Aug 08, 2001 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Nokia and Twentieth Century Fox International (Fox), a fully owned subsidiary of News Corporation, have entered into a deal to promote the international release of Fox's highly anticipated event film, Planet of the Apes. The agreement announced today offers Nokia owners in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom unique screensavers and logos of the film on their mobile phones via the Club Nokia website. 

Starcut, a Finnish-based mobile entertainment company, has been involved in the deal as an industry-specific aggregator. 

The promotion will reach consumers through a print campaign in newspapers and magazines inviting them to "prepare themselves and join the rebellion" by logging onto the Club Nokia website. By downloading more than 20 different, high-quality characters and distinctive graphical images from Planet of the Apes in the form of SMS and WAP logos, picture messages and animated screensavers, Nokia phone owners can enhance and share their movie-going experience. A competition will also be held on the website with unique prize packages related to the film, including exclusive Nokia 3330 ape warrior mobile phones. 

"We are pleased to provide our customers world-famous, copyright-protected and terminal-specific entertainment content that will expand the mobile experience to cover new areas in everyday life," said Ilkka Raiskinen, Vice President, Applications and Services, Nokia Mobile Phones. "As Nokia's first major cross-media campaign with the film industry, this deal represents an important milestone by offering new opportunities for the film industry to promote Hollywood entertainment. Nokia and Fox are both highly recognized brands in their industries, and by working together we can bring the best quality of content and user experience to the consumers." 

"Planet of the Apes is a worldwide cultural phenomenon and we are delighted to work with Nokia in offering film-related messages to mobile phone users. Their technology provides us a unique means to deliver appealing content to a wide movie-going population. We hope to use this promotion as a stepping stone to larger initiatives on future feature films," said Sarah Meltzer, Executive Director of International Promotions at Fox. 

Thanks to its visual richness and the reputation of the original film, Planet of the Apes is an ideal focus for the rapidly increasing demand for mobile entertainment services. The film begins with the premise of Pierre Boulle's classic science fiction novel: A pilot crash lands on a strange planet and finds himself in a brutal, primal place where apes are in charge and humans scavenge for subsistence, hunted and enslaved by tyrannical primates. Visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Batman, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow) has taken Boulle's basic idea and built upon it a uniquely envisioned journey to an incredible upside-down world. 

In its opening weekend Planet of the Apes tallied a staggering $68.5 million in the US and after several record-breaking debuts in Latin America last weekend, the film has reached an eye-popping $26,040,709 in 16 countries. The film takes the classic premise of humans being enslaved by apes and adds director Tim Burton's unique personal vision and style to break new ground in story, design, make-up and visual effects. The film opens in Germany on August 30th; in Italy on September 14th; and in the UK on August 17th. Nokia phone users will be able to access to the Planet of the Apes content about two weeks prior to the film's opening in each country. 

About Fox 

Twentieth Century Fox International is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a News Corporation Company. 

About Nokia 

Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges. 

About Starcut 

Finnish-based Starcut is a premium entertainment content aggregator and mobile media publisher working closely with the globally known Hollywood entertainment brands. Starcut develops attractive movie and TV related mobile services based on Hollywood content. Starcut combines its experience, expertise and relationships in the entertainment and mobile industries to offer terminal-specific services to mobile phone users around the world. Starcut has premises in Helsinki and Los Angeles. 

CONTACT: Nokia Mobile Phones Communications Tel: + 358 7180 08000 WWW: http://www.club.nokia.com www.nokia.com 

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- It was announced today that Posthuman/Priority Records will release the soundtrack to the much anticipated film ``Rock Star,'' which stars Mark Wahlberg (``Planet Of The Apes,'' ``The Perfect Storm,'' ``Three Kings'') as a young musician whose life is changed forever when he is chosen to replace the lead singer of his all-time favorite band, Steel Dragon. Jennifer Aniston (of ``Friends'' fame) stars as his girlfriend and manager. The soundtrack will be in stores on August 28th. The film opens nationwide on September 7.

The ``Rock Star'' soundtrack captures the 1980's metal hey day with songs from classic rockers like Motley Crue, Bon Jovi and Kiss, but what is most surprising about the album are the five original tracks by the fictitious band who star in the movie (with Wahlberg as lead singer): Steel Dragon.

