- For the 1968 movie astronaut character, see John Landon.
- You wouldn't be trying to entrap me, would you? Well... I can't say I approve. They're not people, you know.
- John Landon to Will Rodman[src]
John Landon was the owner of the San Bruno Primate Shelter and the father of the late Dodge Landon.
Biography[]
Rise of the Planet of the Apes[]
Landon ran the San Bruno Primate Shelter where Caesar was incarcerated following his attack on Douglas Hunsiker. After touring Will Rodman and Caroline Aranha around the premises, John was told by them that Caesar hadn't spent any time with other apes but John assured them that he would be skittish at first but would soon integrate him among the other apes, promising that the environment would be stimulating. Unknown to John, the apes inside the facility were treated cruelly by his son, Dodge Landon, who worked as a guard there. On their first visit back to the shelter, Will suspected that Caesar was being mistreated and insisted that he would take Caesar home, but John warned him that it couldn't happen without a court order.
Sometime later, John was bribed with an envelope full of cash in hundreds or thousands of dollars by Will and he permitted Will to take Caesar home. However, Caesar realized that if he left the facility the other apes would continue to be abused by Dodge, so he shut the cage door and refused to come home with Will. This prompted John to say that Caesar perhaps preferred to stay with the other apes at the facility than go home.
Days later, John called it a day at work after having had enough of Dodge's bickering with Rodney, noticing that Caesar was rallying his newly evolved apes to his ideals, but John thought nothing of it and moved on. That same day, Caesar later led an escape from the shelter which resulted in Dodge's death. Later, John, along with Will, Caroline, and a police team watched a CCTV recording showing the death of his son.
Personality[]
Although John was blind or ignorant to what was going on in the shelter, he was nicer than his son, Dodge Landon. Also unlike his son, he had good manners; as evident by the fact that he allowed Will and Caroline to bring Caesar into the shelter without any restraints. However, John was also a weary and no-nonsense person as seen when breaking up conflicts Dodge started between Will and Rodney, leaving the shelter after feeling he got more peace at home than in the ape shelter.
Although John loved Dodge, this did not mean that he gave Dodge any special treatment. If John found out that Dodge mistreated the apes, he would not hesitate to fire his own son. But he was completely unaware of Dodge's cruel and sadistic nature until he watched the video from a CCTV recording showing Dodge's death.
Behind the Scenes[]
- In the original filmed climax to the movie, Landon followed Will into the forest with a shotgun and Will was shot by John in attempt to protect Caesar. Landon was then killed by the apes and Koba took Landon's gun. A test audience was shown this ending and reacted negatively, and so a different ending was shot on July 4 weekend, 2011, in Griffith Park, with a slightly more positive feel.
- Danny DeVito, Michael Douglas, and Kevin Dunn were considered for the role of John.
Trivia[]
- John Landon's name is taken from John Landon, one of George Taylor's astronaut crew-members in the original Planet of the Apes, played by Robert Gunner.
- Listings on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) prior to the movie's release gave this character's name as "Hank Landon".
- There is another John in the movie who was a chief of the California Highway Patrol.
- It is likely that John died from the Simian Flu sometime during the Simian Flu Pandemic.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Landon (CE).jpg (24 KB)")
References[]
Rise of the Planet of the Apes Q & A Podcast - The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith (December 13, 2011)