In the 1968 classic film “Planet of the Apes,” Charlton Heston portrayed the astronaut George Taylor, who embarks on a mission to explore a distant planetary system.
His journey leads him to confront the truth about the planet’s history and the downfall of human civilization.
Highlights
- George Taylor estimates they are 300 light-years from Earth in Orion’s Bellatrix System when their spaceship crashes into an unidentified planet.
- Humans are considered vermin, and armed gorillas attack them, which took Thomas Dodge’s life.
- Taylor discovers the Statue of Liberty and realizes they are on Earth after a nuclear apocalypse.
Franklin J. Schaffner directed the American science fiction film Planet of the Apes, which was loosely based on the 1963 novel by Pierre Boulle.
Its filming began on May 21, 1967, and wrapped on August 10.
It was premiered on February 8, 1968, at the Capitol Theatre in New York City. Later, 20th Century Fox released it in the United States on April 3, 1968.
The final cost of the movie was $5.8 million, but it was a box-office hit and generated a domestic gross of $33.3 million.
One of the greatest movies of 1968, it received praise for its creativity and reflection on a possible world turned upside down.
George Taylor Discovers They Are On Earth After Nuclear Apocalypse At The End
Astronauts George Taylor, John Landon, and Thomas Dodge are on a space voyage when their spacecraft crashes into a lake on an unknown planet.
They emerge from deep hibernation to find their shipwrecked.
Taylor estimates they are in Orion’s Bellatrix System, 300 light-years from Earth. Due to time dilation, they’ve aged less than a year despite the long journey.
The astronauts explore the desolate wasteland and encounter mute, primitive humans who steal their clothes.
Meanwhile, armed gorillas attack them, resulting in Dodge’s demise, Landon’s unconsciousness, and Taylor’s capture.
Taylor was shot in the throat and taken to Ape City, where he discovers an advanced society of talking apes.
He discovers a strict caste system: Gorillas serve as the military and labor force, Orangutans oversee government and religion, and Chimpanzees are scientists and doctors.
Humans are considered vermin and treated accordingly.
However, Taylor convinces chimpanzees Zira and Cornelius of his intelligence.
Dr. Zaius, an orangutan, arranges for his castration against Zira’s protests. Later, he escapes but is soon recaptured, revealing his speaking ability, which alarms the apes.
Afterward, a hearing is held to find out Taylor’s background.
With Zira and Cornelius, Taylor and Nova explore the Forbidden Zone, a taboo region outside Ape City where his ship crashed.
Moreover, they find evidence of an earlier human civilization predating the apes.
Zaius, aware of this, warns Taylor against seeking answers. Inside a cave, he identifies human artifacts.
Then, Zaius seals the cave to hide the truth, charging Zira, Lucius, and Cornelius with heresy.
Nonetheless, Taylor and Nova discover the Statue of Liberty and realize they are on Earth after a nuclear apocalypse.
Taylor falls to his knees, cursing humanity for its self-destruction.
Additional Information
- The remnants of the Statue of Liberty were filmed in a remote cove on the far eastern end of Westward Beach, between Zuma Beach and Point Dume in Malibu.
- John Chambers won an honorary Academy Award for his outstanding make-up achievement in the film.
- Library of Congress selected Planet of the Apes for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2001.
