Planet Of The Apes (1968)

 

Genre: Sci-Fi/ Adventure 

Time: 1h 52mins

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner

Quick Summary: An astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet where highly intelligent non-human ape species are dominant and humans are enslaved.

I mean, he didn't need to be so hostile initially but okay.

For how slow the start of this film is, I was unsure if I was going to like this. A good 20 minutes into the film is just these three guys crashing and landing on an unknown planet and trying to find some sort of life. They talk about why they became astronauts and then walk some more. But I'll tell you what, I was unsure but there was just something about this that kept me watching.

How this managed to do this is the funky sound design and background music, it really hooks you with how frantic it is. It makes things much more tense, or risky and I think if they didn't use this, this wouldn't have been so interesting. 

It was interesting to see our view on science and evolution flipped. Instead of Humans evolving from apes, Apes evolved from Humans and they do what we do them in the name of science. Though the world isn't as modern, it seems to have gone back to a more primate time. These talking apes seem baffled by the concept of flying and a talking human. I mean, I know we would freak out over a talking Monkey. But it seems in this world, religion and science have been almost fused together creating a sort of hybrid. 

The main guy in this did frustrate me with how he interacted with everyone. Instead of choosing to act peacefully and try to convince them that he means no harm, and is here by accident; he chooses to snatch things, fight, and try to run away multiple times. Like sure, they already think you're a violent menace, fuel that fears why not. However, it is understandable since anyone would freak out over their whole world being turned upside down.

There is such a wonderful charm to this that had me invested pretty much all the way. The prosthetics of the apes were so well done, even if they are clearly real people wearing masks. The whole design of the world is really clever too. Though the main guy was an ass for the whole film, I found myself rooting for him all the way to escape or find humans like him. There is one big twist right at the end and man is it devastating, but it made me so much more invested in the whole storyline to come.

As a personal thing, I loved the dilemma that was placed in front of these two intellectual apes, Zira and Cornelius. Shun this talking animal like they have been taught to do in fear of being imprisoned, or finally prove their theories of humans ruling the world before them. 

This is absolutely a classic and should be watched. By no means is it perfect, but it has so much charm to it that it won't matter.

8/10

"George Taylor: Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"

"Dr. Zira: Taylor! Don't treat him that way!

George Taylor: Why not?

Dr. Zira: It's humiliating!

George Taylor: The way you humiliated me? All of you? YOU led me around on a LEASH!

Cornelius: That was different. We thought you were inferior."

"Julius: You know the saying, "Human see, human do.""