Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film is a documentary that explores how Planet of the Apes revolutionized makeup artistry and transformed Hollywood filmmaking.

I was in full Sundance mode when I first heard about Making Apes in January 2020. With the festival in full swing, I didn’t have a chance to watch the film ahead of its release later that month. Then I got sick as a dog during the fest—and completely forgot about it. That is, until last year, when I learned it was getting a Blu-ray reissue. Flash forward nearly a year, and I finally have the time to press play.

For more than 100 years, makeup artists have amazed viewers by bringing incredible characters and creatures to life on screen. In the 1960s, pioneers John Chambers and Tom Burman led a team of makeup artists who revolutionized filmmaking with their innovative work on Planet of the Apes. Making Apes shares an inspiring and captivating tale through interviews with the original artists, actors who transformed under their hands, filmmakers, historians, and others, revealing how their groundbreaking efforts forever transformed Hollywood.

Making Apes notes how Lon Chaney’s early work on Universal’s monster movies helped set the tone for makeup artistry in Hollywood. After his death, a void was filled by Jack Pierce, whose own contributions defined the industry’s next chapter.

Fast forward to the 1960s: 20th Century Fox acquired the rights to Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel. Rod Serling began adapting the script before Michael Wilson was brought in for revisions. At the time, the studio was in rough financial shape—thanks largely to Cleopatra. Enter Charlton Heston, and the rest is history. But before anything could happen, Fox ordered a screen test. The initial makeup wasn’t bad—in fact, it was quite effective. Still, with Ben Nye’s retirement, the path was cleared for John Chambers and Tom Burman to step in and make history.

Chambers was already becoming the go-to guy for makeup in the ’60s. Burman, following in the footsteps of his father, Ellis—an industry sculptor and special effects artist—began working alongside Chambers. Making Apes weaves in Chambers through archival footage, while Burman offers reflections through a mix of solo interviews and select conversations—most notably with Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. These moments bring a welcome sense of intimacy and perspective, breaking up the standard talking-head format and adding depth to the film’s storytelling.

Burman recalls Chambers as both a brilliant artist and a man with a fiery temper. In one telling moment, Burman sculpted a gorilla face in the back room—his take leaned more toward a humanoid ape. Producer Arthur P. Jacobs was so impressed that it shifted the entire direction of the film. Chambers wasn’t pleased. The change also meant Eddie G. Robinson was out and Maurice Evans was in.

During production, temperatures soared past 100 degrees in Malibu—imagine being an actor buried under that much makeup. When filming wrapped on August 10, 1967, some crew members finally got their first day off in months. Post-production began, with Jerry Goldsmith scoring the film. Burman recalls seeing a rough cut—no score, no color correction—and how it needed ADR due to muffled audio. The release was set for March 1968.

Chambers feared audiences would laugh. Rumors around the studio suggested it would flop. Instead, it became a cultural phenomenon. The film earned Oscar nominations for Costume Design and Original Score, and Chambers received a special Honorary Oscar for Makeup at the 1969 Academy Awards.

It’s simple: if the makeup didn’t work, Planet of the Apes wouldn’t work. The pressure was on to make a sequel. Heston agreed to return—for one week. Studio head Richard Zanuck clashed with executives and was fired. Still, Beneath the Planet of the Apes proved a box office success. Despite its apocalyptic ending, Escape from the Planet of the Apes cleverly sent the story back in time to 1973, reflecting the culture of the moment.

Conquest followed in 1972, and Battle in 1973. At its peak, the franchise rivaled James Bond in popularity. Making Apes shows how the saga transitioned to TV with a short-lived CBS series starring Roddy McDowall, followed by the animated Return to the Planet of the Apes. Both were canceled after one season. The franchise would lie dormant until Tim Burton’s 2001 remake.

Planet of the Apes inspired a new generation of makeup artists and filmmakers—including Rick Baker and Guillermo del Toro. That’s the power of film. Unfortunately, Making Apes doesn’t linger long enough on this legacy.

Making Apes also covers the 1979–81 Iran hostage crisis and Planet of the Apes’ unexpected role in the rescue mission. CIA operative Tony Mendez was inspired by Battle to contact Chambers. The details remained classified until 1997, and Argo dramatized the events in 2012.

Burman shares how Chambers eventually sold his business, but work became harder to find. Chambers once reached out to offer Burman a job—but the two ended up not talking for years. Burman later rebranded as Burman Studios and hustled to stay afloat, eventually partnering with Stan Winston. Winston’s son, Matt, narrates Making Apes. During the ’70s, Burman began advocating for the title “Special Make-up Effects” to describe the evolving role—and later pushed the Academy to create a dedicated category. In 1982, that category finally arrived.

Through the 1980s, Burman, Baker, and Winston were the top names in the field. Everyone wanted them. When the franchise rebooted decades later, Stan Winston wanted the job, but Rick Baker got the nod. The film underperformed, and Burman and his wife shifted their focus to TV, bringing cinematic-quality effects to the small screen.

In a moving segment late in Making Apes, Burman reflects on attending John Chambers’ 75th birthday party. Though hesitant, he went—and was overcome with emotion seeing Chambers in a wheelchair after a stroke. Chambers called him over and said how proud he was. I’m crying just hearing it. Years of pain and distance vanished in a moment. Chambers passed away in August 2001 at the age of 78.

Burman never imagined Planet of the Apes would develop such a devoted fanbase. Today, fans attend conventions in full costume, showing the same care and detail that defined the original work. They’re as passionate as Star Wars fans—if not more.

Making Apes is rightfully dedicated to the memory of the original Planet of the Apes artists no longer with us—including Maurice Stein, Ed Butterworth, and Dan Striepeke, all of whom were interviewed. It also honors the living artists (as of picture lock) who continue to inspire future generations.

By celebrating the groundbreaking work of John Chambers, Tom Burman, and their peers, Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film reminds us that behind every cinematic revolution are the unsung artists who make the impossible believable.

DIRECTOR: William Conlin
SCREENWRITERS: Thomas R. Burman & William Conlin
NARRATOR: Matt Winston
FEATURING: Thomas R. Burman, Dan Striepeke, Maurice Stein, Ed Butterworth, Bob Sidell, Darrell McIntyre, Frank Griffin, Ken Chase, Werner Keppler, Fred Blau Jr., Vincent Van Dyke, Bari Dreiband-Burman, Rick Baker, Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger, Steve Johnson, Ve Neill, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Greg Cannom, Mike Elizalde, Michael Key, Michael Westmore, Gino Acevedo, Bill Corso, Lou Wagner, Bobby Porter, Guillermo del Toro, Richard Donner, John Landis, Joe Dante, Matt Winston, Leonard Maltin, Alessandro Ago, Scott Essman, Dana Gould, Joe Maddalena

Gravitas Ventures released Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film on January 28, 2020. Grade: 4/5

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