Planet of the Apes (1968)

An astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet in the distant future where intelligent talking apes are the dominant species, and humans are the oppressed and enslaved.

Director:

Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers:

Michael Wilson (screenplay), Rod Serling (screenplay)

Stars:

Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlton Heston	...	George Taylor
Roddy McDowall	...	Cornelius
Kim Hunter	...	Zira
Maurice Evans	...	Dr. Zaius
James Whitmore	...	President of the Assembly
James Daly	...	Honorious
Linda Harrison	...	Nova
Robert Gunner	...	Landon
Lou Wagner	...	Lucius
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Maximus
Jeff Burton	...	Dodge
Buck Kartalian	...	Julius
Norman Burton	...	Hunt Leader
Wright King	...	Dr. Galen
Paul Lambert	...	Minister

Storyline

Taylor and two other astronauts come out of deep hibernation to find that their ship has crashed. Escaping with little more than clothes they find that they have landed on a planet where men are pre-lingual and uncivilized while apes have learned speech and technology. Taylor is captured and taken to the city of the apes after damaging his throat so that he is silent and cannot communicate with the apes.

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Plot Keywords:

lobotomy | astronaut | trial | future | writing in sand | 

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Taglines:

Somewhere in the universe there must be something better than man. In a matter of time, an astronaut will wing through the centuries and find the answer. He may find the most terrifying one of all on the planet where apes are the rulers and man the beast.

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Genres:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 April 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Monkey Planet

Filming Locations:

Kayenta, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,800,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$33,395,426

Company Credits

Production Co:

APJAC Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The spacecraft onscreen is never actually named in the film. But for the 40th anniversary release of the Blu-ray edition of the film, in the short-film created for the release called A Public Service Announcement from ANSA, the ship is called "Liberty 1". The ship had originally been called "Immigrant One" in an early draft of the script, and then called "Air Force One" in a test set of Topps Collectible cards, and even dubbed "Icarus" by a fan which caught on on some fansites.

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Goofs

Shortly after the crash, Taylor tells Landon and Dodge that they've been in space for nearly "two thousand years. Give or take a decade." He is needlessly hedging as the final shot of the ship's "Earth-time" chronometer (just before the sinking) clearly shows it's been precisely two thousand and _six_ years.

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Quotes

[first lines]
George Taylor: And that completes my final report until we reach touchdown. We're now on full automatic, in the hands of the computers. I have tucked my crew in for the long sleep and I'll be joining them soon. In less than an hour, we'll finish our sixth month out of Cape Kennedy. Six months in deep space - by our time, that is. According to Dr. Haslein's theory of time, in a vehicle travelling nearly the speed of light, the Earth has aged nearly 700 years since we left it, while we've aged ...

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Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: Springfield Splendor (2017)

User Reviews

Classic and energetic science-fiction movie with a terrific Charlton Heston

This known story is the first and best of the primates series; it starts when Taylor(recently deceased Charlton Heston) and three astronauts crash on a far planet and encounter a culture where the simians rule over. At the start they trek taken across the desert. Later discover humanity has gone awry and now is slave and reduced to beasts. Man is treated as animal of burden and regarded as scum. A couple of gorillas named Cornelius(Roddy McDowall) and Zira(Kim Hunter) think otherwise and even agree Taylor escape, accompanied by a gorgeous native named Nova(Linda Harrison). He's trapped and judged by Dr. Zaius(Maurice Evans) and the president of assembly(James Withmore).

This is a classic sci-fi movie with metaphysical significance and reflexion about origin of human being, though also packs action, adventures, intrigue and entertainment. In spite of time, the original energy remains and results to be an agreeable fantasy. Exciting writing credits by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson from Pierre Boulle novel, though the amazing final scripted by Serling. One of the important attributes of this work, is the excellent, spectacular production design by Walter Scott. Glimmer and luminous cinematography by Leon Shamroy. Magnificent make-up by John Chambers, a first-rate expert, such as proved in 'Blade runner, Ssss, Island of Dr Moreau' among others. The picture is fabulously directed by Franklyn J Schaffner, utilizing a great visual sense. The film won two nominations for Academy Award, the best costume and sensational musical score by a top-notch Jerry Golsmith,- Schaffner's usual: Patton, Papillon-, and deservedly won Oscar for make-up by Chambers. Schaffner was an impressive director with hits : 'Boys from Brazil, Papillon, Patton, War lord', but also flops, : 'Lionheart, Island of streams, Nicholas and Alexandra and Sphinx'. Schaffner was one of the most innovate creative minds from the 70s and 80s.

Followed by four inferior sequels and a TV series, as 'Beneath of the planet of apes'(70, Ted Post), 'Escape of planet of apes'(71, Don Taylor), 'Conquest of planet of apes'(72, J. Lee Thompson), 'Battle for the planet of apes'(73, J.Lee Thompson).