Post by Susieg on Nov 7, 2004 21:05:46 GMT
Based on the novel Monkey Planet, by Pierre Boulle.
Astronaut Taylor and his three fellow crew members crash land on a forbidding seemingly desolate planet. The only female member of the crew has died during deep sleep and as the remaining crew escape the ship Taylor looks at the ships clock which shows they have travelled 2000 years in time. They have a few days supply of water and decide to head away from the lake they have crashed into and explore the planet. The trio find water and also a tribe of humans who appear mute, it is here where the three travellers discover the planet is inhabited by talking Apes who treat the human race like animals. Captured and tortured Taylor is unaware of the fate of his crew mates until he attemptsto escape and discovers on has been killed and the other has been experimented on. The scientist (Dr Zira) studying Taylor has become attached to him as she thinks he could be the missing link in the Apes evolutionary tree. She tres to convince Dr. Zaius and her superiors of this but to no avail. Zira her fiance Dr. Cornelius and her nephew help Taylor escape with a female human who Zira hoped to mate with Taylor. The military pursue them across the forbidden zone and on to the archeological dig where Cornelius found evidence that there was a previous civilization to the Apes. There the pursuit ends with Dr. Zaius confronting Cornelius and Zira, he has been aware of the truth from the beginning and he cannot allow the two young scientists to show their findings to a world which is not ready to accept. Zaius allows Taylor and the female to leave and it is here where Taylor learns the truth about The Planet of the Apes.
I was fortunate to see this movie for the first time in the cinema, when I was about 12, although it was the second feature to The Island at the top of the world. (yes they used to show two movies and a couple of cartoons in the early 70's) The last scene was a complete suprise to me and had the desired effect. I became a fan. This then started my love for the short lived TV series of the same name and I was overjoyed when the entire series came out as a box set.
PS. If you have never seen the Island at the top of the World it is well worth a look. David Hartman was an instant hit with me after seeing this movie, the old fashioned air of adventure makes this a wonderful movie
Susieg