Planet of the Apes (1968) Blu-Ray Review

Rated G

Running Time: 1 Hour & 52 Minutes

Cast:

Charlton Heston-Colonel George Taylor

Roddy McDowall-Dr. Cornelius

Kim Hunter-Dr. Zira

Maurice Evans-Dr. Zaius (Minister of Science)

Linda Harrison-Nova

James Whitmore-President of the Assembly

James Daly-Dr. Honorious (Deputy Minister of Justice)

Woodrow Parfrey-Dr. Maximus (Commissioner of Animal Affairs)

Buck Kartalian-Julius

Robert Gunner-Landon

Jeff Burton-Dodge

Dianne Stanley-Stewart

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner

Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, and Kim Hunter star in "Planet of the Apes," the first film in what will be one of the most storied franchises that has graced the silver screen.

Note: Part of the "Planet of the Apes" 40-Year Evolution Blu-Ray Collection.

As I sat down to watch the original “Planet of the Apes,” released forty-three years ago in 1968, my mom asked me an interesting question: why do you love to watch old films so much? Sometimes it’s for the nostalgia factor, other times it’s because I’m finally seeing these films for the first time but the fact of the matter is that Hollywood just doesn't make movies like they used to. A few days ago, a trailer was released online for the film, “Battleship,” based upon the famous board game from Hasbro. Seriously, we’re now adapting board games into actual films? Has Hollywood run out of ideas? Nowadays, films fit into the following categories: prequel, sequel, spin-off, or adaptation. Now, I have no problems with adaptations as long as the source material is worthy. One of these adaptations is “Planet of the Apes,” based upon the 1963 French science fiction/fantasy novel of the same name written by Pierre Boulle. Despite its age, “Planet of the Apes” remains a masterpiece of the genre, a film that smartly utilizes its unique premise not only to entertain but to also offer up some not-so-subtle social commentary that remains surprisingly relevant even to this day. 

Astronauts George Taylor (Charlton Heston), Landon (Robert Gunner), Dodge (Jeff Burton), and Stewart (Dianne Stanley) are currently embarking on a deep-space exploration mission. Despite their ship launching in 1972, only six months has passed while hundreds of years have gone by back on Earth due to time dilation. Taylor records his final mission report on the ship’s computer before joining his fellow astronauts in suspended hibernation. 2006 years pass and the ship crash-lands in a lake on an unknown planet in the year 3978. Due to an air leak, Stewart has died during the trip and the ship begins to sink. The surviving astronauts make it to shore on an inflatable raft and discover that the planet seems to be incapable of sustaining life after Dodge performs a soil test. Taylor speculates that they might be on a planet in the constellation Orion some 320 light-years from Earth. The three astronauts travel through a barren desert and find a single plant growing. They soon come upon an oasis and decide to go swimming, ignoring the strange scarecrow-like figures. Their clothes are stolen and while pursuing the thieves, the three find a small population of mute, primitive humans raiding a cornfield. Suddenly, figures on horseback arrive to capture the humans and Taylor discovers to his horror that they’re ridden by humanoid gorillas! During the confusion Dodge is shot dead, Landon is knocked unconscious and Taylor suffers a wound near his throat, rendering him temporally mute. The gorillas take their prisoners to a city inhabited by variety of talking simians. Taylor is nursed back to health by a scientist named Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter), who begins to take an interest in him when she discovers him mouthing words. Nicknamed ‘Bright Eyes’ and locked in a cage, Taylor is given a human female, Nova (Linda Harrison), in the hopes that he will mate with her. He eventually manages to steal some paper and scribbles his name, shocking Zira with the knowledge that Bright Eyes can write. She brings him to her fiancée, archeologist and historian Dr. Cornelius (Roddy McDowall), and the two are convinced that he is not like the other humans and is highly intelligent. However, Minister of Science and Chief Defender of the Faith Dr. Zaius (Maurice Evans) orders Taylor to be emasculated but he escapes. He is quickly re-captured and screams his first words: ‘Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!’ With the revelation that Taylor can both speak and write, Cornelius becomes convinced that this man is the key to unlocking the secrets of an ancient civilization he uncovered that was not simian. He and Zira smuggle him and Nova out of the city and travel to the Forbidden Zone but what they find there will shake the very core of simian society. 

