Planet of the Apes - The Ultimate DVD Collection

This is great news. I also just seen they will be including the 92 minute tv version of Battle for the Planet of the Apes. Before it was only available as the theatrical 86 minute version. So this is definitely worth it if your a fan of the apes like me!

They forgot to include the bonus disc that came with the special edition of "Behind the Planet of the Apes". It would also have been interesting if they'd collected all the appearances Roddy McDowall made while in Apes makeup, like the Carol Burnett Show episode.

The Planet of the Apes: Ultimate DVD Collection is both good and bad news. The vast majority of people who are big enough fans to pay that SRP for this set already purchased the box sets for the movies and the TV series. Now we have to by these all over again even if we don't care about the animorphic feature because the set includes TV promos for the Television series and the animated series currently not available elsewhere. Even if FOX makes the animated series available separately (which I am not expecting because they want us to shell out more cash for this new release) those TV spots to me are very appealing. Like Star Trek fans who felt they have been made fools out of by buying the original series in the two episodes in a package format and then follow up with releases of the season sets, I am really annoyed with FOX for pulling this stunt. Why were the TV spots not placed on the original release of the TV series? I can't help but think this was done intentionally. By the way, despite what was said above, the season set of the TV series is not that difficult to find. Anyhow, I feel as though I wasted my money now and will have to spend well over $100 just to get a few TV spots (and possibly the animated series which FOX will probably hold hostage exclusively to this set). I expect to see countless copies of the previous releases on ebay in the months to come. I am even now wondering where I can unload my own film and TV series box sets (which are just like new) but minimize the loss. It is actually disgraceful when you think of all of the wasted money, packaging and DVDs that will now be looked upon as inferior and in some cases unwanted due to this new release. Oh well, when it comes to greed what else is new.

This should be the set that every "Apes" fan wants. It collects every bit of "Planet of the Apes" ever committed to film, including all the episodes of the never-before-released animated series "Return to the Planet of the Apes" and the hard-to-find live-action television series that starred Roddy McDowell. All five of the original movies, plus the 2001 version, are presented in digitally remastered, animorphic widescreen and are THX certified. And there are tons of commentaries and extras, including the feature-length documentary "Behind the Planet of the Apes." All in all, the set includes 14 discs and comes packaged in a specially-designed ape head.

The breakout for each disc is as follows:

Disc 1: The original "Planet of the Apes" in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS. It includes commentaries by composer Jerry Goldsmith, actors Roddy McDowell, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter, makeup artist John Chambers, and text commentary by Eric Greene, author of "Planet of the Apes as American Myth."

Disc 2: "Planet of the Apes" bonus disc, including "Behind the Planet of the Apes" 126-minute documentary, a documentary promo, makeup tests with actor Edward G. Robinson, Roddy McDowell home movies, dailies and outtakes, several other featurettes, publicity materials, film reviews, posters, and galleries.

Disc 3: "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby surround. Other features include a cast page, trailers for all six films, behind-the-scenes photo gallery and web link.

Disc 4: "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" in amimorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1. Other features are similar to disc 3.

Disc 5: "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby surround. Other features are similar to disc 3.

Disc 6: "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby surround. Extras are similar to disc 3, but also includes an interactive game and CD-ROM content.

Disc 7: The first four episodes of the television series: Escape From Tomorrow, The Gladiators, The Trap, and The Good Seeds. Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 8: Episodes 5 to 8 of the television series: The Legacy, Tomorrow's Tide, The Surgeon, and The Dragoons. Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 9: Episodes 9 to 12 of the television series: The Horse Ride, The Interrogation, The Tyrant, and The Cure. Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 10: The final two episodes of the television series: The Liberator, and Up Above the World So High. Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 11: The first seven episodes of the animated series "Return to the Planet of the Apes": Flames of Doom, Escape from Ape City, Lagoon of Peril, Tunnel of Fear, The Unearthly Prophecy, Screaming Wings, and Trail to the Unknown.

Disc 12: The final six episodes of the animated series: Attack from the Clouds, Mission of Mercy, Invasion of the Underdwellers, Battle of the Titans, Terror on Ice Mountain, and River of Flames.

Disc 13: The 2001 version of "Planet of the Apes," including commentary by director Tim Burton, composer Danny Elfman, Tom Rothman and Richard Zanuck. It includes an enhanced, interactive viewing mode with behind-the-scenes on makeup, special effects, cast and crew, and location shooting.

Disc 14: "Planet of the Apes (2001)" bonus disc, including 23 featurettes and six documentaries: Ape School, Makeup Testing, Costume Testing, Shooting on Location, Scoring the Film, and Ape Movement. Also included: eight interactive multi-angle sequences, four quad-angle/4-way audio split vignettes of makeup testing, apes reactive testing, costume testing, movement and stunt testing, five extended scenes, an HBO "Making of" special, TV spots, trailers, and a music video.

Quite a package for the true "Apes" fan. For those fans, like me, who have already purchased these films and the live-action series, I hope Fox will put out a separate set of just the animated series. I have been waiting a long time for that.