Planet of the Apes-Return To (1975)

Editor's Note An animated television series from 1975, RETURN TO THE PLANET OF THE APES originates from "La Planète des Singes" (The Monkey Planet) by Pierre Boulle, the same source material as the classic Charlton Heston film. Three American astronauts are caught in a warp zone in outer space and arrive on an ape-ruled planet in the year 3979. Though those familiar with the Heston film will recognize the ape characters of Zira and Dr. Zaius, this ape world has more 20th-century technology, such as automobiles and movie theaters.

	Bruce Shelly, et. al. - Writer
	David H. DePatie - Producer
	Dean Elliott - Original Music By
	Doug Wildey - Director
	Edwin Mills - Voice Of
	Eric Rogers - Original Music By
	Friz Freleng - Producer
	Henry Corden - Voice Of
	Philippa Harris - Voice Of
	Richard Blackburn - Voice Of

DVD Times 7 of 10
What Return To The Planet Of The Apes delivered was a perfect summary of the 1968 film and its sequels but one without any of their complexity. Instead, the series focussed on the thrill of humanity's flight from the apes, distilling the events of the films and of Pierre Boulle's La Planete des Singes into a series of short adventures...with its incorporation of some of the cast of the original films and its pursuit of action at the expense of a decent ongoing storyline, Return To The Planet Of The Apes has struggled to enter Ape-canon. That it has been included in this Ultimate Collection is surprising but no less so than Tim Burton's reimagining of the story some twenty-six years later, of which more later. - Eamonn McCusker