Planet of the Apes (1968)

 

Talk about a stone cold classic. 

Even after so many years, sequels and prequels, this one still speaks to the imagination. Maybe because the themes of racism, oppression and religious zealotry remain pretty relevant to this very day? 

And also: this film is really well put together. 

Four astronauts are sent on a mission with a state-of-the-art ship that can almost reach lightspeed. The plan is that they make a trip of several months, but this will also mean that Earth will have aged several hundreds of years. They're supposed to land on a planet in some solar system somewhere, but something goes awry and they crash much later than anticipated. Only the three men survive the crash and of those Taylor is probably the most cynical, as he has had it with Earth's mentality and just signed on because he truly had nothing left. 

They feel fortunate that they soon discover life, and even human life. Things do go a little south when they find out that humans are little more than mute animals and this planet is actually run by apes that have reached a fairly high level of civilization. Taylor is hurt and can't speak for a while, but scientist Zira and Cornelius take a liking to him, as Taylor soon proves he is more than he seems. However, head scientist and leader of the faith Zaius wants Taylor out of the way as he is deemed an abomination. It quickly becomes clear that Zaius knows more than he lets on and fears what Taylor might reveal...

You could argue that this film does show its age, and that is true to a certain extent, but it also has stood the test of time. The themes stay universally relevant, the direction is solid and the acting for the most part really, really good. Of course, it also depends on whether or not you can stomach Charlton Heston and his penchant for slight overacting, but he does make a different turn as a much more cynical and weary character who doesn't give a hoot anymore, yet finds a new lease on life because of this rather abrupt new start. 

The real stars here are Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter and Maurice Evans (Zaius) though. They manage to convey emotion and character through the ape masks, even if they don't always allow for a lot of expression because rubber. They look good for the time; heck, they won an Oscar for Make-Up Effects, but for today's standards, you can tell they're a bit stiff. But McDowall manages some quirks (such as twitching his nose) to stand out and Kim Hunter has eyes that are so expressive, it is almost unbelievable. She does more with a glance than most actors with their entire body/face. They're also incredibly likable, whereas Zaius is the one you'll love to hate. 

Oh, and everyone knows the ending twist by now, so it should not come as a surprise anymore. However, even knowing the final moments of this film, the build-up and eventual payoff still hit hard. It is played really well and Heston absolutely sells it. 

It's tough not to love this one, as it remains an absolute must-see in the realm of science fiction and perhaps even beyond that.