Julian R. White
We all know what Planet of the Apes is, but not all of us have seen the original films, or any of the films for that matter. I have to hand it to them, this film really was a masterpiece of science fiction, up there with "Dune" and "Star Wars". It has a subtlety that can't really be felt in films like this. There is action, suspense, and drama of course, but its not so much so that it has you on the edge of your seat. I was amazed at how far they went, even during this time period to make everything seem so real and well made, especially the sets. The ending, I won't lie, was quite infuriating, and probably one of the most widely discussed cliffhangers you'll ever see in your life. There are parts that get you a bit irritated though, say, problems that could easily be solved seem to be Greek to some of the main characters. Other than that though, there isn't much negative you can say about this film. I truly liked it, and look forward to continuing the series.
markcurrier2002
OK, I'm 58 & i grew up on the ape movies. I was 10 when this move hit theaters. SPOILER ALERT! So 4 astronauts take off from earth in the future to explore. Houston there's a problem! They splash land into a body of water in an unknown planet. They all wake up from their "suspended animation tubes" & the only woman is already dead. Trouble is they don't know what planet they are in. Really? Theses scientists, these star gazers have no clue? I still like this movie because Charltan Heston (my President) was the action hero of his time. He headlined all the major movies in the 50's through even the 70's. He was tall, lean, blonde & kicked butt. Nobody at that time had ever come up with such a radical idea in sci-fi as the ape movies. It defined the age & even had its own "Raquel Welch type" (Linda Harrison) scantily clad eye-candy character. I wont nit-pick anymore obvious flaws in the story line. My wish is that Hollywood would stop with their re-makes using too much GFI &not enough story line. The newest ape movies are o.k. but they are sorely lacking in authenticity. I loved this movie!
Sparse
Sometimes there's so much to say about a film that only blanks can be drawn in the unrelenting breathlessness of racing thoughts. Simultaneously entertaining and intellectually enthralling, this film bleeds unforgiving satire with every frame. Planet of the Apes is a cinematic landmark, and it obsesses my entirety.I'm having to choose my words here with great care. There's so much to write about, and organizing my thoughts to do this movie justice is a challenging task for me. Planet of the Apes has shaped who I am more so than any other film I've seen, and while I can't promise the same profundity of experience to every viewer, the allegorical implications contained within this text persist with potency. Science fiction is arguably the genre best equipped to reflect upon humanity, and this feature harnesses this medium masterfully. This is also by far the most allegorically dense film I've ever encountered: unveiling ruthless commentary on race, religion, philosophy, and politics, in often blunt but always meaningful fashion. Though sure to challenge some audiences in ways that might upset them, I find the content of this film to be of great importance.It may on occasion be cited as the original summer blockbuster, but more importantly, this film is intellectually enthralling. By reflecting humanity through a society of apes, we're similar enough, yet simultaneously given enough distance to internalize the film's intricately woven analogies. That being said, strong direction by Franklin J. Schaffner ensures a solidly entertaining experience, with exciting action sequences and and some appealing cinematography. Seeing as how this film is strongest in its intellect however, one should really look to its writing.Though it's been some time since I've read Pierre Boulle's "La planète des singes" (a.k.a. Monkey Planet), I have to give it credit for providing such a rich foundation for this monumental production. The film however, takes the concept even further. If this movie ever felt like a really good, feature-length episode of The Twilight Zone, that's because it basically is--the initial draft that eventually became the film was written by Rod Serling himself, hence the defining twist at the end. The politically charged final product however was by none other than Michael Wilson (The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence in Arabia).A degree of Planet of the Apes' politicality can be attributed to some of Wilson's background. During the McCarthyism scare, a number of Hollywood screenwriters were accused of being "communists" and were blacklisted from the industry. Wilson was forced to flee to France, and proceeded (as many others did) to write under a separate alias or go wholly uncredited. Upon release, all screen