Planet of the Apes (1968) Movie Review

A timeless sci-fi classic that proves some movies just age like fine bananas. Charlton Heston leads this ape-tastic adventure that holds up brilliantly after all these years.

Genre: Adventure / Sci-Fi

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner

Cast: Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Maurice Evans, Linda Harrison, Robert Gunner, Jeff Burton, Lou Wagner, Buck Kartalian & Wright King.

Run Time: 112 min.

US Release: 03 April 1968

UK Release: 19 April 1968

German Release: 03 May 1968

Hello and welcome back to my movie blog. Apologies for the inactivity over the last few weeks; I was busy with my new employment. That said, while roaming through Apple's trailers, I remembered that next year will see the release of the final instalment of the prequel trilogy for The Planet of the Apes franchise. As such, plus given that I had little time to go to the cinema, I decided to look back and review the very first movie of the Apes series, the original one from 1968. My parents have never been fans of these flicks; as such, I encountered them first during my late adolescence, and though I always thought the first one in particular was well made, especially for its time, I never truly understood the hype around it. That is until the prequel films came out.So let's take a closer look at the premise that started it all!

— WARNING, THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS! —

In the year 3978, astronaut George Taylor and his crewmates Landon and Dodge awake from suspended animation after crash-landing on an unknown planet. The crew begins to explore a barren, desert-like landscape before encountering a group of primitive humans without speech. Their discovery quickly turns terrifying when intelligent, talking apes arrive and hunt the humans. Dodge is killed, Landon is captured, and Taylor is shot in the throat, leaving him temporarily unable to speak. He is taken to ape city, where chimpanzee scientists Zira and Cornelius become fascinated by him after discovering that he can write and is clearly far more intelligent than the other humans around him.

Taylor eventually regains his voice, revealing that he comes from another world, but Dr. Zaius, the orangutan Minister of Science, refuses to believe him. Taylor escapes with Zira and Cornelius, discovering archaeological proof of a former intelligent human civilisation. Dr. Zaius follows them and admits that he already knows the truth: humans once ruled the planet, yet destroyed themselves through nuclear war. After leaving with his companion Nova, Taylor rides along the coastline and discovers the remains of the Statue of Liberty buried in the sand. He finally understands that the planet he has been exploring is actually Earth thousands of years in the future.

Planet of the Apes is a loose adaptation of the French sci-fi novel “La Planéte des Singes”, by author Pierre Boulle. While recontextualising the plot for an American audience, the setting has been shifted to a post-apocalyptic North America, inhabited by an intelligent tribe of simians. Metaphors for the Cold War-era fear of nuclear self-destruction are well implemented, while the last scene, of a half-buried Statue of Liberty, serves as a powerful, visual warning. The caste system used by the apes has been adapted from the book, though redefined to mirror the racial tensions during the Civil Rights struggles of 1960s America.

That said, the screenplay ain’t perfect. While the first third feels a little rushed, trying to get to the civilised monkeys as fast as possible, the second act slows down dramatically, dragging Taylor's recovery segment and making it feel needlessly long. Nevertheless, those little troubles in the script don’t really hamper the enjoyment of the flick.

Though the dialogue relies at times too much on heavy-handed exposition, it also shines when philosophical debates come up. It becomes especially intriguing when audiences get to hear the rational deduction from the apes against humanity. It also delivers memorable one-liners that have become prime staples in popular culture today.

Charlton Heston gives the more powerful performance as Taylor. He starts as a cynical human-hater who grows into a desperate defender of human dignity, thus breaking the 1960s action hero cliché. Taylor goes from thinking humanity is worthless to fighting hard to save it, only to find out the destructive truth.

Kim Hunter and Roddy McDowall give depth, warmth plus empathy to the chimpanzee scientists Zira and Cornelius. Dr. Zaius, on the other hand,  is portrayed gloriously by Maurice Evans as a complex villain. Zaius fears science, as well as the truth, as he tries to protect ape society from chaos.

Unfortunately, the gorilla soldiers are displayed as simple brutes, lacking any individual traits. The same goes for the human cave dwellers, who are one-dimensionally written, making it difficult to care about their dilemma. Linda Harrison is especially frustrating to see as Nova, with barely any dialogue, mostly playing as a passive, decorative side character.

Visually, Planet of the Apes is a masterpiece for its time. It makes use of astonishing widescreen framing of the sun-drenched deserts of Utah, as well as Arizona, underlining the post-apocalyptic future. The Panavision cameras used to capture the dry, eroded lands convert it into an alien world. The opening wide-angled action shots of the desert trek are used as a metaphor to make the three astronauts look small plus lost. Later compositions use low-hanging angles to mirror the perspective of the apes. That said, it also suffers from that era's poor interior lighting, making indoor areas look like flat, synthetic sets.

The make-up effects, created by John Chambers, are to this day eye-popping. Chambers created realistic-looking primate faces, with an expressive nature, deservingly obtaining the honorary Oscar at the 1969 Academy Awards. The costume design is equally brilliant, as the garments worn by the monkeys look like used, everyday items.

The sound effects are a mixed bag. Some do not hold up so well nowadays, though most of the soundscape inside the simian walls does reflect their harsh, militaristic nature. The musical score, composed by Jerry Goldsmith, mimics the alien world, using unusual tools to create primitive sounds. The percussion, as well as brass-heavy cues, builds tension plus creates fear of the unknown.

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Verdict: While I don’t quite get the hype surrounding the original Planet of the Apes series, this first instalment is one I still enjoy revisiting now and then. Its Cold War and Civil Rights-era metaphors remain remarkably effective, culminating in one of cinema’s most powerful visual warnings. The screenplay has some pacing issues, but its philosophical debates still hold up. Charlton Heston gives Taylor a compelling performance, while Hunter, McDowall, and Evans bring depth plus humanity to the apes. The supporting humans and gorilla soldiers are less developed. Visually, however, the film remains astonishing, with its widescreen desert photography, John Chambers’ groundbreaking make-up, and wonderfully lived-in costumes creating a convincing alien world. Despite its flaws, Planet of the Apes remains an intelligent, as well as visually striking piece of science fiction that has aged like a fine wine. It's an 8.0 out of 10.

I won’t review the rest of the original series, but jump straight into Rise next. I’m also not sure what my next post is going to be, as I am considerably time-constrained. However, I still need to finish up my review for Independence Day: Resurgence, which is taking longer than expected. 

So, the 1968 original Planet of the Apes… what are your thoughts? Do you enjoy the film series? Which one do you prefer? Leave a comment below & don’t forget to share and like if you like these reviews.