Planet of the Apes was a concept that started life in 1963 as a quirky work by French literary novelist Pierre (The Bridge on the River Kwai) Boulle. His concept of a world where humans are ruled over by apes proceeded to become one of the biggest multi-media sensations in history. The 1968 Charlton Heston motion-picture adaptation of Boulle's book was celebrated and successful but was just the beginning. By 1973, said picture had spawned four sequels. It then spun off a live-action TV series, which in turn spun off the animated TV show Return to the Planet of the Apes. What with this, comic books, novelizations, and a tsunami of merchandising, the late sixties and first half of the seventies had a distinctly simian flavor. A new generation was introduced to the concept when, in 2001, Tim Burton's updating of the series appeared in cinemas. This itself was rebooted a decade later in the form of Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its two sequels. Despite all the fantasy (and money-chasing), however, the series has always been marked by thoughtfulness, exploring serious themes alien to most franchises. Planet of the Apes explores every aspect of this media phenomenon---from books to films to comic books to television shows to video games to merchandise---to provide an overview of Planet of the Apes that is truly definitive. With the help of new and exclusive interviews, it examines the contributions of producers, directors, writers, actors, and makeup artists in an attempt to gain an understanding of how this media property has changed the world.
Sean Egan has contributed to, among others, Billboard, Book Collector, Classic Rock, Record Collector, Tennis World, TotalFilm, Uncut, and RollingStone.com. He has written or edited two-dozen books, including works on the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Clash, Manchester United, CoronationStreet, Tarzan, and William Goldman. His critically acclaimed novel, Sick of Being Me, was published in 2003, while his 2008 collection of short stories, Don't Mess with the Best, carried cover endorsements from Booker Prize-winners Stanley Middleton and David Storey. His 2002 book, Jimi Hendrix and the Making of "Are You Experienced," was nominated for an Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research.
"Egan carefully unpicks the frayed strands in his well-researched history . . . an upstanding primates primer."--Total Film Magazine