Steel Dragon is a band that was assembled specifically for ``Rock Star.'' Comprised of longtime Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde, Bonham leader and son of the late great Zeppelin drummer, Jason Bonham on drums, Dokken bassist Jeff Pilson, Black Label Society's Nick Catonese on guitar, Yngwie Malmstein vocalist Jeff Scott Soto and Mike Matijevic who fronted the 80's band Steel Heart on vocals as well.

The Steel Dragon tracks, which perfectly represent the 1985 hard rock scene in which the movie is set, were written by a variety of musicians, including Sammy Hagar (``Stand Up'') and Marilyn Manson bassist, Twiggy Ramirez (``Blood Pollution'').

A track from Everclear, appropriately titled ``Rock Star,'' will be the first single and video. Songs from INXS, Verve Pipe and some score selections from Trevor Rabin round out the soundtrack. All of the Steel Dragon tracks were produced by longtime Crue producer Tom Werman. A complete track listing is attached.

The movie also includes on camera appearances from Verve Pipe's Brian Vander Ark and Slaughter drummer Blas Elias in the Steel Dragon tribute band Blood Pollution. Finally Stephan Jenkins from Third Eye Blind plays Blood Pollution's replacement lead singer, after the departure of Wahlberg.

As anyone who has ever been to a big rock concert will attest, the rock arena scenes in the movie are absolutely authentic. ``In the various films about rock and roll I've seen over the years, invariably there are actors portraying musicians,'' explains ``Rock Star'' director Stephen Herek. ``There always seems to be a certain edge and validity that's missing from their performances.''

Wahlberg's musical background, coupled with Wylde, Pilson, Bonham and actor Dominic West, give Steel Dragon the chops needed to pull off a too-much-metal-for-one-hand arena rock assault in the film's numerous live concert scenes.

The role, of course, wasn't a stretch for any of the musicians. ``I've essentially been doing research for this movie for twenty years,'' jokes Jeff Pilson of his years on the road as bass player for Dokken and Dio. ``And one of the best parts about doing this movie was Steve's openness about getting input from us.''

``My character in the movie was just this guy who likes drinking beer and pretty much doesn't like anybody in the band and just likes shooting guns,'' Wylde says. ``As far as I'm concerned, I got the coolest character in the movie.''

For heavy metal fans, the realness of both soundtrack and the film make ``Rock Star,'' a must listen, must see. 

                         ROCK STAR
            Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

            ARTIST                 TRACK

     1)     Everclear              "Rock Star"
     2)     Steel Dragon           "Livin' The Life"
     3)     Motley Crue            "Wild Side"
     4)     Steel Dragon           "We All Die Young"
     5)     Steel Dragon           "Blood Pollution"
     6)     Bon Jovi               "Livin' On A Prayer"
     7)     Steel Dragon           "Stand Up"
     8)     Ted Nugent             "Stranglehold"
     9)     Steel Dragon           "Wasted Generation"
     10)    Kiss                   "Lick It Up"
     11)    Steel Dragon           "Long Live Rock & Roll"
     12)    INXS                   "Devil Inside"
     13)    Verve Pipe             "Colorful"
     14)    Trevor Rabin           "Gotta Have It"

SYDNEY (Variety) - ``Expect the unexpected'' could have been the motto for last weekend's foreign box office as ``Jurassic Park III'' couldn't dislodge local champ ``Spirited Away'' in Japan, and ``Rush Hour 2'' lost the barnyard brawl with ``Cats & Dogs'' in the U.K.

In another upset, the Jet Li starrer ``Kiss of the Dragon'' reigned in France, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia but didn't breathe fire in Taiwan.

In the kind of surprise distributors love, ``Planet of the Apes'' smashed various records for Fox in Latin America, South Korea (news - web sites) and Sweden.

Meanwhile, the flying dinos landed in Japan with $5.5 million, including the prior Saturday's sneaks -- 18% below the entry for ``The Mummy Returns,'' but 6% higher than last weekend's bow by the ``Apes'' remake.

``Spirited Away'' continued its hot streak, conjuring up $8 million in its third weekend (off about 6%), hoisting the cartoon's territory total to a phenomenal $56.7 million.

