*SPOILERS BELOW* I frst saw this film on its first run on CBS. I was in junior high and a hard core sci-fi fan. I was hooked from the first scene. Written by the late great Rod Serling based on the novel by Pierre Boulle, the story is very engaging. After we are introduced to an ANSA Mission Commander named Colonel Taylor, we are treated to a roller-coaster type sequence as we see the re-entry and crash of Taylor's ship subjectively; as if we were aboard her. The abandon ship scenes are still impressive even by today's standards. It's very easy to believe we are seeing a real spacecraft crashed in the water. The next sequence basically establishes Taylor's personality. To be blunt, he is an arrogant jerk. He mentions hoping to find something better than Man. In a literal casr of "Be careful what you wish for", he spends the rest of the film trying to prove the opposite. After he and his two crew members encounter a tribe of wild, mute humans, the sci-fi element takes on a horror flavor as a terrifying horn sounds. We are then introduced to the higher lifeforms of the planet which happen to be apes. The hunting sequences are both exciting and disturbing. As we are familiarized with the film's antagonists, we get a bit of comedy relief as we hear Julius, the zoo-keeper say "Human see, human do" The simian characters are all wonderfully written and acted. I had heard many times…

I'm a seeker, too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be. Planet of the Apes is directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and adapted to screenplay by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling from the 1963 Pierre Boulle novel La planete des singes. It stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison. Music is scored by Jerry Goldsmith and Leon Shamroy is the cinematographer. 3978 A.D. and a spaceship and its crew crash down on a distant planet. Three astronauts survive the crash, they appear to be on a planet not unlike their own, Earth. But soon they come to learn that this planet is ruled by intelligent apes, the human being is the lesser species, mute and of basic intelligence.. It was a tough sell to studios back in the 1960s, not only was the premise that formed Pierre Boulle's novel a tricky one, but the technical aspects, cost and quality of, also had the men in suits backing away from producer Arthur P. Jacobs and beefcake actor Charlton Heston. Eventually Dick Zanuck over at Fox nervously agreed to make it as long as significant tests ensured that farce would not follow. Stumping up $50,000 for John Chambers to develop the ape make up and masks, and a successful test run acted out by Edward G. Robinson as Dr Zaius opposite…

A sci-fi film so groundbreaking (in too many ways to list here) let's suffice it to say that everything that came after it owes the film a debt as large as Kubrick's 2001, also made in '68. Anyone who enjoyed the recent reboot trilogy needs to seek this one out.

The writers turned a not very good novel into an allegory on race and religion. It also takes an nuclear stance which makes an impact in its finale. Charlton Heston is Taylor. An astronaut, part of a crew of four on a long term space mission. They crash landed in what looks like a deserted planet. Soon they encounter some hunter/gatherer human beings who do not speak. Then he finds apes on horseback who speak English. The apes treat the humans like animals. Taylor is injured by the apes and is unable to speak at first. A female ape who is a zoologist is shocked when Taylor speaks. The other apes see him as a threat. Taylor being able to talk and think is against what the apes have been taught. The answer lies in the forbidden zone as to what happened to the humans. The movie raises issues regarding race relations, the treatment of animals and adherence to holy texts. This is a powerful film famous for its twist ending.