Delayed Gratification

I knew there was a reason I'd waited to buy the Planet of the Apes movies. I've been wanting them, but the timing was just never right. Now I know that someone's been watching out for me.

Planet of the Apes: The Ultimate DVD Collection is coming out March 28th. All the movies (including Burton's, but we'll forgive them for being complete), the entire TV series, and the entire animated series.

Look at all this stuff:

Disc 1: The original Planet of the Apes in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS. Includes commentaries by composer Jerry Goldsmith, actors Roddy McDowell, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter, makeup artist John Chambers, and text commentary by Eric Greene, author of Planet of the Apes as American Myth.

Disc 2: Planet of the Apes bonus disc, including Behind the Planet of the Apes 126-minute documentary, a documentary promo, makeup tests with actor Edward G. Robinson, Roddy McDowell home movies, dailies and outtakes, several other featurettes, publicity materials, film reviews, posters, and galleries.

Disc 3: Beneath the Planet of the Apes in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby surround. Other features include a cast page, trailers for all six films, behind-the-scenes photo gallery and web link.

Disc 4: Escape from the Planet of the Apes in amimorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1. Other features are similar to disc 3.

Disc 5: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby surround. Other features are similar to disc 3.

Disc 6: Battle for the Planet of the Apes in animorphic widescreen, THX certified, Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby surround. Extras are similar to disc 3, but also includes an interactive game and CD-ROM content.

Disc 7: The first four episodes of the Planet of the Apes television series: "Escape From Tomorrow," "The Gladiators," "The Trap," and "The Good Seeds." Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 8: Episodes 5 to 8 of the television series: "The Legacy," "Tomorrow's Tide," "The Surgeon," and "The Dragoons." Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 9: Episodes 9 to 12 of the television series: "The Horse Ride," "The Interrogation," "The Tyrant," and "The Cure." Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 10: The final two episodes of the television series: "The Liberator," and "Up Above the World So High." Also includes TV spots and photos.

Disc 11: The first seven episodes of the animated series Return to the Planet of the Apes: "Flames of Doom," "Escape from Ape City," "Lagoon of Peril," "Tunnel of Fear," "The Unearthly Prophecy," "Screaming Wings," and "Trail to the Unknown."

Disc 12: The final six episodes of the animated series: "Attack from the Clouds," "Mission of Mercy," "Invasion of the Underdwellers," "Battle of the Titans," "Terror on Ice Mountain," and "River of Flames."

Disc 13: The 2001 version of Planet of the Apes, including commentary by director Tim Burton, composer Danny Elfman, Tom Rothman and Richard Zanuck. It includes an enhanced, interactive viewing mode with behind-the-scenes on makeup, special effects, cast and crew, and location shooting.

Disc 14: Planet of the Apes (2001) bonus disc, including 23 featurettes and six documentaries: Ape School, Makeup Testing, Costume Testing, Shooting on Location, Scoring the Film, and Ape Movement. Also included: eight interactive multi-angle sequences, four quad-angle/4-way audio split vignettes of makeup testing, apes reactive testing, costume testing, movement and stunt testing, five extended scenes, an HBO "Making of" special, TV spots, trailers, and a music video.