dvdnation

Which is better?. only saw the original Planet of the Apes and one episode of Prisoner. i thought both were good. how do the rest of the series compare with each other. And are the rest of the sequels of Planet of the Apes that bad as people say they are???

acostigan

I don't know, but I'd like to hear someones comparison. I have the Evolution box and really want the Prisoner series. I've only watched each of the apes movies once and wouldn't want to lay down the $130 for the Prisoner series if I do the same. I watch my other TV series discs quite a bit (Futurama, Simposons, Spongebob). I've never seen any of The Prisoner episodes but most of the other people I see talking about it say it's an excellent series, and I'm partial to science fiction stuff.

-AC

John Sinnott

I have both, but if I had to choose only one to buy, I'd pick "The Prisoner." Great series.

The prbolem with comparing these is that they really are not alike at all. I wouldn't really consider "The Prisoner" SF, though it has some SF elements. "The Prisoner" is more a commentary of society and individual freedom. If you haven't seen it, you might want to rent a DVD first to see if you like it.

Damage

For me, its a vote for APES. I usually watch all the Apes movies (and TV episodes) at least once a year. Typically, Easter weekend turns out to be Apes-Fest at my house. PRISONER rocks too, but its all about the Apes, baby!

Damage

I've already established myself as a big Apes nut but I have to say the sequels are not as bad as you've heard. Well, maybe the last one stinks... Like a pile of wet towels that have been tucked away in the basement and forgotten about, left to fester for a few weeks and only noticed when you go downstairs to grab your toolbox when it hits you... Whoa!

But I still kind of like it. Actually, the fourth Apes movie, CONQUEST, might be my favourite of them all. I picked up the EVOLUTION DVD box set a few years ago for 75 bucks Canadian (about $55 US?) and that included the excellent BEHIND THE PLANET OF THE APES documentary. A good value and fun for the whole family.

Ape shall NOT kill ape!

wendersfan

The Prisoner is one of the greatest TV shows ever made. Go with it - you won't be sorry.

calhoun07

I have the movie box set as well, and love all the movies. I realize not all of them are created equal and all, and I certainly have my personal favorites over the others, and the last movie was the weakest of the lot, but the interesting thing I found was if you watch all five together, they tie in really well with one another as sequels, and after you're done watching the fifth one, you can go right into the first one again as if it's a sequel to the first one. It's like an Apes time loop paradox thing going on there.

I am also partial to sci fi, so I would lean more towards the Apes movies. I got the first couple sets of Prisoner and wasn't exactly blown away. I understand the cult following and the appeal of the series, but I got it as a blind buy because at the time a lot of Twin Peaks fans were saying that the Prisoner was just as good of a series as Twin Peaks. I didn't find Prisoner nearly as appealing as Twin Peaks, and have declined to pick up subsequent sets of the series.

Son-volt

I just picked up the Prisoner box off of eCampus for 80-ish shipped. Well worth if for that price

Mutley Hyde

Aw man, this is an unfair question. Well, the Apes sequels rock, but to answer your specific question as to how the sequels stack up to the series starts, it's got to be clear to even the most avid Apehead, that the Apes sequels do lack some of the integrity of the first movie. The Prisoner, on the other hand, is much more consistent, I think.

Having said that, I would hate to see one set in someones collection and not the other. I personally think they're both mandatory.

Ginwen

I've got both, luckily.

As far as the Apes movies, the first one is clearly superior, but all but the fifth are pretty good (I even like the fifth, but it is pretty cheesy).

If I had to choose one or the other, I'd choose the Prisoner. Partly because I really enjoy it, and it's not that easy to just find on TV, partly because there's a lot more chance of the Apes movies (especially the first one) getting a more deluxe release than there is of the Prisoner getting one.

Steve Phillips

PLANET OF THE APES wins by far.