Planet of the Apes Charlton Heston

(aka "Monkey Planet" )

directed by Franklin J. Schaffner
USA 1968

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 8th, 1968

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DVD Comparison:

20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC vs. 20th Century Fox (35th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC

Big thanks to Bill McAlpine for all the Screen Caps!

(20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox (35th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	20th Century Fox Region 1 - NTSC	20th Century Fox Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1.51.52	1.51.52
Video	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.10 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 8.56 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: 20th Century Fox
Bitrate: 20th Century Fox (35th Anniversary Edition)
Audio	English 5.1, English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)	English 5.1 Dolby, English 5.1 DTS, Spanish Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround
Subtitles	English, Spanish, None	English, Spanish, French
Features	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Photo Gallery • Planet of the Apes Web Link • Theatrical Trailers DVD Release Date: May 1st, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 24	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • 2-Disc Special Edition • Audio Commentarys by composer Jerry Goldsmith, actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter, make-up artist John Chambers • Text Commentary by author Eric Greene • Behind the Planet of the Apes documentary (2 hours) • Rare dailies & outtakes • Roddy McDowall on-set movie footage • Original make-up tests with Edward G.Robinson • Making-of featurette • Still photo galleries (reviews, posters, costume sketches) • Theatrical Trailers • DVD-ROM content DVD Release Date: Feb 3, 2004 Digi-Pack Chapters 28

Comments

Released just before Fox Studios decided to release all their widescreen DVDs with anamorphic enhancement, the original non-anamorphic DVD release was an excellent DVD transfer regardless.
Compared to the newly released anamorphic 35th Anniversary Edition, the old transfer still holds up extremely well. Although the differences are very slight, the older transfer exhibits slightly stronger colors and better contrast with deeper blacks, but to many viewers that will be more than compensated by the new edition's 16x9 enhancement.
Missing from the 35th Anniversary release is the original audio mix, instead replaced with a new 5.1 Dolby & DTS mix.
The new Anniversary edition arrives with plentiful extras that should please any Planet of the Apes fans.
The 35th Anniversary 2-Disc Edition is an excellent buy, but some of you might want to hold onto the original DVD as well, especially considering it has the original 2.0 audio.

- Bill McAlpine

DVD Menus

(20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 20th Century Fox (35th Anniversary Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)