credit for Planet of the Apes went to Pierre Boulle, and Wilson finally received writing credit for his work post- mortem in 1984. Though tragic, it implies that his experience with being wronged by a political system in-part provided a drive for creating this brutally satiric screenplay. Col. George Taylor is worthy of a more in-depth character analysis, as a study on existentialism, and an experiment on the ego. Consider that this "upside down world" is intentionally perceived by a white male, now stripped of his rights and part of a silenced minority. The social structure of the apes actually provides some stunning race/class commentary, with the darkest of gorillas confined to menial working-class roles whilst the lightest of orangutans held societal power, often in the form of political or religious leadership. This is used to reflect the dangers oligarchical and theocratic societies. This class structure also outlines an overall political dichotomy, revealing its relationship with class, race, and how it affects our ability to perceive. There is also depiction of bigotry, religion, and the war on science, most notably the trial scene that reflects the Scopes Monkey Trial. By repeating fallacious arguments through the medium of non-human characters, the audience is given perspective and may unwittingly realize their own, human flaws.Charlton Heston deviates slightly from his dignified, heroic typecast, now favoring a character stripped of some of their dignity, but is otherwise just playing himself: Charlton Heston. Kim Hunter as Zira and Roddy McDowall as Cornelius are endearing, and Maurice Evans is unsettling and commanding as Dr. Zaius. What's impressive about the actors who portrayed the apes is that they had to develop acting methods that would bleed through the prosthetics, and they succeed impressively well, exhibiting their spectacular but often under-appreciated talent.The prosthetic ape makeup by John Chambers is simply revolutionary. The apes in this feature are completely believable evolved counterparts to the great apes we see today, and it was no easy feat. The makeup took four months for Chambers to develop, and then several more hours to apply everyday before filming. The work on this level actually broke records and set a new standard for ape costumes in movies, mirroring the reboot franchise's later breakthroughs in motion capture technology. Planet of the Apes is an innovative franchise at its core, and will likely continue to innovate until the apes take over.The score by Jerry Goldsmith is avant-garde and enthrallingly bizarre. Though not crafted with the same kind of narrative intelligence that the best film music has to offer, it goes above and beyond when creating textures that are innovative, diverse, and contribute to a memorable and unique atmosphere. Goldsmith's work here is among the best the franchise has to offer.Above all this film is a study on perspective, and can say more about humans using apes than most films can say by using humans. Planet of the Apes is as meaty as sci- fi comes, and is quintessential viewing for sci-fi fans. It's also pretty damn quotable. Score: 10/10
theotadros
Charlton Heston excels in the initial installment of the later to be franchise of "the Planet of the Apes", providing a riveting experience for the general public and critics alike. The film sets itself out as an instant classic, with an unnerving twist that makes you feel unsettled in your seat; and that's from a 2017 point of view, in the perspective of someone in 1968 you would be left feeling petrified with the fear of the bomb was not an irrational one. The film entails the story of Taylor, the main protagonist who has the horrible experience of seeing is crew get killed one by one, even before they've set foot off the ship. He shortly finds out on the island that Apes are the dominant species on the planet that they have crash landed on and it is the humans that are illiterate and dumb. Taylor finds himself to be an anomaly amongst the other mentally subnormal humans and it is not long after he is apprehended by apes, that they find this out too. It is then that he shows his ability to comprehend speech and write, before later revealing his ability to speak in the infamous line "Get your stinkin' paws off me you damn dirty ape". During all this time, Taylor has befriended an "ape doctor" who was the first to recognise his intelligence and it is her and her husband whom help Taylor to escape so that he may be free to roam the planet, it is not long though before he is warned of what lies in the forbidden territory with the ambiguous line from Dr Zaius - "The Forbidden Zone was once a paradise. Your breed made a desert of it, ages ago.", this is the first reference of two in the film to the bomb and the cold war; the second being Taylor discovery of a destroyed Statue of Liberty.
