Since the release of Franklin J Schaffner’s original Planet of the Apes in 1968, itself an adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel, there have been four sequels, an unsuccessful reboot helmed by Tim Burton, and another much moresuccessful reboot that has spawned two sequels. This is in addition to multiple spin-offs acrossother media, including comics, video games and television series (both live action and animated), and of course a hilarious Simpsons parody featuring a bedraggled Troy McClure singing “I hate every chimp I see / From chimpan-A to chimpan-Z.”
Amid all this clutter, memory of the original film has become diluted – everyone recognises the image of the Statue of Liberty denoting the twist ending, as well as Heston’s classic“take your stinking paws off me” line, but details of the film as a whole are hazy. Revisiting the film now and looking beyond its iconic moments and images, what emerges is an unnerving, exciting sci-fi, with a sharp satirical edge that astutely exposes and explores the anxietiesof the time.
Released in 1968, Planet of the Apes was part of the wave of fresh, experimentally inclined films that came to be known as New Hollywood. Varioushallmarks of the era can be found in Schaffner’s film. Jerry Goldsmith’s soundtrack, for instance, rejects conventionality in favour of creating a disquieting tone through a percussion-orientated score full of dissonant noises and irregular rhythms.
There’s plenty of loose, innovative camerawork, including a series of disorienting point of view shots at the beginning as the spaceship boarded by Charlton Heston and his crew crash lands on a planet they do not recognise. And the majority of the film is shot on location in Arizona rather than a studio, its dusty, untouched landscapes perfect for evoking the sense of alien remoteness of the planet the characters find themselves stranded on.
The film is also identifiable as product of its era in the way it relates to to the wider social context of counterculturalism. The film’s apocalyptic aesthetic, consolidated by the infamous revelation that this ‘unknown’ planet is in fact Earth post-nuclear war, in an explicit reflection of the fear of the bomb by a society living through an unprecedentedly dangerous arms race. It has also often been remarked upon how the topsy-turvy society Heston discovers on this planet, where a species of sophisticated, talking apes rule while mute, savage humans, functions as a subversive allegory for race relations, and therefore reflects the tensions in America at the time regarding the ongoing fight for Civil Rights.
But given the social upheaval ofthe late ’60s, it’s safe to say that the allegory can be broadened to reflect the social landscape in general, where the hitherto underprivileged groups of the younger generation helped reshape the traditional dynamics in society. To the older generations used to the conservatism of the 1950s, it must have felt as though society was not being run by a whole new, strange species of hippies, feminists and rock stars.
In this sense, Planet of the Apes is an expression of the fear felt by the established privileged order of this new generation and their eagerness to uproot everything. The casting of Charlton Heston is particularly noteworthy – having built a star persona around being a traditionally macho white, alpha male in epics such as Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments, he represented a throwback to the kind of hero of yore, who audiences believed could bring order back to this world gone wrong.
Similarly, despite the New Hollywood look and sound, the plot and storytelling generally subscribe to the old-fashioned studio model of an adventure yarn, with plenty of chases, fights, and even a romance with damsel in distress in the form of Linda Harrison’s Nova.
None of this is to say that Planet of the Apes was a work of some kind of reactionary conservatism – quite the opposite. Again, everything hinges on the ending, which is still jaw-dropping despite its familiarity, thanks largely to the brilliant decision to accompany the reveal with a stunned silence on the soundtrack. It invites us to questioneverything we’ve just seen.
Although the apes had been portrayed as reasonable beings, they were still clearly the antagonists to Heston and the humans – but with the final reveal that the humans had in fact been the architects of their own downfall, suddenly man’s status as the film’s de facto heroes is brought into disrepute, and the inherent worth of what they and Heston represent is questioned. Maybe the basis for Heston’s heroism isn’t quite as infallible as we’d assumed – maybe those that fear a planet run by apes should be more afraid of their own hubris?
Published 9 Jul 2017
Tags: Charlton Heston Planet of the Apes
FAQs
It has also often been remarked upon how the topsy-turvy society Heston discovers on this planet, where a species of sophisticated, talking apes rule while mute, savage humans, functions as a subversive allegory for race relations, and therefore reflects the tensions in America at the time regarding the ongoing fight ...
