Science fiction meets space travel meets an unexpected turn in the power dynamics of mammals on its head withing a planet capable of sustaining human life. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, Planet of the Apes (1968) launched not one but two franchises of movies, the first begun 33-years before the second. Pierre Boulle wrote the book Planet of the Apes. Michael Wilson and Rod Serling wrote the screenplay for the 1968-version of Planet of the Apes.
The first of those franchises begins with a group of astronauts, including George Taylor, Landon and Dodge, awakening from a deep sleep space voyage. Taylor, Landon and Dodge were portrayed by Charlton Heston, Robert Gunner and Jeff Burton, respectively. A fourth member of the crew had died aboard ship, Stewart as portrayed by Dianne Stanley, before the three survivors had woken up from their voyage near the speed of light.
The time dilation effect of their speed leads the crew to estimate that in 2,606-years of travel that they had arrived in a solar system roughly 300 light years from Earth while aging roughly a year. The space ship for the surviving crew crash lands on the nearest planet to them, forcing Landon, Dodge and Taylor to take refuge and begin the process of making a new home. The three explore the terrain, encountering a set of mute humans being pursued in a by a set of non-human apes that have managed to enslave humans. The hunt leader is portrayed by Norman Burton, and all three astronauts are captured at separate points. The men experience different fates, with our direct attention on the captured Taylor and the subsequent enslaved inquisition that began at the hands of Dr. Zira, Dr. Cornelius her fiancé, Lucius and jailor Julius. Zira, Cornelius, Lucius and Julius were portrayed by Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Lou Wagner and Buck Kartalian.
Dr. Zira, a psychologist and chimpanzee, takes Taylor to the Ape City. While a throat injury during the hunt has rendered Taylor temporarily mute, the fix is clearly in as signs of intelligence are disregarded by orangutan Dr. Zaius, as portrayed by Maurice Evans. Zira advocates for Taylor, who regains his voice and takes romantic feelings for a mute human female he later names Nova, as portrayed by Linda Harrison. After Taylor attempts escape, only to be recaptured due to a hunting sophistication by the apes, the antagonism between ape and man leads to an inquisition that betrays an inability on behalf of the apes to trust humans. The theocracy and caste system of the different ape species at first appears to be at the root of the fate that Taylor seems destined to suffer.
A truly powerful and unexpected climax to the movie sees Taylor and Nova encounter a truly epic turn of truth, beyond the righteousness of ape society or man’s experience atop the culture of Earth of the early 1970s, which is when the movie was due to have begun. The fate of Zira, Cornelius, and Lucius are sealed, with a shocking, shocking turn that gives the movie Planet of the Apes a stunning level of resonance that truly hits the mark.
The once lush forbidden zone of Planet of the Apes was a remarkable creation of this movie. In part owing to the dynamic turn in this space, I grant the movie Planet of the Apes as directed by Franklin J. Shaffner 4.0-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.
Matt – Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Matt Lynn Digital 