Planet of the Apes - film review

Like most people, I have lots of gaps in my cultural knowledge and whenever I can, I try to fill one or two of them. This explains why I've now got round, for the very first time, to watching the original movie of Planet of the Apes, which dates from 1968. (You might say that there's nothing very cultural about this particular film, but I can't agree.) Astonishingly, the film has something in common with the utterly different The Bridge on the River Kwai - both were based on novels by the French writer Pierre Boulle. 

I've never read either novel, but it's impressive that someone could come up with two such distinct, yet memorable storylines. Apparently the screenplay of Planet of the Apes, by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, is very different from the original book, but even so. The film has some ludicrous elements, but it also makes some telling social points, which are still highly relevant today.

The premise is simple. Three astronauts wake from deep hibernation after a long journey through space that has taken them far into the future. A fourth colleague, a woman, doesn't survive the trip, and her corpse is very badly aged. When they crash-land on an unfamiliar planet, they don't know where they are - and their space craft sinks into a lake, so they are stranded. The planet seems barren, but they find traces of vegetation and soon it becomes clear that there is indeed life to be found. First, the visitors encounter a group of mute humans. And then they come across the masters of the planet, who are (as of course we've been led to expect) apes.

Charlton Heston is ideal for the lead role of Taylor, a tough-minded astronaut who is determined to resist his captors. Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter are sympathetic chimpanzees, who are devoted to science, whereas Dr Zaius is hostile - and, Taylor starts to think, this is because he knows more about the planet's history than he is prepared to admit. Zaius, incidentally, was played by Maurice Evans, a British actor who made a notable contribution to pop music history by encouraging Hal David to get involved with entertainment during the Second World War.

The twist ending in the film is famous, and deservedly so. I can see why this film was so popular, and why it spawned a media franchise. I enjoyed watching it.