Aug 15, 2003 05:09 AM
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(Updated Aug 15, 2003 05:12 AM)
The year was 1968 and unbelievable as it seems, a new idea for a movie actually came to fruition. ''Planet of the Apes''
Starring, Charlton Heston as George Taylor. The astronaut who somehow ''sleeps'' his way into the far future while aboard his spacecraft. And the main character of the movie itself.
Roddy McDowell as Cornelius. The Ape who deep within himself believes that apes evolved from humans.
Kim Hunter, Cornelius' wife and a doctor who performs tests upon human animals, yet has strong feelings for the humans.
Linda Harrison as Nova, one of the poor unfortunate humans, destined to be hunted and used as a breeding animal by the apes.
Maurice Evans as Dr. Zeaus. The leader of the apes who holds the past secrets of the planet within himself. Forever hiding the truth.
And a huge cast of both humans and apes.
The year is in the far, far future where apes rule the world. Chimpanzees with their intellect are the ''political'' leaders, while the Gorillas, with their strength, are the armed forces.
Humans are hunted for sport, for breeding as slaves and treated as ''we'' treat non human animals.
The storyline begins with the crash landing of the spacecraft carrying Taylor and two other astronauts upon this strange planet. They crash into what is known to the apes as ''The Forbidden Zone.'' While trying to locate others on the planet, the astronauts run into a tribe of humans, who at this time do not have the ability to speak or really think other than to get away from the hunting apes. One human forms an attachment to Taylor..Nova, the beautiful human female. As the apes descend upon the humans, one of the astronauts gets killed, while another one is captured and medical experiments are performed upon him to a point where he loses his ability to speak and even think. Taylor and his new found lady friend are also captured and placed in a breeding cage. During the capture, a nooselike device was placed around Taylors neck which made him unable to speak, making the apes think he was'' just another human.''
As the story progresses, Zira and Cornelius take a liking to the new human(Taylor) and his ladyfriend. As Taylor tries to communicate through grunts and noises to no avail, the more Zira and Cornelius like him, until finally one day he speaks!
Zira and Cornelius try to hide this fact from Dr, Zeaus who would demand Taylors immediate killing if he thought there was a human who actually could think and speak. ( Because remember, Dr. Zeaus held the real truth within himself......''He knew!)
After speaking with Taylor, and planning a trip to The Forbidden Zone, to learn the truth, Zira and Cornelius conjole Dr. Zeaus to allow them to venture to the zone for a scientific exposition.
I won't go into anymore detail about the movie in case you haven't seen it, but all I will say is that the ending, when Taylor and Nova ride off into the sunset, through the ocean waves, upon the horse, is a chiller!
This is a must see movie BEFORE you venture off to see the pretty dismal remake with Mark Walberg.
I have seen this movie at least 5 or 6 times (as well as all the sequals) and find this one to be the best......
Can it be true?
Will it be true?
OMG! What happens if it IS true?