What is the significance of the Planet of the apes? ›
Most obvi- ously, the movie presented a chilling allegory on the subject of racial conflict, highlighting the injustices of America's slave past, while also speaking to the struggle for Civil Rights in the contemporary period.
What was the theme of the original Planet of the Apes? ›
It has received particular attention among film critics for its treatment of racial issues. Cinema and cultural analysts have also explored its Cold War and animal rights themes. The series has influenced subsequent films, media, and art, as well as popular culture and political discourse.
What is the metaphor of the Planet of the apes? ›
It's a pointed but shallow reboot that flips the script of the classic 1968 film by pitching humans as cartoonish villains, and apes as a metaphor for an unrelentingly exploited enslaved people.
What is the allegory of the Planet of the apes race? ›
As a result, the humans and apes seem much more like an allegory for Israelis and Palestinians than for whites and blacks. At the end of the film, it appears that full-scale war between apes and humanity is inevitable.
What was the message in Planet of the Apes? ›
The Big Picture
Planet of the Apes highlights language as the key factor differentiating humans from apes. Language leads to complex thought, causing both humans and apes to face similar challenges. The series explores the power of language and its impact on society, ultimately leading to apes gaining dominance.
What was the original Planet of the Apes about? ›
“Planet of the Apes” (1968)
In the year 3978, cantankerous astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) crashes on an unknown planet where “damn dirty” apes have evolved into the dominant species. Later he learns it's actually post-apocalyptic Earth, destroyed by “maniac” humans.
What is the moral of Planet of the Apes? ›
Basically the mindset of an ape-dominant society was an allegory for how humans treat other creatures. The basic premise was to place the exploitation “shoe” on our feet in order to illustrate what it feels like to be looked down upon with scorn as an exploited and trodden upon creature, rounded up like cattle, etc.
What is the message of the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes? ›
Messages focus on trust, diplomacy, peacekeeping. Parents need to know that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the darker, more violent sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, in which the apes take up arms against a post-super-virus group of human survivors.
What does the symbol in Planet of the Apes mean? ›
The diamond pattern on the window of Caesar's room eventually became his personal emblem and his symbol of hope. Caesar drew this symbol in his paddock at the San Bruno Primate Shelter for comfort but angrily rubbed it away when told he would not be going back home.
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a science fiction action thriller targeting an older adolescent and adult audience. It is a cautionary tale that explores the dangers of genetic manipulation and experimentation, blending scientific fact and fiction.
What is the meaning behind War of the Planet of the Apes? ›
The Big Picture
The connection between the new Planet of the Apes franchise and the original series is loose, and there's room to tell new stories. War for the Planet of the Apes sets the stage for future films by showing the hope for peaceful coexistence between humans and apes, driving the franchise forward.
What is the symbolic meaning of apes? ›
Apes are almost universally negative images in Western culture, although they were often revered in the Indian, Egyptian, and Chinese traditions. In Christian symbology, however, they have long been considered a symbol of malice and physical ugliness, as a pejoritive epithet dating back to the ancient world.
What is the social commentary in Planet of the Apes? ›
Especially in the four sequels to the original film, which, with the religious aspects of “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” (1970), the themes of celebrity and the complacency of wealth toward its underclasses in “Escape From the Planet of the Apes” (1971), and the overt racial allegories, slave auctions and civil ...
What is the concept of Planet of the Apes? ›
The original story follows three explorers who land on a planet orbiting the star Betelgeuse and discover a world where apes run civilization while humans have been reduced to slave laborers. Both Boulle's novel and the 1968 film launched a hugely popular sci-fi movie franchise, which ran through the early 1970s.
What is the message behind Rise of the Planet of the Apes? ›
However, while this movie presents a powerful critique of the ugliness of human behavior toward animals, it also offers much more than that. An ode to freedom and nature as the true home for any animal, Rise of the Planet of the Apes raises issues regarding animals that are timely for those of us in the real world.
What is the moral of the Planet of the Apes? ›
Basically the mindset of an ape-dominant society was an allegory for how humans treat other creatures. The basic premise was to place the exploitation “shoe” on our feet in order to illustrate what it feels like to be looked down upon with scorn as an exploited and trodden upon creature, rounded up like cattle, etc.
Why do the apes hunt humans in Planet of the Apes? ›
The ape society is a theocracy, while the apes consider the primitive humans as vermin to be hunted and either killed outright, enslaved, or used in scientific experiments.
