Planet of the apes trailer analysis

Planet of the apes trailer

The trailer starts with a range of establishing shots set in a jungle/forest environment.There is a non digetic tune playing over the what we see on screen, it is melodic and repetitive helping set a calm, natural ambiance. We are breifly introduced to what we can only assume are the main charcters (the apes) in a slow but short mid shot of them on horseback.This immediatly makes the audience question the itelligence of the apes.

The titles on screen which say "they created a home" and "they lived in peace" are accompanied by close up and extreme close ups of the apes showing human like emotions such as smiling, this may help the audience sympathise with the apes if they feel that they are similar to humans. The past tense of the text implies that something has disrupted the 'peace' and 'home' of the apes.

After a fade to and then from a dark screen the theme of the apes living in peace and tranquillity is continued, showing a hierarchy which seems complex and distinctive between children who are seen being taught and adults who work. The apes are even shown communicating through broken English and makes the viewer question when and where they learnt English.

The following scene shows two apes walking thorough a forest when they are confronted by a human hiker. a set of over the shoulder shots help convey they varied emotions of the human and apes. The human appears to pull out a gun and point it at the apes which is portrayed via a P.O.V. shot from the apes perspective putting us in the shoes of the apes under threat and perhaps in an attempt to justify their behaviour later in the trailer.

A fade from black reveals hundreds of apes surrounding a group of explorers who are all armed, it quickly becomes apparent that the explorers are outnumbered. The high angle used when looking up at the apes also adds the portrayal of their dominance. The Scene ends on a cliffhanger leaving the viewer to ask what happens to the explorers. 

Another establishing shot is used to show a change of location. The instantly recognisable iconography of the Golden gate bridge is perhaps more effective and is preferred over text. The second shot shows a run down street from a dolly camera to add movement, It is reminiscent of several distopian sci-fi films such as I AM LEGEND and Day after tomorrow.

A quick succession of fades speeds up the story. a character played by Gary Oldman is seen talking into a microphone saying that it has taken 4 years to find a cure for a virus. Words used such as 'survivours' conform to the distopian theme. a montage of shots showing an explosion and a convoy of army looking trucks to show brief moments of action from the actual film. The next few sense explore the conflict between human 9those that like the apes and those that blame them for the down fall of the city)

The overall low levels of lighting are typical of distopian sci-fi films, the lack of sunlight builds shadow and is also similar to some horror films making the audience feel on edge.