O Planeta dos Macacos

In the year 1968, two movies came out that changed modern day science-fiction films forever, 2001 A Space Odyssey was the most famous out of the two, but Planet of the Apes stands on its own ground and became a classic that it is universally acclaimed to be. Planet of the Apes is still way better than all of the sequels and remakes that has even been made.

I remember the first time, I watched Planet of the Apes. I was a major Sci-Fi geek who loved Star Wars and Blade Runner. I was sitting down on the couch with my nerdy glasses, watching T.V. When all of a sudden the movie started, my friends told me the movie was very cheesy and lame. So I had extremely low expectations, but I told, whatever, I'll give it a try. After the film finished, I was completely flabbergasted and amazed to have seen this work of art. The visuals were great and the movie was extremely entertaining. But that's not the main reason I loved the film so much. It raises a lot of questions about our modern day society without letting social commentaries get in the way of the drama and action.

The movie is easily one of the top ten best Sci-Fi films ever created, it stands high up with Star Wars, 2001 A Space Odyssey and The Day the Earth Stood Still. If you're a Sci-Fi, this movie is highly recommended because it deals with philosophical and sociological questions and its a must have.

10/10 for this Masterpiece.

I had been avoiding watching 'Planet of the Apes' for a long time as I thought it would be one of those silly futuristic sci-fi movies with men fighting monkeys. However, the movie turned out to be so much more. The limited use of special effects give it an authentic look. Schaffner makes fine use of his equipments and crew. The reddish mountainous desert-landscape is mysterious and fascinating. The cinematography is good too. The makeup is terrific and beats what any CGI could have done. The plot is simple and yet engaging. One wonders what Taylor's fate will be. Just one you think it will take a predicted turn, you are thrown away with a surprising but layered twist. Some parts of the film are quite disturbing to watch (the museum sequence and the ending). The legendary Charlton Heston does a great job. Even though he brings the same persona that was evident in his other works, it is what Taylor required. However, the show-stealers are Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter. Hunter's funny, witty, compassionate and clever Zira and McDowell's nerdy, dedicated and devoted Cornelius bring a wonderfully humane quality to their characters. 'Planet Of The Apes' deserves to be watched because it is a well-made and marvelously acted film but it also raises some relevant questions regarding humanity and nature.

The original 'Planet of the Apes' is better than the 2001 remake on almost every level. May be Tim Burton's version looks better, no wonder with Burton as the director, but the direction itself, the cinematography, the story and the performances in Franklin J. Schaffner's original are much better and more interesting.

Heston is Taylor, who crashes with his spaceship on what seems to be a deserted planet. He and two other survivors start searching for life. They run into other human beings, and at that time they are all attacked by apes. The apes speak English, the human beings are mute. In this society a human being is what apes are in our society. Animals, nothing more. The humans are taken for research, Taylor as well, and since he is shot in the neck he is not able to talk at first. One of his fellow survivors is dead, what happened to the other is unsure. A female ape who is a scientist discovers that Taylor understands her, and even thinks he can talk. Of course this is not what the high people in this society want to hear.

The movie has some very interesting elements. Worlds are upside down, as Taylor says, and in a way the movie puts a mirror in front of us. The human beings are humiliated in exactly the way we treat animals. What would we do if another mammal suddenly knew how to speak our language? We would probably react the same as the apes do in this movie and therefore it is even more interesting.

In liked the movie very much, and some very nice moments in particular. Early in the movie Taylor gets a woman in his cage. He calls her Nova (Linda Harrison). We know what the apes want, and it is funny because it is exactly how we do this kind of stuff to our animals. The apes are even surprised when Taylor wants to keep his woman, and therefore seems monogamous.

With some nice touches, a great and famous ending, some quotes that will sound very familiar, Charlton Heston as a pretty good leading man, a score from Jerry Goldsmith that is perfect for a movie like this, nice direction and a fine cinematography by Leon Shamroy this movie is a very good classic.

It's especially interesting that "Planet of the Apes" was released a few months before "2001: A Space Odyssey", as they both look at the same question: what will become of humanity (and how did we originate)? Obviously, the really famous line is Charlton Heston's snap at his captors, and the really famous scene is the end - which I won't tell here for fear of spoiling the whole movie. And what an impressive movie it is! Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Tim Burton's remake. "POTA" should never have been remade. So, for a cinematic treat, stick to this one and avoid the remake.

One more thing is that some people have pointed out that the portrayals of the simians were kinda racist. The blond, cultured orangutans are the nobles; the dark-haired, mildly nervous chimpanzees are the scientists; and the dark-skinned, incompetent gorillas are the police. Oh well. It's still a good movie.

This is a splendid movie. Like other great horror-fantasy films (Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre) it explores the relationship between humans and non-human beings. In "Planet of the Apes" there are only three animals: man, ape and horse and they play out their drama in this futuristic desert land. Unlike so many bad fantasy films, this one has a highly authentic aura around it. It is so utterly convincing like a story by H.P.Lovecraft or like one of your own nightmares and dreams. So strange, so fantastic! The words "The Forbidden Zone", I will never forget. The ending, of course, is so wonderfully eerie and shocking, one just gets goosebumps for hours. A child will never forget the experience of seeing this movie and she/he will learn so much about human relations with non-humans by witnessing this movie which explores the ethical theme with style and power. Such an utterly convincing fantasy film with a message of dream-like proportions are yet to be done better.