Word: burtons
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...after two viewings and a week to think about them, I am ready to declare Burton?s "reimagining" of the 1968 classic a disappointment, at least...
...Franklin J. Schaffner?s original. The planet on which Mark Wahlberg crashes is dark, moody and marshy - in fact, it?s alarmingly similar to the one in "Empire Strikes Back," in which men are ruled by wrinkled green Jedi instructors - and that?s OK. Dark and moody is Burton?s thing, and he does it well; take what...
...Burton?s "reimagining" did score one outright coup. The insight that apes, if they did indeed take over a planet, would still behave very much like apes - and even more so when angry or otherwise aroused - was a clear improvement on Schaffner?s stiffly human-aping overlords. Led by Tim Roth?s manic and maniacal (if slightly hammy) turn as General Thade and Helena Bonham Carter's incredible suffusing of her liberal-princess chimp with a warm and sexy glow, the hairy actors rule this movie. And of course Burton?s choice of Rick Baker as makeup man made...
...original "Planet of the Apes" was sci-fi with a conscience and camp with a purpose - not to mention one of popular cinema?s great all-time conceits. (You know, with the apes and the men). It came with higher hopes, and those were the hopes that Burton dashed when he decided to apply his "unique vision" to the sets - but not the script...
...even in these politically correct times, when even dark heroes must be driven by some easy-to-understand childhood trauma and Tobey Maguire gets the lead in "Spiderman," there?s an interesting way to do this - think Michael Keaton in "Batman." Wahlberg?s (or Burton?s) Capt. Leo Davidson has (apparently) a lovely girlfriend who misses him, as well as the usual complement of cookie-cutter friends who send him a joshing taped message from some idyllic backyard barbecue back on Earth. Come home soon, buddy...