Reisz Planet of the Apes

Zathes & Army before Final Battle

I really found the dualities of civil liberties versus slavery and science versus primitivism in Planet of the Apes linked closely together. While the film naturally revolves around the idea of civil liberties and slavery in the city of apes, the idea of science appears to need to become more of a privilege. The entire film depicts a power struggle between the apes holding control and the humans fighting for some power.  However, Zaius warns his son Thades of humans’ true destructive power. The only difference between how the apes are treating the humans and how humans usually treat apes is the lack of technology. The apes military formation and tactics reminded me of ancient Roman flanks. The apes focused on using their physical strength to dominate over the humans. They used this power to enslave and strip humans of their civil liberties. However, with Zaius’ warning about humans abuse of technology against other creatures and against themselves, the apes abuse seems less drastic.

While the apes certainly appear more primitive without technology, they still abuse power. Humans, however, abuse power with weapons of mass destruction and have a history of enslavement. I think that the combined duality issues of civil rights versus slavery and primitivism versus technology raises the question of, should technology be a privilege until people learn not to abuse its power to strip others of their civil rights. With the rise of technology before World War I, people began using it against civilians to establish power and make a statement. However, technology has proven to be just as destructive and enslaving as it has been beneficial to the world. Primitivism suggests the core of humanity though, which is what civil rights are all about – everyone having the same basic rights to life. Technology and enslavement then appear to be connected by the audience as well. While primitivism in the apes is not seen as a positive thing, the destructive nature of advancement is certainly not better when used as a power mechanism against others’ civil rights. By contrasting these dualities against one another, viewers can really evaluate and compare the two extremes and link their relevance to one another together.

Reisz Mars Attacks!

Aliens in Mars Attacks! Land on Earth

When the president gives his great speech about bridging the gap between the humans and aliens encapsulates how Burton’s satire towards the government and patriotism perfectly. The president is first cowering behind his chair, which is already against the notion of a strong president with great willpower. He then rises as he gives what he clearly believes to be the words that will be written in textbooks for years to come as it brings the worlds together. Burton illustrates this through the overly dramatic and patriotic music playing behind the president. When the alien and president finally shake hands and the arm kills the president, the joke is clearly on the president. Audience members laugh as it crawls over him and the flag rises to mark their new territory. In films like Independence Day, it is this grand powerful mentality of great leaders that defeat the frightening invaders. By taking a similar soundtrack and camera angles upward at the president as he speaks, Burton imitates films that focus on this belief. But the outcome is drastically different and the actor simply seems overdramatic. Also, throughout the film Jack Nicholson is treated more like a child who needs to be led and put up with through his rants (not treated with great awe and admiration). Burton even creates the picture that the president might as well be a crook from Las Vegas and he would serve just about the same amount of usefulness. Instead of being the man that led the people or comforted them in their time of need, he acted more like a coward who was just as unsure what to do as anyone. When the military asks for him to sign off on military weapons of great destruction, like bombs, he just does as he is told and signs the papers. His role is actually of no importance to the nation in the film other than a public face.

The other scene where Burton really satirizes the military is when the aliens first land on Earth. America really wants to make a great spectacle of it and have the general act as the great man who welcomes them first onto the planet. There are people set up to see it, no doubt paid to see it, and the military set up a large encroachment of forces to make it look official. By acting like it worked out perfectly and depicting everyone’s excitement and the military’s satisfaction, the quick switch to chaos makes everyone just look ridiculous. Despite the fact that so many military men were there for protection, they were not helpful at all during the attack. It made the entire institution look like it was there for show and served to real purpose. The great military institution was actually not very intelligent nor did they overcome. I think that the film, especially in these two scenes, makes a statement about how ridiculous it is that people hold so much faith in institutions to take care of things. Also, that we take things too seriously and overthink a matter that is actually simple.

Reisz Ed Wood

Ed Wood Film Poster

While discussing Tim Burton’s Ed Wood in class, I fully supported its peculiar humor and heartwarming relationship between Bela Lugosi and Ed Wood; however, after reading Kathi Maoi’s movie review, I believe that Burton could have been more realistic for his viewers. While I was entertained and drawn in by the bizarrities and general plot, the naivity of Ed Wood did bother me at times. He never truly undergoes any great change. He begins with these starry eyes of becoming the greatest director, producer, and actor combo that the world has ever seen. He also ends this way. Burton never reveals too many great struggles. Ed Wood searches both for film investors and for acceptance of his cross-dressing throughout the film. I think that the struggles Ed faced while dressing in women’s clothing was well represented to Wood’s biographical life struggles; however, the film fell short in representing his financial struggles. As Maoi said,  “Johnny Depp is marvelous… my only complaint is that the writers did not allow him to express any of the self-doubt and desperation Mr. Wood must have felt [when he wasn’t publicly putting the most positive spin on his dubious film career].” I do agree that writers could have focused on this segment of Wood’s life struggles more, but at the same time I believe that Burton did a magnificent job as usual at creating an emotional bond for his audience with the characters. 

Another homage that Burton executed nicely was incorporating scenes directly from Wood’s films, like Plan 9 from Outer Space, throughout the film. This directorial choice added to the realism in Wood’s films and I also think he chose to do this because of the common theme between many of the films. While Burton definitely related to Wood’s biographical life as an odd film director, I think that some of the themes that Wood attempted to portray really appealed to Burton. In Plan 9 from Outer Space, the aliens say that humans are juvenile and really do not use their brains. They proceed to explain how this will be the downfall to the entire universe. I think Burton really enjoys revealing humanity’s flaws as well. Burton takes this similar concept and applies how people treat other people (like with most people surrounding Ed Wood before he collects his equally bizarre cast or “freaks” as his ex-girlfriend refers to them as). Although I had never seen any of Ed Wood’s films before now, I still developed a relationship with the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the screenplay throughout Burton’s Ed Wood. Learning more about Ed Wood biographically only added to another of Burton’s entertaining and fascinating artworks.