Planet of the Apes (1968)

★★★


Director: Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers: Michael Wilson & Rod Serling

Oh look. I put up the director and writers. Huh. That makes things slighting fancy and more professional-looking. Maybe that can be a regular thing that I do? Who knows, maybe it will take off. But probably not... it was kind of annoying to look it up on imdb.com and copy and paste the names... the lengths I go to...

But anyway, the actual film. Ok, so for whatever reason we decided to order the special collector's edition on blu-ray with all five of the films off the internet. It arrived yesterday and we promptly watched the first film; Planet of the Apes, that evening. I wasn't sure if the quality was actually going to be any better on blu-ray, seeing as it's so old, but I think it actually was. Not that I have bothered to compare the blu-ray to the dvd, because that would just be... well, lame... right?

I had seen it before, but not for six months or so, so I didn't remember too much of it which was good.

I don't need to tell you that Planet of the Apes is one of the greatest classic science fiction films, but I kind of just did, so there. But it really is. It's just such a cool idea.

Oh and just as a quick side note; I love science fiction. Like, a lot. Too much in fact. But hey, deal with it.

Although I suppose the credit for the idea shouldn't go the film, at least not completely, as the film was based on a book by French writer Pierre Boulle, called La planète des singes, written in 1963. It might interest you to know (I know it interested me, but that really isn't saying much) that there were some rather large differences between the film and the book, which I found out while watching the special features that came with the film. Naturally some spoilers will follow, so please don't read on if you haven't seen the film. But then again, if you haven't seen Planet of the Apes then you really shouldn't be here, as I hate you and you make me sick. It's a classic. Go see it. Geez, what the hell is wrong with you? Seriously?? But as I was saying. In the book, the ape society isn't primitive or suspiciously similar to Tatooine (Star Wars), like it is in the film. In the book the ape society is very futuristic and much more advanced than Earths' was. Now, prepare yourself for the other big difference... it wasn't Earth. The huge twist at the end of the film? Not from the book. Made up. Amazing none the less, and an iconic science fiction moment, but yeah, not how the book ended. I found that interesting.

Now I think that brings this post to an end. I hope you enjoyed and I hope that I can be bothered to come back and do it again when I see another film. I'll leave you with this insightful message: "Take your stinkin' paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"