Planet Of The Apes (1967)
Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowell
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Synopsis: Classic sci-fi drama... futuristic, nihilistic... apoclyptic!
Reviewed by: Ali Khan

20th Century Fox's stunning and profound science-fiction thriller first hurtled viewers into the strange simian civilization, where man was regarded as a savage brute to be controlled and ultimately exterminated, in the spring of 1968.

At the time, 2001: A Space Odyssey was the only serious film to have hit the screens and bringing Pierre Boulles novel, Les Planete Des Singes, to the screen proved more than problematic. It was believed in all corporate corners that a film involving a planet of intelligent simians would not only be impossible to convey, but would also be laughed out of theatres.

Richard Zanuck, head of Fox during the 1960s, and the Fox Board of Directors all felt that any such Apes picture was doomed to failure, no matter how sincere the direction or performances. Arthur P. Jacobs had already spent three years taking the script, prepared by Rod Serling, creator of the Twilight Zone, to all the major studios twice but had been rejected.

Jacobs was adamant on bringing Apes to the screen and finally found a powerful ally in Charlton Heston, who infact was instrumental in having the project finally greenlighted. During these struggles, Jacobs, Heston and director Franklin J. Schaffner filmed a 5 minute make-up test at the Fox ranch, which consisted of a scene between Heston as the astronaut Taylor and Edward G. Robinson as the talking ape, Dr. Zaius.

While the test proved that the make up could be accepted on a realistic level, it was still believed that a $5 million science-fiction film was too risky a gamble. Then Fox released the special effects laden Fantastic Voyage, which opened to bumper box-office grosses and Zanuck managed to get the greenlight for Apes, with a budget of $5.8 million.

Filming began in the vast expanses of Page, Arizona, a desolate land accessible only in dry weather by 4 wheel drive. The artists worked a grueling, exhausting schedule, particularly those playing the apes. Make-up took 2 hours and apart from being claustrophobic also produced a strange side effect. Kim Hunter, who played the chimpanzee Zira in the movie, stated that her most powerful memories of her days on the set concerned the segregation of the characters, wherein during filming breaks, the chimps sat with the chimps, gorillas with gorillas, and so on.

Edward G. Robinson, who was to play the powerful political head of the ape society, Dr. Zaius backed out of the project on the grounds that a combination of the extreme heat of Arizona and the claustrophobia caused by the make-up would affect his already weak heart. He was replaced by the English actor, Maurice Evans.

Throughout production, Heston was sure that the film would be a commercial success, possibly surpassing any of his films since Ben-Hur. On seeing the first cut of the film he became increasingly confident that not only had the team created a commercially viable film but a film that would also be noted for its social comment.

When the film was released in New York, it opened to critical and box-office acclaim. For the first three weekends, Planet of the Apes not only beat out previous record holders but also bested records it set on previous weekends. Its success was significant for two very important reasons.

Firstly, it proved that movie goers were interested in science-fiction films which didn't just have alien invasions or rampaging monsters. Secondly, it helped open up a new avenue of expression in science-fiction films, allowing more extensive exploration of relevant themes such as the consistent threat of nuclear war, the nature of man himself and the direction in which humanity was headed as a species.

Rod Serling and Michael Wilson were responsible for creating a cinematic script from Boulles brilliant original vision. Serling, the creator of the sci-fi anthology the Twilight Zone, was considered one of the finest talents in Hollywood and was known to have a knack of turning existing ideas into workable stories.

Wilson is credited for having written the second and third drafts that eventually became the blue print for the Oscar Award winning film. The films premise is based on Boulle's book maintains the book's intelligent allegory, along with its savage, biting commentary about human folly but it stands out as independent and quite distinct from the novel, making its own very powerful statements, in many ways more effectively than the novel.

The film starts with four American astronauts being hurtled some 2000 years through time and space, and crash landing in the wilderness of an unidentified planet, where apes have replaced humans as the dominant life form. Ape culture, however, is both socially and politically in a state of limbo, and the look of the simian world is removed from modern times.

