War for the Planet of the Apes has been on the receiving end of remarkably good reviews for a movie about talking CGI monkeys, with the movie’s score being one of the things singled out for praise. No doubt, the movie’s music is top notch, but it may also seem vaguely familiar to folks who know their 8-bit games.
Videos by ComicBook.com
As recently pointed out by YouTube channel Shake The Box, one of War for the Planet of the Apes‘ key themes sounds remarkably similar to the music that plays during the final boss fight in Super Mario Bros. 2. Did the movie’s composer get confused and think he was working on Wart of the Planet of the Apes? You can check out the surprisingly convincing comparison, above.
Now, of course, there’s a good chance this is all coincidence – notes can only be arranged in so many ways, after all. Different songs use similar melodies and chord progressions all the time. That said, there may actually be some fire behind this smoke.
The composer for War for the Planet of the Apes, Michael Giacchino, has worked on a ton of high-profile movies like The Impossibles, Jurassic World, and Zootopia, but before he made it in Hollywood, he did the soundtracks for video games like Mickey Mania, Gargoyles, and the original Call of Duty. So yeah, this guy knows his video games, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he included a nod to one of his 8-bit favorites.
Wherever the truth may lie, there’s no denying it’s an effective little tune. Whether you’re fighting an evil dream frog or a talking ape, it gets you ready for battle.
War for the Planet of the Apes is directed by Matt Reeves, and stars Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Amiah Miller, Karin Konoval, Judy Greer, and Terry Notary. It’s in theaters now.