Director Joe Johnston's dino adventure stomped into Germany with $5.7 million, just 3% below ``The Mummy'' sequel, and saw similarly strong debuts in the Netherlands ($620,000), Austria ($386,000) and Norway ($306,000). Pic dipped by a worrying 45% in Spain, racking up $3.9 million in 10 days, and by 65% in Taiwan, snaring $3.2 million in nine days. All told, the raptors feasted on $17.8 million from 17 markets, propelling the foreign total to $64.6 million.

``Rush Hour 2'' motored into the U.K. with $3.2 million -- a shade disappointing, given that the original grossed a handy $12.3 million there. ``Cats & Dogs'' fetched a stellar $5.2 million, including previews, WB's third highest U.K. premiere ever behind ``Batman & Robin'' and ``Batman Forever.'' The family picture has also whistled up a fine $1.9 million in 10 days in Korea and a mediocre $2.5 million through its third lap in Germany.

``Planet of the Apes'' commanded $13 million from 16 countries, doubling its foreign total to $26 million after its second weekend of international release. Tim Burton's sci-fier notched $3.1 million in Mexico (a Fox record, beating ``Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace,'' and the industry's second best ever behind ``Dinosaur''), $1.6 million in Brazil (a territory record, topping ``Independence Day'' by 8%), $1.3 million in Argentina (Fox's third-best) and $1.2 million in Korea (Fox's second-highest).

The primates devoured $866,000 in Sweden (the market's biggest bow this year), $439,000 in Taiwan (trailing ``Jurassic Park III'') and a combined $1.2 million from Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, setting industry opening records in all three countries. ``Apes'' did suffer a 37% hit in Japan, nonetheless amassing a juicy $12.5 million thus far.

``Kiss of the Dragon'' kicked into France with $1.9 million, boosted by the hype for Luc Besson, the picture's co-writer and producer. The actioner scored $380,000 in Malaysia, 365,000 in Singapore, $250,000 in the Philippines and $191,000 in Indonesia.

Less impressive were ``Dragon's'' $425,000 in Hong Kong (No. 2 behind local rookie ``Fulltime Killer'') and Taiwan's $250,000, overshadowed by the apes and dinos.

``Pearl Harbor's'' foreign total hit $190.5 million, driven by Japan's $30 million through its fourth lap (off 22%), where ``A.I. Artificial Intelligence'' has earned a wondrous $60.8 million after its sixth.

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - ``Apes'' slipped on a banana peel tossed by Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan over the weekend. 

New Line's ``Rush Hour 2,'' which reteams the frenetic duo as pan-Pacific cops equally prone to slapstick and chopsocky, rode the diamond lane to box office supremacy this weekend with a $66.8 million opening. 

As a result, 20th Century Fox's ``Planet of the Apes'' fell a steep 58% to finish No. 2 with $28.5 million. 

The action comedy's boffo bow was New Line's best ever and the biggest August opening in history. The performance follows ''Rush Hour 2'' paydays of $20 million and $15 million for Tucker and Chan, respectively, which substantially padded sequel's production costs. 

The budget ran well more than twice that of the original's estimated $35 million negative cost at an estimated $90 million. But the sequel's estimated opening was also more than twice that of the original ``Rush Hour,'' which bowed in September 1998 at $33 million, and virtually guaranteed a third installment. 

``I hope this will translate into No. 3,'' producer Arthur Sarkissian said Sunday. ``I'm sure it will.'' As for whether Tucker, Chan and helmer Brett Ratner can be secured for another sequel, he added, ``I'm hoping -- you don't break up a winning team.'' 

Industrywide, the weekend's $170 million in total box office -- a 32% boost over the same weekend a year ago -- represents the best-grossing three days ever for a nonholiday weekend, according to data from box office tracker ACNielsen EDI. 

Year-to-date, 2001 is 7% ahead of last year. EDI president Tom Borys said the boffo session also makes it more likely the current summer will surpass 1999 as the best summer ever. 

``I think there's enough momentum in the business now that -- unless the wheels just fall off -- we should stand a chance of exceeding 1999,'' Borys said. 

The industrywide box office totals $2.2 billion so far this summer, compared with $2.11 billion for the same period in '99, when the season's total sales reached $2.79 billion through Labor Day. 

Disney's ``The Princess Diaries,'' a G-rated adventure starring Julie Andrews, finished No. 3 on the weekend with an estimated $23.2 million, exceedingd expectations. Disney hopes the overachiever -- an estimated $26 million production -- will display sturdier legs than other summer releases to date. 

