Planet of the Apes

The film Planet of the Apes (1968) stars Charleton Heston as a Spaceman, Taylor, who has embarked from Earth on a quest through light-years in time, and traveled 2000 years ahead of when he embarked from, aging only 18 months, himself. He awakens when his spaceship crashes into water and estimates that he is somewhere in a different galaxy near a distant star. He lands with two living compadres, one dead, and the two living come with him to see if they can find life on the planet. He soon discovers that man inhabits the planet, but not man as he knows it. The people behave as if prehistoric, and cannot utter a sound- they are mute. Before he knows what's what, a troop of apes riding horses and carrying weapons approaches to catch the flock of humans they have stumbled upon. Taylor is shot in the neck and captured, and brought back with the other humans to where the apes dwell, where he will receive help from a husband and wife, scientist team, Dr. Zira and Cornelius (played by Kim Hunter and Roddy McDowall).

Planet of the Apes was originally a novel written in French by Pierre Boulle in 1963, and later published in English via Del Ray Books: a branch of Random House Books. When the story was acquired by screenwriters Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, the story changes as it does when being brought to the big screen from a little book. Needless to say, reading the novel is an entirely different experience from reading the book. The setup and resolutions are different, as is the protagonist in many ways. Reading the novel is almost like reading the situation of Planet of the Apes the film as it's happening to another person, entirely. It's as if Serling read the book and said, "Okay we like this... but what if it happened to THIS guy?!" Never the less, the book is an excellent read as the movie is a great watch, and they're unique enough that they can (and will be) compared, but one should really view them are seperate entities to enjoy them both to the fullest potential.

If you're anything like me, you hear a title like Planet of the Apes and think, "Right, that's how I want to spend two hours... or I could go swimming in acid?" That was the type of optimism I had when I sat down with my five fellow screenwriters to watch this film in one of our required classes. I was pleasantly surprised with it- Sci Fi really not being my genre of choice- and even found it both intellectually and aesthetically pleasing.

For 1968, the makeup on the apes is somewhat incredible. Their mouths move when they speak, as do their eyes. The females, though not much different in appearances, have a certain air about them (no doubt because they're being played by humans in ape costumes) that prove themselves distinct from the men. There are three different primates shown in the film- who exist quite harmoniously with one another, though they previously had a similar situation to the caste system in India- and they are all painted in makeup that matches the way the natural creature looks. Even the special effects of surgical scars, blood, and weapons is well done. Occasionally the scenery reminds you that you're looking at a painted set, like when lighting flashes through the clouds in Act 1, but other than that, it feels rather like a pre-historic meets today horror story of what might happen.

This film is packed with intellectually stimulating themes and ideas. Some of which are, but not limited to, the theme of Science vs. Religion (or Knowledge vs. Faith), the debate over whether or not man is destructive and innately violent, and general oppression and slavery- based on the fears and believed needs of society. The writers hold their own opinions on each of these ideas, and they work that opinion into the writing to give a certain feel, and more importantly, ending into the movie. That being said, despite their obvious opinions, the audience is still entitled and welcomed to dispute that opinion and counter it with their own. This is a film asking for discussion, because it is better to discuss a problem than to ignore it. And as the film suggests, there is indeed a problem we face.

Charlton Heston did a brilliant acting job, which is no surprise if you have seen the biblical film Ben-Hur which he also starred in. He was infamous for emotional lines coming from an otherwise unsentimental man. The characters he played were often men who fight- heros. He died not long ago in 2008, but he took with him a legacy he began in 1941. He acted within a few years of his death, and was even shown in a film in 2010, two years after he passed. Planet of the Apes is one of the long looks into Charlton Heston and deserves a view if you have never seen- especially in an era where mankind is infamous for criticizing mankind. This film might be more up your alley than you think.