Conquest of the Planet of the Apes - Rise of the Revolution (1972)

0:03 Calarogu Shark Media. Welcome back to TV in the Basement, your secret bunker for all things post apocalyptic Primate. I'm your host, Journey Joe Mitchell, and today we're tackling Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth and most provocative installment in the original Apes saga. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a dark, daring, and sometimes disturbing film that really pushes the boundaries of the franchise. Released in nineteen seventy two at the height of racial tensions and political unrest in America, It's a thinly veiled allegory for the Black Power movement and the fear of minority uprising. It's also a direct prequel to the original film, showing how the Apes first rose to dominance. The story takes place in a dystopian near future where apes have become slave laborers for humans after a plague wiped out all cats and dogs. This is a clever callback to a plot point from the original novel that was cut from the first film, where a space virus kills off Earth's pets, leading apes to be domesticated and eventually supplant humans into this world. Comes Caesar, the son of Cornelius and Zira, played by a returning Roddy McDowell. Raised in secret by the kindly circus owner Armando played by Ricardo Montalban. Caesar witnesses the cruel treatment of his fellow apes and begins to foment rebellion. When Armando dies in custody after trying to protect Caesar from the authorities, the young ape leader launches an all

1:33 out revolution, leading to a climactic battle for the fate of the planet. Directed by j. Lee Thompson, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a much bleaker and more violent film than its predecessors. The world it depicts is a fascistic police state where apes are brutally subjugated and even hunted for sport. The parallels to racism and oppression are not subtle, with the Apes standing in for marginalized groups rising up against their oppressors. This gives the film a real edge and urgency that reflects the turbulent times in which it was made. The scenes of apes being beaten, shocked, and even killed by their human masters are tough to watch, as is the climax where Caesar exhorts his followers to violently overthrow their captors. It's not hard to see why the film was originally rated PG but had to be cut for an R rating. At the center of it all is a powerful performance by Roddy McDowell as Caesar. In a way, it's the role he was born to play, the culmination of his journey as Cornelius in the previous films. McDowell brings a simmering intensity and righteous anger to Caesar, a far cry from the gentle, humorous Cornelius.

2:40 You can see the weight of his people suffering in his eyes, the burning desire for freedom and justice. It's a tour to force performance, especially considering the physical demands of the role. McDowell had to endure long hours in the makeup chair and perform intense action scenes in the cumbersome ape suit, but he never falters. Brings a fierce dignity and humanity to Caesar that makes him a truly iconic sci fi hero. The supporting cast is also excellent, with Don Murray as the sadistic governor Breck and Harry Rhodes as the conflicted African American aide MacDonald. But the real scene stealer is Ricardo Montalban as Armando Montalban brings such warmth, wisdom, and quiet strength to the role of Caesar's surrogate father.

3:23 His tragic death at the hands of the authorities is a gut punch that fuels Caesar's rage and sets the stage for the uprising. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is also notable for its striking visual style, with stark modernist architecture and a muted color palette that reflects the oppressive nature of the world. The Ape makeups are some of the best in the series, particularly the gorillas with their menacing helmets and armour, and the action scenes are brutal and intense, with Apes hurling spears and Molotov cocktails at their human oppressors. Thematically, the film grapples with some weighty ideas about power, oppression, and the cycle of violence. On one hand, it's hard not to root for the Apes as they rise up against their cruel masters and claim their freedom, but the film doesn't shy away from the darker implications of that uprising, with Caesar briefly succumbing to hate and bloodlust before pulling back from the brink. It's a complex and nuanced portrayal of revolution that feels all too relevant today. When Caesar shouts, where there is fire, there is smoke, and in that smoke, from this day forward, my people will crouch and conspire and plot and plan for the inevitable day of man's downfall, the day when he finally and self destructively turns his weapons against his own kind. It's a chilling moment that speaks to the long term effects of oppression and the thirst for vengeance. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes shares some notable parallels with the modern Planet of the Apes

4:55 reboot series. Both depict the fall of human civilization and the rise of intelligent apes, with a central chimpanzee character named Caesar leading the way. Both grapple with themes of prejudice, slavery, and the tension between ape and human. But where the reboot films depict the Ape uprising as a gradual, almost reluctant process, with Caesar as a wise and benevolent leader, Conquest shows it as a violent and cathartic explosion, with Caesar as a fiery revolutionary push to the brink. The reboot films also have the advantage of modern CGI to create more expressive and realistic Ape characters, while Conquest relies on practical makeups and costumes. Still, there's a raw power and urgency to Conquest that makes it stand out, even if some of the racial politics and revolutionary fervor may seem heavy handed by today's standards. It's a film very much of its time, but one that still packs a punch and leaves you with plenty to chew on. The ending of Conquest is particularly striking, with the Apes victorious and Caesar delivering a speech about the dawn of a new era. In the original cut, he proclaimed, we will destroy the guns and we will build a world of Apes with peace and love, but this was deemed too provocative and had to be changed. The revised ending has Caesar preaching compassion and coexistence, but with an ominous warning about the day when Apes will fight back if provoked. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes remains a bold and uncompromising entry in the franchise,

6:26 one that takes big swings and doesn't pull its punches. It may not be as widely beloved as the first film, or even Escape from the Planet of the Apes, but it's an essential piece of the Apes puzzle. That pushes the series into daring new territory. It's a testament to the enduring power of the Planet of the Apes mythos that these themes and characters continue to resonate decades later. The modern reboot films may have updated the special effects in storytelling, but they're still grappling with the same big ideas about prejudice, power and what it means to be human. And at the heart of it all is the character of Caesar, the Chimpanzee revolutionary who would become a legend. Roddy McDowell's fierce, soulful performance in Conquest set the template for Andy Serkis's equally brilliant work in the reboot films, cementing Caesar as one of the great sci fi protagonists of all time. So what's your take on Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Is it a daring allegory for the civil rights struggle or a heavy handed polemic. Does the darker, more violent tone work for you or is it too much? And how does it stack up to the modern Apes films in your opinion? Next time, we'll be wrapping up our Apes retrospective with Battle for the Planet of the Apes. The final chapter in the original saga.

7:43 Until then, keep watching the skies and the screens for TV in the basement. This is Journey. Joe Mitchell signing off