The frame's other wide opener -- the MGM period melodrama ''Original Sin'' -- was roughly on target with modest pre-release hopes, grossing an estimated $6.4 million over the weekend for sixth place. The Antonio Banderas/Angelina Jolie starrer was delayed from a planned first-quarter bow to draft off Jolie's ''Tomb Raider'' success but then was excoriated by reviewers for creative misdeeds. 

With the ``Rush Hour 2'' bow, New Line has grossed more with the action comedy than it has managed with any of its 25 releases since 1999's ``Austin Powers 2.'' 

``We knew we had a successful picture, but we were hoping it would be successful as a date movie,'' said New Line theatrical marketing president Russell Schwartz. 

The picture seems to have succeeded in that quest, Schwartz said, as its biggest grosses came on Saturday -- date night. Audiences were 52% male and 55% under 25. ``Basically, everything went right,'' distribution president David Tuckerman said. 

Universal's youth-oriented ``American Pie 2'' will likely bite into ``Rush Hour 2'' audiences next weekend. But New Line executives hope ``Rush Hour 2'' still will manage a decent hold by playing younger and older than ``American Pie 2,'' an R-rated gross-out laffer. 

Other wide releases for the upcoming frame include Warner Bros.' animated/live-action laffer ``Osmosis Jones'' and Miramax's psycho-thriller ``The Others.'' 

``Apes,'' a Tim Burton-helmed update of the sci-fi classic, suffered from audience overlap with the similarly PG-13 rated ''Rush Hour 2.'' Its big sophomore-session drop and its failure to repeat as No. 1 continues a revolving door trend atop this summer's weekend box office rankings. 

Fox execs were philosophical in discussing the big ``Apes'' drop, noting that no picture since ``Pearl Harbor'' has managed a repeat No. 1 performance despite several big openings this summer. 

``We're getting the same grosses we've been getting for years -- we're just getting them in the first 20 minutes,'' quipped Fox distribution president Bruce Snyder. ``It's got to have something to do with how big we're releasing pictures these days.'' 

Both ``Rush Hour 2'' and ``Apes'' followed the recent super-saturation trend that's seen distributors release pictures in more than 3,000 theaters with unprecedented frequency. In the case of ``Apes,'' booking on two or more screens in many venues has seen Fox actually distribbing almost 6,000 prints. 

On the other hand, ``Princess Diaries'' managed to overachieve this weekend without going the super-saturation route -- though at 2,537 engagements the release well qualifies as saturation level. 

Disney distribution president Chuck Viane said pre-release promotion contributions by helmer Garry Marshall and star Andrews helped broaden family-picture demos. The distributor was particularly pleased to see 25% of the picture's patrons were teens, as the picture drew 60% family attendance and 65% femmes. 

Wider-than-expected demos could bode well for playability, Viane said. 

``That's the dream -- that this will be one of those movies that don't get one of those big (second-week) hits,'' he said. 

In a limited bow this weekend, Miramax opened its ''Apocalypse Now Redux,'' an extended cut of the Vietnam War epic, on single screens in L.A. and Gotham plus a one-show-a-day second venue in Manhattan. The combo produced a $96,000 estimated gross. 

The Francis Ford Coppola classic expands to exclusives in 10 additional cities on Friday and another 10-15 markets the following frame. 

United Artists' black comedy ``Ghost World'' added 15 theaters for a total 23 this weekend in scaring up $352,000, or an impressive $15,290 per-location. 

Fine Line's transsexual musical ``Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' added 35 engagements for a total 46 and grossed $295,000, or $6,413 per venue. 

Artisan's mob comedy ``Made'' rubbed out $615,000 in 117 locations -- a dozen more than last weekend -- for a $5,256 average. 

The Fireworks/Goldwyn laffer ``Greenfingers'' added 23 theaters for a total 32 in grabbing $129,900, or $4,028 per venue, a week before adding three markets. 

And First Look's ``Bread and Tulips'' Italian romance cooked up $33,000 in a single Gotham venue a week before adding three markets. 

ORLANDO, Fla.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2001-- PlanetHollywood.com is hosting a special online auction featuring memorabilia from the new ``Planet of the Apes'' movie, as well as from the original 1968 film, the 1970 sequel ``Beneath the Planet of the Apes,'' and television series. The auction, listed on eBay and hosted at www.planethollywood.com, runs August 7 - 17. 

