“What makes The Evolution of the Legend an essential part of a fan’s collection are the sections that delve deep into a particular aspect of the production or go beyond the films. Fordham and Bond devote large chunks of the book to breaking down the makeup not only for the first five movies, but also for Burton’s picture.
“The wealth of photos really allows the reader to gain a greater appreciation of what makeup artists John Chambers and Rick Baker accomplished with their movies, and while WETA’s digital makeup work on the last two Planet of the Apes movie is incredible (and also covered in this book), these sections provide more of the franchise’s rich history. And if that weren’t enough, there’s another section devoted to the franchise’s music...
“While I’m sure The Evolution of the Legend also cost a pretty penny to put together, it’s absolutely worth the price. I feel like I’ve become a better fan of the series because I know so much more thanks to this book.”
-- Matt Goldberg, Collider
“[Twilight Time] producer Nick Redman accompanies first assistant editor Joe Fordham on a commentary track that's just terrific. A witness to almost the entire production of the film, Fordham gives another point of view on director Murakami and explains John Coates and Pete Turner's A.R.S. dimensional background system for moving shots.”
-- Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant
“Spread over more than 250 detailed pages, The Evolution of a Legend chronicles the entire history of the Apes phenomenon.... Authors Joe Fordham and Jeff Bond have cut no corners. Yes, a lot of this archival material was previously available, but it has never been collected and presented in such a complete manner. It’s also not the kind of book to merely offer synopsis and sound bites on your favorite films, as these tomes often do. There are chapters that go in-depth on dozens of aspects of the filmmaking from the make-up to how music/score impacted the Apes experience to, of course, the motion-capture brilliance of Andy Serkis in the ‘10s films. This is not mere fan service. I’m always happy when it feels like a fan base isn’t treated like a cash cow. There are people who love Planet of the Apes, as I clearly do, to such an extent that they’d put anything new on their holiday wishlist. Evolution of a Legend doesn’t take advantage of that, offering a detailed history instead of a mere recap. It’s one of the best movie books of the season.”
-- Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
“We get the past audio commentary with director John Boorman.... It is very revealing – as is the second commentary – a new one with film historians Jeff Bond, Joe Fordham and Nick Redman who probe quite deep into the themes and meanings of Boorman's fascinating film.”
-- Gary W. Tooze, DVD Beaver
“A big, beautiful coffee table book...”
– Neil Shurley, Star Trekking
“Engaging and entertaining...”
– Mike Poteet, Red Shirts Always Die
“A lovely reminder of a great movie,
which will probably renew anyone’s
desire to watch it again...”
– David McIntee, Warp Factor Trek
“An excellent coffee table book...”
– Larry Nemecek, TrekLand
“A good story, a story of a series and
franchise utilizing its own creators to
make a movie as good as its series
while also satisfying the demands
of the box office and theater owners.”
– C.J. Bunce, Borg.com
“An accessible, well-organized affair...”
– Ian Berriman, SFX magazine
“A job well done...”
– Lee Thacker, Set the Tape
“A must-have for all Star Trek Fans...”
– staff, Star Trek dot com
“An expert job...”
– Jim Moorhouse, Trek Core
“Polished and well-paced...”
– Alvaro Zinos-Amaro, Hex Publishers
“A captivating journey...”
– Alex Giles, Daily Star Trek News
"Reveals in painstaking detail the level of
talent, hard work, and passion that brought
these 25th Century ideas to life."
– Joshua Patton, Comic Book Resource
“This is exactly what a book of this type should be: a satisfying read for existing fans and a gateway for new fans, and the idea of kids who have relished the adventures of Caesar delving into the world of Zaius, Zira, and Cornelius off the back of this book is certainly an inspiring one. Let’s just hope it does that and the Apes saga continues to evolve, so in forthcoming years Fordham and Bond can revisit their tome to explore many more … of the Planet of the Apes classics.
“VERDICT: The book I wish I had when I was an Apes on Horses obsessed kid, Evolution of the Legend is perfectly positioned to both celebrate and continue the legacy of this incredible franchise. ★★★★★”
-- Paul Bullock, From Director
“Planet of the Apes: The Evolution of a Legend is yet another fine addition to the re-emerging coffee table film reference book library. From its fur-like embossed cover, to the stunningly sharp behind the scenes pictures from the original Apes saga, this book simply screams quality....
“Whilst there may be more comprehensive works available detailing the making this simian-based franchise, none can possibly look as handsome as this particular volume. Written in a conversational yet informative manner this is a book that can be read from cover to cover, or dipped into as when the mood strikes. Either way this is a book that will always have you reaching for it as you browse your bookcase.”
-- Christian Jones, Starburst