“Planet of the Apes” was originally conceived to be a stand-alone film but when it became a surprise critical and commercial success, a franchise was born, spawning four sequels (of varying degrees of quality), a short-lived television show, an animated series, comic books, and countless other merchandise. A remake directed by Tim Burton was released in 2001 and now a reboot is on the horizon, titled “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” Before the big reveal, director Franklin J. Schaffner smartly creates a foreboding and suspenseful atmosphere as the astronauts wander around the desert, their confusion about where they are shared by the audience. Once it is discovered that this planet is ruled by intelligent apes with humans being nothing more than feral animals, the film begins to weave its social commentary in a way that is both entertaining and unobtrusive. While its themes aren’t exactly subtle, “Planet of the Apes” dealt with a variety of topical issues such as racism and class struggle, which remain relevant even today. The ape society has three distinctions: the gorillas are the warriors and hunters, the orangutans serve in positions of authority and administration, while the chimpanzees are the scientists and thinkers. The oldest form of debate, that of science vs. religion, is explored and it is most evident when Taylor is put on trial to determine his origins. Referencing the 1857 case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, the apes try to dismiss Taylor by arguing that since he is not an ape, he cannot be tried under their laws. Cornelius also presents his theory that simians may have evolved from a non-simian civilization but Dr. Zaius dismisses such claims as heresy because it goes against what is written in their religious scrolls. This recalls Galileo Galilei, who was forced by the Roman Catholic Church in 1633 to recant his theories that the Earth revolved around the Sun, instead of being at the center of the universe. Another question raised is whether humans are inherently violent and are destined to destroy themselves, which is actually tied to the now-famous shocking twist ending. I won’t spoil it here for those few people who still haven’t seen the film but it’s not exactly a well-kept secret as 20th Century Fox spilled the beans on the box cover of its video releases. The reason that the ending has now become legendary is because it turns everything we know upside down and we are forced to re-evaluate the film’s themes in a new context. This is one of the beauties of science fiction because the genre is so conducive to the exploration of the human condition in a way that does not sound preachy or boring. 

The acting is generally good but I do not consider Charlton Heston (famous for his roles in “Ben-Hur” and “The Ten Commandments”) to be an amazing actor. While he has a charismatic screen presence, Heston frequently overacts as Taylor. Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, and Maurice Evans fare better despite being virtually unrecognizable, their faces buried under all that uncomfortable makeup. McDowall would go on to star in all the sequels with the exception of “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” as he was directing “The Devil’s Widow” at the time. Speaking of the makeup, it looks amazing despite the film’s age and remains utterly convincing. The cast do not resemble people wearing monkey costumes, they actually look like simians. You can reach out and touch them and know they’re real. Unfortunately, the upcoming reboot will use CG apes utilizing motion capture. While CG can be used to create the impossible, it’s too overused in Hollywood and its obvious fakery often ends up being a detriment. As for the action, it’s very low-key. There’s the first reveal of the gorillas as they capture the primitive humans and the astronauts scrambling to escape to no avail. Next is Taylor running amok through the ape’s city and causing all manner of chaos and finally, a stand-off occurs between him and Dr. Zaius’ gorillas during the climax which leads to a brief shoot-out. Yes, I’ll admit its lacking in visceral excitement and comes across as dull but this is from 1968 so cut it some slack. 

“Planet of the Apes” arrived on Blu-Ray in 2008 as part of a massive box-set that’s chock full of extras. Although the picture quality betrays the film’s age, everything looks surprisingly detailed. There’s a naturalistic, almost rustic beauty to how the ape planet is depicted and vegetation maintains a vibrant green color. The makeup holds up well with the increased resolution and the hair is impeccably detailed. Audio packs quite a wallop although the volume is rather loud whenever Jerry Goldsmith’s discordant score crops up. Dialogue is crisp and sharp despite having a certain hollow effect to it. Special features are quite extensive, with numerous featurettes but the one that deserves your attention is the 1 hour and 58 minute documentary that covers the making of all five films. 

“Planet of the Apes” was released on February 8, 1968 to rave reviews with a current score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed the film for its ‘thought-provoking questions about our culture without letting social commentary get in the way of the drama and action.’ With an estimated production budget of $5.8 million, the film grossed $32 million at the domestic box office, which is the equivalent of approximately $200 million when adjusted for inflation. However, the franchise became a victim of its own success due to the varying quality of its sequels, none of it which managed to surpass the original. Nominated for three categories including Best Costume Design and Music at the 1969 Academy Awards, it won for outstanding achievement in makeup and was selected in 2001 for preservation in the National Film Registry for being ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.’ “Planet of the Apes” is without a doubt a science fiction masterpiece, blending action and drama with a dose of social commentary. Sure, today’s younger generation will mock it for its silliness and dated effects but for true film lovers, it does not get any better than this. For those few who haven’t had the pleasure to experience Schaffner’s timeless classic, there’s no time like the present.

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

“Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!”