Highlights include nearly one dozen costumes and props from the 2001 film, including an original uniform top worn by Mark Wahlberg, Michael Clark Duncan's gauntlet armor, and various weapons used in the film. The auction also features several impressive costumes from the 1968 original, including a Dr. Zaius orangutan costume and mask worn by actor Maurice Evans, and a child chimp costume. 

``People have always been fascinated with `Planet of the Apes,''' said Shannon O'Quinn, PlanetHollywood.com vice president. ``It ranks as one of the most important and imaginative science fiction movies in American film history. And the success of Tim Burton's latest film just proves the point.'' 

PlanetHollywood.com Auctions was launched one year ago, as part of the company's ultimate entertainment channel. Many of the items listed for auction come from Planet Hollywood's private collection -- one of the largest in the world. In addition, an ever-changing supply of authentic items is available specifically for auction. The items can be accessed at http://www.planethollywood.com. 

PlanetHollywood.com, the ultimate entertainment channel, brings fans closer to their favorite movies and stars. The site provides a daily dose of Hollywood, from the latest movie news and celebrity gossip to the best movie merchandise and memorabilia. Cool contests feature prizes like trips and celebrity encounters. Planet Hollywood celebrity partner Bruce Willis launched the site on July 17, 2000 in New York. 

Planet Hollywood International, Inc. is the creator and worldwide developer of a consumer brand that capitalizes on the universal appeal of movies, television, sports, music and other leisure-time activities. The Company's worldwide operations offer products and services in the restaurant, retail, leisure and entertainment sectors. Planet Hollywood International, Inc.'s common stock is publicly traded on the OTCBB under the symbol ``PHWD.'' Planet Hollywood is the Gold Award winner in the 2001 Restaurants & Institutions Choice in Chains Awards. 

NEW YORK (Variety) - Twentieth Century Fox's ``Planet of the Apes'' will end up on the Fox TV network and its FX cable sibling, along with two of the studio's other current movies, ''Dr. Dolittle 2'' and ``Kiss of the Dragon.'' 

A spokesman for the Fox network confirmed the deal, which will funnel all three movies to Fox early in 2004, following their exclusive pay TV run on HBO. 

Since the three movies are still tracking in the theaters, the license fee that Fox and FX pay their sister company 20th Century Fox is still to be determined. But sources say the networks will together pay about 15% of the domestic box office gross, which is consistent with going rates in a marketplace that has softened because of declining ratings of theatrical movies, and a sluggish climate on Madison Avenue. 

Fox and FX have shied away from buying theatricals in recent months precisely so they could build up a war chest that would allow them to engineer a preemptive deal for ``Apes'' and ''Dolittle,'' which 20th had projected as sure-fire hits in the theaters. 

For example, Fox and FX didn't bid for Universal's ``The Fast & the Furious,'' despite the fact that both networks have scored big Nielsens with NASCAR races in the first half of the year, which would've ended up as appropriate cross-promotion engines for a movie about drag racing on city streets. USA network bought ``Fast & Furious.'' 

The Fox network will get the premiere run of ``Apes,'' ''Dolittle'' and ``Dragon'' and then the titles will go to FX, shifting back to Fox and then back again to FX over the course of the five-year deal. 

''Planet of the Apes'' debuted at No. 1 last weekend with $68.5 million, a record for a three-day non-holiday bow. ``Dr. Dolittle 2'' and ``Kiss of the Dragon'' have grossed $101.2 million and $33.1 million to date, respectively. 

"Apes" arriving: Although this summer has already seen a few 400-pound boxoffice gorillas, the real gorillas and their ape, orangutan and chimpanzee cousins are arriving today at about 3,500 theaters in 20th Century Fox and The Zanuck Co.'s new version of the 1968 classic "Planet of the Apes." 

Directed by Tim Burton and produced by Richard D. Zanuck, "Apes" certainly looked like a late summer blockbuster when I had a look at it Tuesday night. With over a month of summer playing time still ahead of it, "Apes" should be able to give Fox a healthy return on its substantial investment. Written by William Broyles Jr. ("Cast Away") and Lawrence Konner & Mark Rosenthal ("Mighty Joe Young"), it was executive produced by Ralph Winter. Starring are Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Kris Kristofferson, Estella Warren and Paul Giamatti. 

