Originally intended as a project for Blake Edwards, the film version of Pierre Boule's semisatiric sci-fi novel came to the screen in 1968 under the directorial guidance of Franklin J. Schaffner. Charlton Heston is George Taylor, one of several astronauts on a long, long space mission whose spaceship crash-lands on a remote planet, seemingly devoid of intelligent life. Soon the astronaut learns that this planet is ruled by a race of talking, thinking, reasoning apes who hold court over a complex, multilayered civilization. In this topsy-turvy society, the human beings are grunting, inarticulate primates, penned-up like animals. When ape leader Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans) discovers that the captive Taylor has the power of speech, he reacts in horror and insists that the astronaut be killed. But sympathetic ape scientists Cornelius (Roddy McDowell) and Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter) risk their lives to protect Taylor -- and to discover the secret of their planet's history that Dr. Zaius and his minions guard so jealously. In the end, it is Taylor who stumbles on the truth about the Planet of the Apes: "Damn you! Damn you! Goddamn you all to hell!" Scripted by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson (a former blacklistee who previously adapted another Pierre Boule novel, Bridge on the River Kwai), Planet of the Apes has gone on to be an all-time sci-fi (and/or camp) classic. It won a special Academy Award for John Chambers's convincing (and, from all accounts, excruciatingly uncomfortable) simian makeup. It spawned four successful sequels, as well as two TV series, one live-action and one animated. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Science Fiction

Monkeys, Space Travel, Future Dystopias, Time Travel

Paranoid, Tense, Satirical, Forceful, Rousing

DVD Features

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• Commentary by actors Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter and Natalie Trundy, and makeup artist John Chambers
• Commentary by composer Jerry Goldsmith
• Text commentary by Eric Greene, author of Planet of the Apes as American Myth
• Science of the Apes Bonusview
• Beyond the Forbidden Zone adventure game
• public service announcement from ANSA
• Evolution of the Apes featurette
• Impact of the Apes featurette
• Behind the Planet of the Apes documentary with interactive mode
• Behind the Planet of the Apes promo
• The Archives of the Apes: Original Makeup Test With Edward G. Robinson, Roddy McDowall's On-set footage, dailies and outtakes, N.A.T.O. presentation, vintage Planet of the Apes featurette, teaser trailer, original theatrical trailer
• The Galleries of the Apes: The Ape Newspaper, Interactive Pressbook, advertising, lobby cards, costumes, props, behind-the-scenes stills

Review

Mike Wilson and Rod Serling's script plays heavily (and sometimes simple-mindedly) on the conflicts between faith and science, while the paradoxically inverted relationship of man to apes allows the filmmakers to drive home some rather pointed attacks on racist behavior and intolerant attitudes on our planet. Charlton Heston's performance is not particularly subtle, but, between contorted grimaces and hollered epithets, he does create sympathy for his lost and angry character. The most compelling performance is by Roddy McDowell, who must spend the entire movie hidden in an ape costume. Director Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton, Papillon), along with his set designers, art directors, and makeup artists, creates an intriguing alternative world, with rabbit-warren-like habitations and cold, clinical ape masters. Planet of the Apes has an undeniable camp appeal -- several lines of dialogue are both intentionally and unintentionally hilarious, gender roles are badly dated, and the ape costumes have not aged well -- but the final scene holds up as a stirring and evocative moment of self-realization. John Chambers won an honorary Oscar for his innovative makeup. ~ Dan Jardine, Rovi