Planet of the Apes (1968)

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Director: Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers: Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, based on the novel by Pierre Bouelle

Stars: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, Linda Harrison, Robert Gunner, Lou Wagner



Astronauts crash land on a planet where apes are the dominant species and human beings are speechless primitives.

 


This classic sci fi adventure represented a turning point for movie make-up and features one of the most famous twist endings in film history. 



The intelligent script is peppered with clever observations on race, religion, and social class that never obscure entertainment value, which is not surprising considering that the first version was written by Rod Serling of Twilight Zone fame. 



His script was considered too expensive, so a rewrite placed ape society at a lower level of technology but otherwise preserved Serling’s story. 



Charlton Heston, as Taylor, was in the midst of a run portraying larger-than-life archetypal characters and projecting major-league gravitas. 



This film kicked off a series that declined in quality with each installment yet remained consistently entertaining.























































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