The film's special makeup effects, which show how the state of the art has advanced since the impressive 1968 make up effects, were designed and created by Rick Baker. The special animation and visual effects were done by Industrial Light & Magic. Production designer Rick Heinrichs has worked with Burton in various capacities on such films as "Sleepy Hollow," "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," "Edward Scissorhands," "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Batman Returns." Among composer Danny Elfman's many credits are eight of Burton's movies, including "Beetlejuice," Batman Returns" and "Edward Scissorhands." 

Zanuck as Fox's youthful production president in 1968 actually greenlighted the original film, without whose success, of course, there would never have been this reinvention of the material. "There is some kind of karmic poetry in all of that and I find myself in my own time warp in a way," Zanuck told me.

Focusing on how the project originally came to him at Fox at the time, Zanuck said, "Arthur Jacobs -- he hadn't produced pictures at that time, he was a publicity agent -- brought it into the office and said, 'I've got this on turnaround. I read it really out of interest in Rod Serling (who with Michael Wilson adapted the Pierre Boulle novel). I thought the idea sounded a little farfetched, but as soon as I read the script I became absolutely captivated by it. We made a test. It took several weeks actually to make the test, maybe even months to do all the makeup. But we made a short little test. I just wanted to make sure that people wouldn't just laugh at this rather than take it seriously. And that we didn't know until we previewed the picture in front of an audience. There were no recruited screenings in those days. We just went into a theater in Phoenix. I said to Arthur, 'If we can survive the first few words in English out of our apes and the audience doesn't hoot and howl, we've got a hit.' And that's exactly what happened." 

Now, 33 years later, what brought Zanuck to do this new version of "Apes" with Burton? "Actually, (Fox Filmed Entertainment Group president) Tom Rothman called me up," Zanuck replied. "He told me that he already had Tim on board. The script was something that had been prepared in house and Burton had come on board based on the script by Bill Broyles. And would I like to see it and would I be interested? I was immediately interested. It's an idea that I've had for years about doing it, but every time I would ask over at Fox through the years, somebody else was involved in it. You know, Oliver Stone or Arnold Schwarzenegger or James Cameron were always involved in it. So it was with just absolute delight that I got this call from Rothman and I'll always be indebted to him for having called me on this."

At that point, all Fox had was a script by Broyles. "Then Tim and I met and we realized that a lot of work had to be done in preparation and getting the script in shape," he said. "We worked on a couple of drafts with Bill and then finally closer to production we went with the writing team of Konner and Rosenthal. So they'll all share the credit on the final film."

Although it's easy to think of the new "Apes" as being a remake, Zanuck pointed out that's not what it is: "As a matter of fact, it's exactly the wrong word. Tim would never have come on board to do a remake nor would I. The whole idea of this was to go back to that world, the world where apes were in charge and humans were their servants. To go back and see that upside down world revisited with a whole new story with new characters and new situations and new dynamics. And that's what we did. The only thing that's the same is the title. Other than that, you have a whole new story here with this 'Planet of the Apes.'"

Advances in special effects in the three decades since the first "Apes" appeared have, of course, been enormous. "In '68, to the best of my memory, we didn't use any special effects other than what we created ourselves," Zanuck said. "We didn't farm out any work outside of what we did in camera. With this picture, we don't rely heavily on that either. We have many more apes and many more people, some of which have been electronically injected into the film. But not much. We haven't relied on those kind of effects. The innovations really are in the acting and probably what the actors say and do. There was a tone about the 1960s version that was much more serious because it was a much more serious time. We were concerned about nuclear holocaust. The world was a very unsettled, unsafe and very cautious place. And the movies that were made at the time were reflecting that and were taking subjects like this and injecting very serious themes. The main difference today -- because this is a different world -- (is that) our approach to this movie is to go to a different kind of audience that's out there today that really doesn't want to have that kind of philosophical statement being made to them because it doesn't apply any more. They're more interested in pure entertainment and that's what we've given them with this new 'Planet of the Apes.'"

