No. 9 - Planet of the Apes (1968)

Man...hunted...caged...forced to mate by civilized apes!

Rated: PG (Parental Guidance) for violence and disturbing scenes

Director: Franlin J. Schaffner; Screenplay: Michael Wilson, Rod Serling; based on the novel by Pierre Boulle

Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, Linda Harrison, Lou Wagner, Woodrow Parfrey

Movie Introduction: Movie Introduction: Three astronauts from Earth find themselves marooned on a seemingly deserted planet. Led by Taylor (Heston), they soon encounter humans, however, they are very primitive. They are shocked to learn that on this world humans are basically lower animals. This planet is ruled by apes - highly intellectual, walking, talking, gun-toting APES! These advanced simians list in cities and have established class systems and political structures. On a slave gathering run, the astronauts are captured and taken back to the main ape city.   

Defining Moment: monkey talk

Taylor has been unable to speak being brought to Ape City due to a bullet he took in the throat. In a desperate move, he breaks out of captivity and frantically tries to make his escape. He is almost out of the city, when a net ensnares him, hanging him 5 feet off the ground in the city square. His brutal captors poke, prod, and hurl insults at him. The on-looking ape citizens hurl stones and other objects at him. In the heat of this melee, his voice suddenly returns, and we are rewarded with one of cinema's iconic quotes. (Enjoy the scene on YouTube)

Something subtle you might have missed:  flipped phrases and references

As we are shown this upside-down world, where apes are the dominate species, human and ape roles are reversed. Apes often refer to a sacred book, called the Scrolls of Ape Law, which resembles man's Holy Bible. The common phrase "Monkey see, monkey do" is humorously altered to "Human see, human do". Also, we see the live manifestation of the Japanese pictorial maxim "three wise monkeys". When Taylor is put on trial by the three orangutans judges, the orange-clad lawgivers personify "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". 

Memorable Quotes:

"Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!" - Taylor

“Man is a nuisance. He eats up his food supply in the forest, then migrates to our green belts and ravages our crops. The sooner he is exterminated, the better.” – Doctor Zaius

"Some apes, it seems, are more equal than others." - Taylor

Dad's Review:

Planet of the Apes immediately grabbed me. The film is a combination of a lot of things I love: sci-fi, eerie stories and Charlton Heston. Also instrumental was the involvement of Rod Serling, a renowned writer and host of two TV great (and weird) shows: The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery.

Based loosely based the French novel La Planète des Singes by Pierre Boulle, this story centers on three space explores who venture to a planet where the great apes are the dominate intelligent species, and humans are the savage, base-level beasts.

Serling wrote the original script. Heston loved it and insisted that Franklin J. Schaffner direct it. Schaffner's first change was to make the ape society less advanced than the novel. This cut down production costs immensely. It also, in hindsight, gave the film a more authentic feel.

This film introduced innovative techniques in prosthetic makeup by artist John Chambers. To this day I am impressed with how much emotion the actors where able to emit through the heavy makeup. If you look hard enough, you can see the actor underneath all the plastic and facial hair, which I find amazing. Each apes personality is unique and the actor shines through.

From the onset the film’s musical score creates a weird vibe that is as unsettling as the planet and its ruling class. It also sets the tone as the astronauts explore this strange world. The avant-garde musicical style deployed unusual percussions and a 12-string violin. The score received an Academy Award Nomination for Jerry Goldsmith.

The film as a whole is interesting, engaging and thought-provoking. Critics at the time mostly liked it, and even those that did not still admitted that is was engrossing. In 2021, I watched it with my son, and he absolutely loved it.

It is the ending that gets most viewers, and it is one of film's iconic moments. If somehow you have never seen this film, you need to watch it just for that moment.

The film generated four sequels, a series of comic books, and a TV series. It was remade in 2001 by Tim Burton, and a new film series started in 2011. That is quite a legacy.

Onto No. 10a... Planetoid Skirmishes