storage unit (supposedly crafted to resemble Cornelius, but with a uniform like the one Caesar wore in Conquest). The real treat is the first ever DVD release of the extended edition version of Battle for the Planet of the Apes and the first ever official release in any format of the animated Return to the Planet of the Apes. The animated series was digitally restored for this DVD set. For everthing you get, the price really isn't that bad. If you love the Apes, sell your previously released versions on Amazon Marketplace or EBAY and BUY THIS SET. Believe me, your other stuff will sell. Someone is always looking for a bargain. Buy this set and enjoy. GO APE !