Asked about the casting of the new film, Zanuck replied, "Mark Wahlberg was actually the only person we saw for the role of the young pilot that gets caught up in this world. He is fresh. He's energetic. He's a very good actor. Girls think he's a hunk. So we're thrilled to have him. For the apes, we wanted the best actors we could find. There was some thought that since they're behind these masks, why can't we just get good actors and not real personalities? But the fact is (that) the masks are inhibiting in many respects. They're not (actually) masks. They're intensive layers of makeup. But we needed great actors who had great personalities and that audiences could really see those personalities come through the makeup. And that's what's happened. We got Tim Roth, who's wonderful and plays the (tyrannical ape leader Thade). And we got Helena Bonham Carter, who's absolutely magnificent (as Ari, a liberal thinking upper-class chimp and human rights activist). 
"What Rick Baker has done that we couldn't do in those days (is) show the articulation of the face that we can do (now). You know that it's Helena Bonham Carter underneath all of that even though she looks like the perfect chimp. The actors Roddy McDowall and Maurice Evans (in the original film) were really restrained by the masks that were on them. It was very hard to open their mouths. They had to act strictly through their eyes and their voices whereas today thanks to Rick Baker and modern technology the whole persona comes through and it just makes a world of difference. That's the main difference between these films. Besides one being more of a statement picture and ours being more of a pure entertainment film, the main physical difference is the articulation of movement that the apes have behind the makeup."

One similarity between the two films is their use of Lake Powell, Arizona as a key location. "That's where we started the first picture," Zanuck recalled. "We did it (again this time) because it was a really great location. Lake Powell's a very large lake. We weren't right in the identical spot, but it has incredible topography and it looks other-worldly. And this picture, unlike the first, doesn't take place on Earth. It takes place on another planet. We had to find a place and again there was such poetry about going back to Lake Powell. It was not only the perfect location, but it linked us with the past and where this project started.

"We (also) shot in Hawaii in the lava beds off Kona (on the Big Island) and we shot in Trona Pinnacles, which is in Death Valley, a very desolate place (in the high California desert), but it looks magnificent and other-worldly. And we shot a great deal on the stage. We shot at L.A. Center Studios."

Asked how production went, Zanuck told me, "This was the first time I'd worked with Tim Burton. I didn't know Tim before this picture. And I've got to say it was one of the most pleasant and invigorating experiences I've had in my entire career. Tim is a real gentleman. And he's a gentle man, as well. A lot of fun. A lot of energy. Every day he would surprise us by taking what was on the written page and just giving it a little twist -- a little Burton twist. It was fun to watch. He's such a wonderful filmmaker."

What was the greatest challenge he faced? "When people think of the first picture, they're constantly saying, 'Oh, the Statue of Liberty. I remember that picture (with) the Statue of Liberty blown up at the end.' So we were always aware that that was so indelibly linked to the first picture, that great surprise ending. We were challenged with how to equal that. We decided that was one of the great endings in motion picture history and we wouldn't try to equal it or better it. We would do something totally different and totally new and not try to make a big statement. That, of course, said that the world itself (was) up and that you've been watching this picture on Earth all this time and you didn't realize it. Those were big heavy statements to throw in to that last shot of (Charlton) Heston on the beach. But that's the thing that people remembered. So we said, 'That made such a statement and it's not in place with the rest of the way we're thinking about this film, so let's do something totally different and have fun with it and make it thought provoking and interesting and something that people will talk about, but in an entertainment-related way."

The new ending, which I've seen and enjoyed since talking to Zanuck, isn't something you want to know about if you haven't already seen the picture. Unfortunately, the Internet being the uninhibited medium that it is, some Web sites have been carrying details about the ending. News travels so quickly on the information superhighway that the effect of that coverage will lessen the ending's impact for those who happen to read those accounts. Those who don't want to know what happens in advance should, therefore, surf the Web with caution these days.

Heston, who starred in the original movie, returns for a brief scene in the new version. "Heston is back, but this time he plays an ape," Zanuck noted. "I just thought it would be nice to pay a little tribute to him and have him be a part of this new venture. You will know (it's him) thanks to the makeup. You can see that it's him and, obviously, we all know that voice."

Not surprisingly, there's a big difference in terms of what the new "Apes" cost to make compared to the original. "This is in the typical $100 million range -- a little bit over," Zanuck said. "I can't remember (exactly what the first one cost), but I think it was probably in the $7 million- $8 million range." Hollywood boxoffice statistics from the '60s aren't as readily available as they are for more recent years, but there are reports that the first "Apes" grossed about $26 million in domestic theaters, which would have been an impressive number in its day. Needless to say, it seems a safe bet that the new film will open to significantly more money than the first one made over the course of its entire domestic run.