Change Your Image
whitshade
Reviews
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
Just a few words...
There are plenty of reviews that provide synopses here, so I just have a few comments. I recently caught this film on the Sci-Fi Channel for the first time in twenty years, and I thought it was fun. Personally I think the whole series would've been better if NO sequels had been made. Regardless, I noticed something was missing. I distinctly remember a scene in this film, after the ape-mutant war and after the apes and humans agree on equality in their society, that depicted Mendez and the woman of Asian descent in the Forbidden City playing chess. She looks at her watch or a clock and announces that 72 hours have passed and she has not received Kolp's signal. As per Kolp's orders, she is now going to launch the nuclear missile at Ape City. Mendez talks her out of it, telling her that the missile is the Alpha-Omega Bomb and will destroy not just the ape city, but the world. He tells her that Kolp got what he asked for and that they should stay together and guard the bomb in peace and, thus, talks her out of it, while laying the groundwork for the cult of mutant bomb worshippers we see in Beneath. This scene has been cropped out for some reason. It's a shame, as it really helped with the series' continuity. If any of us are alive in 2067, I'm sure the studio will put it back in for the 100th anniversary slip-cased edition they release. Or whenever they think it will be profitable. Whichever comes first.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1967)
Summary
This animated series contains elements of both book and movie. The Lindenbrook expedition (Prof. Lindenbrook, his niece Cindy, his assistant Alec McEwan and their guide Lars (and his pet duck Gertrude)) race to the center of the earth to find a way back to the surface. They follow the trail of explorer Arne Sacnusson. They are opposed by Count Sacnusson (Arne's evil descendant) and his servant Torg, who are trying to beat them to the earth's core at all costs. On the way, both parties encounter lost civilizations and a host of monsters. Fun animated fantasy/adventure.
The only other person to comment on this series recalled seeing it as a child growing up in Boston. Growing up in southeastern New Hampshire, I'm sure we both watched it on channel 38 (then an independent UHF station). On weekend mornings, they ran syndicated cartoon shows like this, the Fantastic Voyage animated series and hosts of more traditional fair (e.g. Popeye, Warner Bros., etc.). It definitely made for an entertaining alternative to the programming available on mainstream television. Unlike the other reviewer, I can't recall any specific episodes, but I can tell you that I enjoyed this series. For anyone into the sci-fi/fantasy cartoon genre, check it out. You'll be pleasantly surprised.