Planet of the Apes (1968)

1968 was named one one of the best years in science fiction by the site io9.com. This was due to the release of some important works which included 2001: A Space Odyssey, Night of the Living Dead, the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and Planet of the Apes. Planet of the Apes is more remembered for Charlton Heston's famous lines, ape costumes, and a twist ending. But it really holds some science fiction gold within its frames. With a script that was first written by Twilight Zone's Mr. Rod Sterling, and the talents of director Frank Schaffner (who would go on to direct the war classic Patton), Planet of the Apes is still a classic film today.

Although the film may not be a masterpiece, it is a great film. The fact that Schaffner can bring you into a world that is overruled by apes, and make you feel the emotions of all characters, is the sign of a exceptional science fiction film. I don't find myself laughing at the costumes, as some people say, but I find them wonderfully refreshing. It is nice to see craftsmanship on film, as I've previously grumbled, instead of a world of computer generated images and soul less frames. The film has charm, socially important issues (then & now), and remains a classic.

Story

We'll never know what parts of the script were written by the gifted Rod Sterling and what was written by Michael Wilson, but the melting of the two can clearly be seen. The film is based off the book by Pierre Boule, that shares the same name, but strays a bit from the book. In the script the largest stroke of Sterling's you see is the ending of the film which remained in Wilson's draft. Although it is a departure from the book, I like the film ending much more because it brings the story full circle. Instead of Taylor finding these beings on a different world, our own Earth goes through a cycle and they become the superior beings of the planet. How this happens is due to mankind's nuclear war upon itself, which gave rise to the apes.

The finest parts of the film, and always the most prominent in my memory of sci-fi, are the social commentary sections. Which occurs mostly after Taylor is slave to the supreme ape society. It holds a mirror to ourselves and makes us look at our own prejudice, close mindedness, and inability to accept the science before us. In a lesser way it comments on animal rights, and with the humans as slaves, we are able to see what it would be like to be an animal. Overall I think the story is the finest, standout quality in the film's production.

Direction
I have to admit, besides this film, I am unfamiliar with Frank Schaffner's work, since I have never seen his other classic work; Patton. After doing some research on the director, I found out that he had an interesting career, and worked constantly. He worked as a TV counselor for John F. Kennedy during his presidency, he won an Oscar for Best Director for his work on Patton, and then was President of the Directors Guild of America from 1987-1989 up until his death. Schaffner has a striking visual style that grabs hold of you and brings you inward. It was refreshing to see a possibly awful ape sci-fi film, be well shot both emotionally & aesthetically. He may not be one of the legendary filmmakers we'll be hearing about through time, but his work on Planet of the Apes and Patton solidifies his talents as a great director.

Acting
Schaffner's was always known as an actors director. Early in his career he did a CBS teleplay of 12 Angry Men, which won him a directing Emmy. I always thought if you could direct 12 Angry Men in any form, your probably an actors director. Besides the story, I find the acting in Planet of the Apes to be exceptional. At times it may feel a little melodramatic, but Charlton Heston is always charming and engaging. I think what I enjoyed more though was the performances from the many primates. They never feel cheesy or unnatural and I do believe that they are human-like apes talking to Taylor like an animal. That takes some talent on both directing and acting.

In the end, it may not be in the top 10 of science fiction films, but it certainly deserves notoriety as a great film with still resonating messages.