Planet of the Apes

Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, Linda Harrison
Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner
Rating: G
Genre: Action, Science Fiction
1968

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An American astronaut (Charlton Heston) crash lands on a planet populated by intelligent apes, and is shocked to discover that human beings are treated as animals. He struggles to survive in a society which looks upon him as a lower life form, with no rights, good only for experimentation and study.


Review:

Tim: Planet of the Apes is one of the all time science fiction classics. This is such a great movie in so many ways. The film is riveting and entertaining throughout, while turning the world upside down and causing us to rethink how we view our place in the world. What is brilliant about this movie is that it successfully asks the question, "What if human beings were not at the top of the food chain?" and then proceeds to answer that question with more intelligence and effectiveness than you can imagine. I was fascinated by this film's premise and impressed by its delivery. This is a great movie.

This is just such an effective movie- the story is told in wonderful fashion, as we watch our heroes crash land on a strange planet. We are met with their initial surprise, awe, and excitement. As they first discover life, we share in that discovery. When they realize that intelligent life exists, there is a mix of shock and fear. When that intelligent life turns out to be an aggressive, unfriendly ape, fear overwhelms. We continue in this way, experiencing a range of emotions, until we reach the heart-stopping, shocking, unbelievably amazing conclusion. The story is brilliant, and it unfolds on screen quite well.

Charlton Heston is just fantastic in the role of Taylor. Heston is a strong, stubborn man and that all comes out on screen. He has been in some terrific movies, and he carries that experience to this one. I can't imagine another actor giving such a convincing, entertaining performance. While this movie features other good performances, it all hinges on Heston. He delivers the film's iconic line- "Get your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!" in such memorable fashion that he makes it unforgettable. I also have to mention the film's final scene, which Heston sells with his anguish and deep realization. This is the most powerful moment of the film, and Heston is responsible for it working.

I love the idea of this movie- humans and apes have their roles reversed. There are so many fascinating implications. As we watch apes mistreat humans and look down on them as unintelligent animals who exist purely for their own purposes, we also have to take a long hard look at ourselves as a species. While I watched this movie, I felt enraged by the apes' behavior toward man. The reason I hated them is because I saw humanity in their actions. We, as a species, are no better than they are (well, today we are, but historically, no) and it is difficult to watch another species doing to us what we typically do to them. This movie is brilliant because of this portrayal.

Besides being a surprisingly intelligent science fiction movie, Planet of the Apes also manages to be wildly entertaining. The story is so effectively written, we are kept in a constant state of suspense and intrigue. I love intelligent movies, but all the smarts in the world don't matter if the story doesn't work and it doesn't entertain the audience. This film does all of that. Plus, as I have alluded to, this movie features of the most memorable, remarkable, crushing endings of any movie I have ever seen. The film's final scene is so loaded with emotion, it is hard to believe. Besides the rest of the entertaining movie, this film is worth watching purely for the last two minutes.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes