Big Screen Live

Planet of the Apes, released in 1968, is a sci-fi classic that spawned sequels, reboots and re-reboots.

The original film, directed by Franklin Schaffner, starred Charlton Heston as an astronaut who crash-lands on a strange planet and finds that apes are in charge and humans are used as slaves. Featuring the Oscar-winning make-up of John Chambers and performances by Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter and Maurice Evans, Planet of the Apes has a startling premise that has captivated audiences for 50 years.

 

Central to the success of the original film is the Oscar-nominated score by Jerry Goldsmith, one of the greatest and most influential film scores ever written. Created using modern orchestral techniques and an extensive – and unusual – percussion section. Goldsmith’s score is exciting and totally original.

 

Tommy Pearson was asked by the Southbank Centre in London to produce Planet of the Apes Live, compiling the score from Jerry Goldsmith’s original manuscripts with orchestrator Matt Dunkley. The premiere was held in a packed Royal Festival Hall, London in 2015 with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Robert Ziegler.

 

Planet of the Apes is rights-owned by 20th Century Fox and licensed by Southbank Centre.