From SlashFilm · Devin Meenan · · 1m 20s
Why Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes Changed Its Original, Much Darker Ending
The original ending of 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' was darker and more violent, but 20th Century Fox edited it for a family-friendly release.
In brief
The original ending of 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' was darker and more violent, but 20th Century Fox edited it for a family-friendly release. The unedited ending of 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' shows Caesar leading apes to execute a tyrannical human governor, a darker version that 20th Century Fox cut…
Original Ending
The unedited ending shows Caesar leading apes to execute the tyrannical governor Breck after ignoring his human ally's pleas.
“Caesar then calls for his apes to execute the tyrannical Governor Breck”
Theatrical Ending
The edited version has Caesar turning from violence after a female ape whispers 'no', sparing Breck and ending with a push-in on Caesar's face.
“Caesar does an about face, saying the apes have won the day and can afford to be merciful”
Why Edited
20th Century Fox cut the ending to avoid violent content and maintain a family-friendly rating for the blockbuster.
“Fox wanted to try and retain the family audience”
Test Audience Reaction
Mothers took children running from theaters during preview screenings due to the bloodiness of the riots.
“In the first preview screening at Phoenix, mothers took their children running down the aisle to get out of the theater because of the bloodiness of the riots”
Allegory and Context
The apes' revolution was modeled on the 1965 Watts riots, highlighting real race relations and political tensions.
“In 1972, there was no way a major studio film was going to release a film where the hero was the leader of the Watts riots”
Impact on Film
The unedited ending remains the most powerful version, though the film is now overshadowed by remakes.
“Nowadays 'Conquest' is overshadowed and surpassed by its spiritual remakes”
Here's the gist
The unedited ending of 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' shows Caesar leading apes to execute a tyrannical human governor, a darker version that 20th Century Fox cut for a family audience.
