Planet of the Apes (1968)
Average Rating: 7.5/10
Reviews Counted: 47
Fresh: 42 | Rotten: 5
Planet of the Apes raises thought-provoking questions about our culture without letting social commentary get in the way of the drama and action.
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 2
Planet of the Apes raises thought-provoking questions about our culture without letting social commentary get in the way of the drama and action.
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Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 99,254
My Rating
Movie Info
Originally intended as a project for Blake Edwards, the film version of Pierre Boule's semisatiric sci-fi novel came to the screen in 1968 under the directorial guidance of Franklin J. Schaffner. Charlton Heston is George Taylor, one of several astronauts on a long, long space mission whose spaceship crash-lands on a remote planet, seemingly devoid of intelligent life. Soon the astronaut learns that this planet is ruled by a race of talking, thinking, reasoning apes who hold court over a
Apr 3, 1968 Wide
May 1, 2001
20th Century Fox
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Cast
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Charlton Heston
Taylor -
Roddy McDowall
Cornelius -
Kim Hunter
Zira -
Maurice Evans
Zaius -
James Whitmore
President of the Assemb... -
James Daly
Honorius -
Linda Harrison
Nova -
Lou Wagner
Lucius -
Woodrow Parfrey
Maximus -
Jeff Burton
Dodge -
Buck Kartalian
Julius -
Norman Burton
Hunt Leader -
Robert Gunner
Landon -
Wright King
Dr. Galen -
Paul Lambert
Minister -
Diane Stanley
Female Astronaut -
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Planet of the Apes Trailer & Photos
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (5) | DVD (4)
As illuminatingly bleak a statement on human hubris as a Hollywood superproduction has given us.
Planet of the Apes is an amazing film.
Planet of the Apes is one of those rare films whose historical impact outweighs its quality. It's a good film, but not a classic.
Dismal SF deep think (1968) that gave birth to an equally dismal string of sequels and TV series spin-offs.
It is quickly paced, completely entertaining, and its philosophical pretensions don't get in the way.
A dreadful film, a compendium of clumsy dialogue, one-dimensional characters, risible plot turns and long silences broken by incomprehensible meaningful looks.
Somehow this melding of clever science fiction ideas with old-fashioned popcorn thrills just clicked.
Back in 1968, this sci-fi, directed by Schaffner and penned by Wilson and Serling, was original, quite intelligent , and well executed, garnering a special Oscar for makeup.
This generational touchstone remains a playful widescreen fable of the bestiality that defines and destroys cultures.
Signifying Monkeys
It's all about the closing scene. Cool!
Expertly blends adventure, social satire and chilling philosophical meditation to deliver one of the best science fiction movies ever made.
A modern science fiction classic.
Planet Of The Apes Blu-ray Disc will be authored in Java on a double-layer disc presented in widescreen (2.35:1 aspect ratio) with newly mastered English 5.1 DTS Master Audio, English, Spanish and French Mono and includes English and Spanish subtitles. Al
A film rich with unforgettable imagery, killer lines and physical thrills.
Seminal simian sci-fi that blends satire with the drive and pace of an adventure story.
one of my all time favourites
A sci-fi classic that still holds up today and far surpasses Tim Burton's remake.
Massive marketing notwithstanding, the original film is still quite an achievement.
Dated now, but a lot of fun and the ending was a shocker - the first time you saw it. Science fiction and social commentary blended nicely.
Audience Reviews for Planet of the Apes
Super Reviewer
Planet Of The Apes is a true science fiction movie classic that's intriguing political objection and interesting social commentary doesn't get in the way of engrossing drama and visually arresting action sequences. It never attacks you with it's debate or assault you with noisy gun fights, it's slow pacing and laid back attitude is the most likely cause of this but it's true purpose is to entertain and despite the pacing it never gets boring no matter how many times you see it.
Super Reviewer
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- Lucius: Why did you do that? Scrape off your hair?
- Cornelius: It makes you look somehow less intelligent.
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- Taylor: They blew it up! God, damn you! Damn you all to hell!!!
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- Zaius: The Forbiddon Zone was once a paradise. Your kind made a wasteland of it, ages ago.
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- Taylor: You maniacs! You blew it up!
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- Cornelius: [reading from the sacred scroll] Beware the beast Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, or lust or greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him. Drive him back into his jungle liar, for he is the harbinger of death.
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- Taylor: I can't help thinking somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be.
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Latest News on Planet of the Apes
May 13, 2011:
Weekly Ketchup: George Clooney as a Household Pet?This Week's Ketchup comes to you as the Cannes Film Festival is in full swing in France, which means...
May 21, 2010:
James Franco in Talks for Planet of the Apes PrequelDeadline reports that James Franco is in talks to star in Fox's upcoming "Planet of the Apes"...
May 7, 2010:
The Apes Will Rise in 2011Fox has set a release date for its much-rumored "Planet of the Apes" prequel, tabbing June 24, 2011...
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Foreign Titles
- Planet of the Apes (1968) (DE)
- Planet of the Apes (1968) (UK)


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