Some unlicensed Planet of the Apes-inspired material first began to appear during the mid-1970s Apes merchandising boom. In the USA, 'Azrak Hamway International' (AHI) - which did in fact have a license for some products from the copyright holders, 20th Century Fox - produced 'Action Apeman' figures in direct competition with official 'Mego' action figures for a short time around 1975. However, in overseas markets there was greater opportunity to create film and literature based on the Planet of the Apes concept without seeking authorisation.
In the 1990s and 2000s there was an explosion in Planet of the Apes fanzines and fan websites, many of which featured original but unlicensed comics. There was also an increase in unauthorised films using story-lines and/or graphic design based on official Apes releases around the time of the 2001 film reboot. Some of these commercially-produced and fan-produced iterations are included in this Fandom Wiki, for the purposes of clarification, but they should be marked with the below identification stub.
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Commercial Productions[]
The 1971 Spanish horror film 'La Noche del Terror Ciego' ('The Night of the Blind Terror', released in English as 'Tombs of the Blind Dead') told the story of a group of 13th century Portuguese Knights Templars brought back from the dead who begin hunting human victims. Some time later - possibly as early as 1973 - the film was re-edited and released in parts of the USA as Revenge From Planet Ape. A new introduction suggested that the risen corpses were those of an ancient ape society seeking revenge on mankind.
The first work of unlicensed original fiction which can be considered explicitly Planet of the Apes-inspired may be the Japanese TV series 'Saru no Gundan' (猿の軍団, literally 'Army of the Apes'). Twenty-six half-hour episodes began broadcasting in Japan on 6 October 1974 - just three weeks after the official Planet of the Apes began its TV run in the USA. Despite adding new elements such as cryogenic freezing and UFOs, the plot revolved around three 20th century humans transported to a future Earth dominated by intelligent apes. It followed on from a number of 'manga' comic interpretations of the Apes movies produced for the Japanese market, indicating that the franchise was already well-known in that country and the similarities were unlikely to be coincidental. In 1987 the series was edited into a movie titled Time of the Ape and given English subtitles, which allowed it a much wider audience.
O Trapalhão no Planalto dos Macacos ('The Bungler on the Plateau of the Apes') was a full-length Brazilian comedy spoof of Planet of the Apes produced in 1976, which more-or-less follows the storyline of the original Planet of the Apes film. A group of men lands a balloon on a remote plateau where talking apes rule and humans are slaves. The apes try to transform the men into apes and a simian princess falls in love with one of them. This slapstick film is one of a series spoofing American blockbusters from 1970s Brazil.
Planeta dos Homens ('Planet of the Men') was a comedy series produced by Brazil's TV Globo and broadcast weekly from 1976 to 1982. The show featured short sketches, framed loosely around the premise of three intelligent ape characters visiting Earth from their home planet to research human behaviour. The sketches satirised human customs and life under the Brazilian military dictatorship. Although not a science fiction show, the title and initial concept were doubtless inspired by the mid-1970s popularity of the 'Planet of the Apes phenomenon.
Between 1976 and 1977 the small independent Argentinian publishing company 'Editorial Mo.Pa.Sa' released a series of seven Planet of the Apes comics in Spanish and under the title El Planeta De Los Simios. Each comic included one or two all-new comic strips featuring characters from the Planet of the Apes TV series. The stories were written by Jorge Claudio Morhain and illustrated by Sergio Alejandro Mulko, with the exception of issue 5 which was written by Ricardo Barreiro and illustrated by T. Toledo.
In 1981 the Indonesian publisher 'Maranatha' released six Planet of the Apes comics written and illustrated by Harry Mintareja (also known as 'Harry Komik'). The comics featured characters based on the Planet of the Apes TV series. Some of the stories were loose adaptations of TV episodes, while others were new adventures.