This is one of the major departures from the novel, where the apes live in modern cities, drive cars, fly in airplanes, watch TV and more. Part of the reason for this change was commercially motivated. Creating a modern world built specifically for simians would have cost huge amounts in terms of set design.

But the 'limbo' concept works well, removing the viewer successfully from the familiarity of modern times into a quite different environment. Eventually, Taylor (Heston) and his fellow astronauts stumble across a society of mute protohumans being ruled over by apes. The pre-industrial ape society that has just discovered science, operates on a loose caste system with orangutans, chimps, gorillas and humans all occupying distinct positions.

The 'human hunting' scene in which the apes mounted on horses are seen for the first time is a brilliant and genuinely unnerving sequence. The make-up is impressive, the disorientation and horror felt by the astronauts is captured and most effectively transferred to the audience and finally the dehumanization of the protohumans along with the astronauts is complete with their capture in nets and a shot of humans dangling upside down by the ankles like deer and a trio of gorillas posing for a photograph with a pile of their "kill."

The setting of the film is put in perspective with this sequence and never loses its direction. The film works on distinct levels - as a science-fiction thriller with villains and heroes but more so as a cleverly constructed social and political commentary on contemporary society.

The film is a brilliant satire, raising questions about man's nature and war like habits and his threat to the natural balance of the universe. Look carefully and you can see past the make up that took two hours daily to apply.

The ape's society is stratified - the politicians - the stately orangutans - control society through their position as holders of the faith. Interpretation of the sacred scrolls lies, which narrate a misplaced, mythical history of the apes, ultimately with them.

They are the judiciary, the ruling elite controlling the minds of the masses, decreeing what is right and wrong, and one can argue, somewhat wisely, keeping humans at an arms length, as the slaves of society.

They are also the only "group" who knows the truth of what really happened in the past - a secret that is carefully guarded for the good of the entire ape race. In it also lies the truth of man's downfall.

Then there is the military force, policing society. Manned entirely by the brutish, less cunning gorillas, they symbolize the brute force of society, ready to crush any dissent, rebellion or new ideas that confuse their own narrow vision and mind.

Finally, there are the chimpanzees - the forward looking, liberal, progressive thinkers, just beginning to challenge societies norms. They are the scientists, the intelligentsia - they are also a powerless minority. Is this not civilization as we see it today. Do we not have orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees and humans in societies across the world ?

Are we not already populating a "Planet of the Apes" - some would argue that we have gone beyond that. The script writers have even managed to weave into the story one of cinema's most arresting conclusions, different from Boulle's own shock ending, but equally inspired. The threat and effects of nuclear war, not touched upon in the book, are driven home in the film.

The stratification of society within the apes, mirroring our own present day environment, the simmering racism, the tendency towards totalitarianism, the struggle between religion and science are all strains which are masterfully portrayed in Planet of the Apes.

The film examines the virtues of blind faith and the lengths the establishment will go to in order to preserve it. However, while the movie touched on these subjects it was also able to entertain millions with the astounding make up job for the time.

The film spawned 4 sequels of decreasing quality, but all of which, while lacking the required execution, had interesting ideas. Planet of the Apes is a classic work of cinema and credit for its enduring legacy belongs clearly with the original novel by Pierre Boulle, the bold determination of Arthur P. Jacobs and actor Charlton Heston and the inspired screenplay by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson who managed to create a cinematic vision from Boulle's brilliant original vision.

Mention must also be made for the special effects team and Jerry Goldsmith who produced a suitably off key and unsettling soundtrack for the film. The lasting impact of the film lives on today - thirty years after it came out. In fact, every time the film is viewed, its uncanny ability to act as a mirror of human society is further emphasized, as is its startling relevance to the modern age.

This is surely what makes Planet of the Apes a timeless classic. For those who stop and think - it is both a frightening vision of the future as well as a insightful comment on the present. And then are we not moving towards the films spine-chilling scenario ?