This past weekend was extremely gratifying cinematically as I was fortunate enough to find a few hours to screen "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." If you are into science fiction fantasy films, this one passes expectations.

I have written about the original franchise in previous columns. It was one of my favorite boyhood film series, and I can remember on the old "Dialing for Dollars" afternoon movies there was always an "Apes Week" each year when they showed the five original films telling the story of the "Planet of the Apes" and tracking Cornelius' family back through time to the birth of their baby Caesar and the rise of the apes.The new franchise takes a different approach to the series and basically starts in modern day San Francisco with a scientist trying to save his father and find a cure for Alzheimer's disease by creating a treatment to stimulate the brain.This was the basic plot of the first movie, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," which was released in 2011. That film starred James Franco and Andy Serkis as the scientist Will Rodman and the chimp Caesar, respectively.Rodman is working on a treatment that encourages the brain to repair itself, and with his tests on his monkey, Caesar, he inadvertently creates a superintelligent chimpanzee that begins to think and feel on his own. As Caesar's capacity to understand, analyze and think grows, he quickly becomes a threat to those who don't understand and fear him.The fear and prejudice grow to the point that it scares Caesar, and rather than be alone, he takes the treatment and uses it in the monkey house to turn the apes, orangutans, chimps and gorillas into sentient beings.In the process of this simian uprising, one of the humans becomes infected with the genetic treatment that boosted the apes' intelligence. It turns out the chemical in humans is a plague, and as the uprising continues, the plague begins to spread. By the end of the first film, the plague is loose and the foreshadowing indicates it will be a world-changing event.The new film takes place 10 years after that, and human society has been decimated by the simian flu plague. The apes have secluded themselves in the forests outside San Francisco, and from early scenes it becomes obvious that the humans' minds have been elsewhere for the past decade.Because of this, there has been no interaction with the apes, and in turn the apes and their leader Caesar believe the human race is gone. A series of events takes place though that quickly shows Caesar that humans are still around, and their reappearance sets into motion a chain of events that has irreversible consequences.I do not want to spoil it for anyone who has yet to see the film, but the plot twists and turns are refreshingly unpredictable and novel so that you never quite know what is going to occur next.In my opinion this makes the film enjoyable and somewhat original. I do know that it is one of the few movies I did not want to end, and I'm glad they are making another film in 2016. An interview I found with the producer and writer tips that there are many stories to tell in the storyline before the point of the original movie is reached.I hope the franchise continues to succeed, because this is one compelling storyline, and I want it follow its course until we reach the point of the original film when Taylor and his crew crash on a supposedly distant planet only to find themselves 3,000 years in the future on Earth.It is also kind of cool how parts of the original series films are introduced in the settings and subplots in this film. For instance, one of the ape laws provided by "the Law Giver" according to Dr. Zaius in the original 1968 film appear written on a stone wall in Ape City, namely "Ape shall never kill ape."This law was spoken about in the first franchise by Dr. Zaius who explains it was decreed by the Lawgiver who was never identified. It is fairly obvious that the Lawgiver is Caesar, who makes this decree in the first film of the new franchise and which is taught to the youngsters in this film.It also shows how the condition we view as human nature which derives from our sentience may possibly affect any sentient race. It is illuminating how the ape society mirrors and reflects humanity within its ranks with the treachery, pride and fear that is the downfall of most organized societies.Altruism does not last in society, and when jealousy and fear settle into a utopian group, it makes the concept of a true utopia elusive and not practical.Overall, it is an excellent film and one that is worthy of your attention. I eagerly look forward to the next installment, and I think it will just improve.On another topicIn answer to a question I was asked a few weeks ago by a loyal reader, to the best of my knowledge from my experience with the Summit Hill Historical Society, the park on Chestnut and Hazard Streets which housed the original Presbyterian Cemetery continues to be the resting place for the long dead who were not reinterred elsewhere.Up until the late 1990s, one grave was still marked in the northwest corner until the time expired and the headstone was removed. Some of the bodies were reinterred in other cemeteries, but most of them remained.The headstones to my knowledge were used to create a foundation for the walking path in the center of the park. So the simple answer to your question is yes, there are still people buried there, but at this point since they were interred in the 1800s, they may just be dust now.Till next time …