Planet of the Babes was a 2001 erotic film produced by 'Sterling Pictures'. Although timed to coincide with the 're-imagined' Planet of the Apes film, the plot mirrors that of the first Planet of the Apes movie, albeit with very poor production standards. Astronauts Tyler, Lindow and Stu crash-land on a mysterious planet and are captured by a gorilla hunting party. Tyler is taken to a female chimp named Doctor Vira, who nick-names him 'Fancy Boots'. Tyler is given a human female companion named Coma', escapes, is recaptured and put on trial before escaping once again into the desert.
Play-Mate of the Apes was a 2002 erotic comedy film produced by Seduction Cinema. Released soon after the 're-imagined' 2001 Planet of the Apes, the film mixes elements of that film with the 1968 original and the 1970s TV series. Three female astronauts, led by Gaylor, crash-land on a planet and trek through a desert before being captured by gorillas. Gaylor is given a primitive human female companion named Uvula, with whom she escapes into the Forbidden Zone, eventually reaching a tribe of intelligent humans, but they are followed by the gorillas General Lade and Sergeant Jerko. A great battle is only stopped when a spaceship lands, piloted by a half-human, half-ape 'missing link'. Gaylor repairs her ship and sets off into space again.
Planet of the Erotic Ape was a zero-budget erotic film released by 'Creative Productions' in 2002. With only passing references to the Planet of the Apes films, it features TV/VCR repairman George Taylor, who accidentally invents a machine which transports him to a planet inhabited by a tribe of primitive women and enslaved apes. The film was alternatively titled World of the Erotic Ape. It was re-edited and released by 'Secret Key' in 2007 under the title Babes in Kong Land.
The Lost World was an adventure TV show which ran between 1999 and 2002. In 2002 two episodes were edited together under the title Land of the Apes for a DVD movie release. Despite using a similar name and the same font and layout for the DVD cover, Land of the Apes had no particular themes in common with Planet of the Apes. Instead, a group of explorers are trapped on a jungle plateau populated by prehistoric creatures. They first encounter a giant bee before confronting a tribe of primitive unevolved humans whom they refer to as 'apemen'. The title and layout of the DVD release may have been inspired by the 2001 Planet of the Apes 're-imagining'.
Fan Fiction[]
Salvation for the Planet of the Apes was a fan-made demo reel filmed by Vern Dietsche Jr. at Orange Coast College in 1976. It was intended as a pitch to 20th Century Fox for a proposed sixth Planet of the Apes film. It starred Bill Blake and Paula Crist as chimps Demetrius and Serena, it concerned the arrival of a human scientist named Jason Crist from Earth's past.
Values was a 2003 fan-produced audio drama written by Dave Ballard and with illustrations by Neil T. Foster. It featured characters from the Planet of the Apes TV series, such as Galen, Virdon, Burke, Urko and Sally Virdon.
Beware The Beast was a 2004 fan-produced comic strip written by Dave Ballard, edited by Michael Whitty and illustrated by Neil T. Foster. It was set alongside the events of Beneath the Planet of the Apes and featured a new gorilla character named Gideon who stumbles across Brent's spaceship.
Within The Planet Of The Apes was a 2004 fan-produced comic strip written by Michael Whitty and illustrated by Neil T. Foster. It was set alongside the events of both Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes and featured Doctor Garvon, Milo, Zaius, Ursus and Gideon.
Going Home was a 2005 fan-produced comic strip written by Michael Whitty and illustrated by Neil T. Foster. Set within the Planet of the Apes TV series, the story involves a confrontation pitting Virdon, Burke & Galen against Urko.
Rider From The World's End was a 2005 fan-produced comic strip written and illustrated by Mike McColm. It was set alongside the events of Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes and featured Dr Milo, Cornelius and Zira. It was originally printed in issue #10 of the 'Simian Scrolls' fanzine.
Return To Yesterday was a 2005 fan-produced online comic strip written and illustrated by Mike McColm. It featured characters from the Planet of the Apes TV series, including Galen, Virdon, Burke, Urko and Zaius. It also references original stories found in Brown & Watson's 1970s Planet of the Apes annuals.