Cinemanalysis: The Planet of the Apes (1968)

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Now is an important time as any to revisit Planet of the Apes as the franchise debuts its latest entry and the film’s lessons keep ringing true.

Franklin Schaffner’s The Planet of the Apes leaves no time to get comfy. When Corporal George Taylor (Charlton Heston) landed on the Planet of the Apes, he knew nothing of where, or when, he was. Not only was the land itself unfamiliar, but the life and the world he knew were long gone. The film did not have to start with Taylor sharing his captain’s log out loud.

There would have been plenty of disorientation without it. But, by giving a specific reference point to become confused from, an extra layer of perplexity is added. Plus, it contextualizes the world from which he came, imprinting some of the real world parallels to be drawn from the onset. The incessant need to understand the place and time of the film becomes daunting. This need is only exacerbated by the taunting, spinning camera at the height of the astronauts’ despair.

Simian Exceptionalism

There is something really unsettling about watching Doctor Zira (Kim Hunter) treat Taylor like humans might often treat non-sentient life. It is compounded by the initial jarring realization that the humans of this world are simple, scavenging creatures. Meanwhile, the apes are intellectual, maintain a complex society, and exhibit all of the exceptionalism of hegemonic humans in the real world.

Exceptionalism is the biased and often baseless opinion that you or your group are the best or most important. It carries the connotation of an arrogance that is obvious and disengaging, if not infuriating, to the unexceptional. The exceptional all the while do not comprehend or recognize their posturing. There may be reasons valid why the apes believe themselves the apex of their ecosystem, but it is less than subtle the way the film pokes holes in the entire notion of exceptionalism throughout.

Many different exceptionalism parallels can be drawn between the Planet of the Apes and the real world. Racial relations in the United States were at a tipping point in the late 1960s. That particular reading certainly still resonates strongly today and is very evident. Likely, this is why the point of reference was given for when Taylor and his crew left Earth. It helped to illicit this specific parallel. But any parallel can be drawn to get the same message: welcome the stranger and treat them as you would want to be treated.

Perspective Can Provide Discomfort

Taylor is constantly the character that perspective is experienced through. In his mute state through the beginning of the film, the incredible struggle of all the word’s unwillingly muted can be felt. An anguished empathy is the constant solicitation by The Planet of the Apes as Taylor is insulted, embarrassed, and treated like less than he was.

The recent Planet of the Apes prequels shine a lot of light onto the world of this franchise. The upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes is certain to provide even more with the inclusion of Nova (Amiah Miller), the very same Nova (Linda Harrison) the mysterious companion of Taylor in the original film. The context is fun and manages not to detract from the power of the core-most theme of the original film.

What A Face Can Say

Yet, the original Planet of the Apes stands the test of time. The antiquated costume design does nothing to prevent an emotional reaction to Doctor Zira, Cornelius (Roddy McDowall), Doctor Zaius (Maurice Evans), and even Lucius (Lou Wagner). In fact, it serves as an incredible case study in how emotion can be portrayed and understood with minimal facializing.

The most movement in the apes’ faces is in the eyebrows, which is a definite wealth of expression. Their lips and cheeks do not really move. Each of the apes has their face stuck in one basic expression, with a few exceptions. Doctor Zira looks to always be joyful whereas Cornelius looks angrier and Doctor Zaius looks largely pensive. The apparent inability to show a range of expressions and the awkwardness of watching two apes kiss serves a purpose though.

From a cinematic perspective, there is so much to be learned and studied there. It allows the space for more creative and less direct means of conveying feeling. From an analytic perspective, the cold, stagnant faces really help to emphasize the lack of emotion and empathy the apes hold towards humans. Doctor Zira’s face serves to confound this by attempting to appear friendly, as many unwitting offenders of exceptionalism do. That friendly face, however, does not negate the wrongs her and her kind perpetuate.

Fighting “The Man”

The time 1960’s were a time for many things. Another of the most lasting impressions this era left was its disdain for “The Man.” Counterculture and disrespect for authority were commonplace and The Planet of the Apes shows the way this was lived for each generation. The youngest generation, exemplified by Lucius, are full-on rebels. He wants to stick it to “The Man” and has minimal respect for the theocratic or hierarchical structures held over him. The generation he rebels against, that of Doctor Zaius, holds all of the power. They work so hard to maintain the power they have that they are willing to lie about their own history. Lying only diminished their grip though. The middle generation, that of Doctor Zira and Cornelius, is the most damaged by these lies. The middle generation does not hold as tightly on to the old ways.

The middle generation, that of Doctor Zira and Cornelius, is the most damaged by these lies. The middle generation does not hold as tightly on to the old ways. Yet, they struggle to commit fully to the rebelling that their nephew does. Doctor Zira and Cornelius clearly want to, but they are still too closely tied to Doctor Zaius. The unfortunate reality is that changing an entire system or culture takes generations. But that should never serve as a deterrent. The zeal from Lucius is infections and Doctor Zira and Cornelius clearly catch some. They may not be able to dismantle the unhealthy systems Doctor Zaius upholds immediately, but their misadventure with Taylor proves that slow change will happen.

Exceptionalism Can Be Dissolved

Human exceptionalism leads the average sapiens in the real world to assume no other species has the emotional capacity or range of expression that humans do. Science shows us that many other species do in fact, however, feel and express emotion. The crudeness with which Taylor is treated for much of the film is irritating. In its irritation though, it awakens sensibilities otherwise likely left unearthed. More importantly, though, the progress the apes make in how they treat Taylor proves perhaps something even greater: exceptionalism can be dissolved.

Over the course of the film, the apes slowly come to realize their mistaken perception of other creatures. Even the dogmatic religious doctrines the apes hold holy are chipped away at over time with enlightening exposure to Taylor. It is true that before Taylor’s arrival, apes never had as much ability to communicate with humans. It is equally true, however, that the treatment of humans as lesser creatures is what is the issue most important.

Imagine

Imagine how the film would have progressed if the apes treated humans like they would hope to be treated themselves. Instead of hunting them like vermin or game, the apes may have set aside food for the humans so they would not have to steal the apes’. Instead of being demonized and castigated, imagine if the humans were revered as any living being would want to be. They do not need to be loved or domesticated necessarily as Doctor Zira suggests. They just need to be respected.

Doctor Zaius makes it clear that he is attempting to hide the truth about the apes’ and humans’ histories. It is dastardly and sickening. But perhaps the worst crime of the apes is not that their leaders hid the truth about mankind. Perhaps it was their strict adherence to a code that taught, or at the least was interpreted as hating humans.

Hate Has No Place in Any World

In fictional worlds and the real world alike, a culture of hate cannot live on. The Planet of the Apes ends on a note that feels as though major changes are on the horizon. The ape society seems to be on the verge of a major crisis and hatred is likely to be a central factor.

The ultimate reveal of The Planet of the Apes actually being Earth is designed to serve as a warning. It is a warning wrapped in the implication that humankind fell because of the wanton hatred that plagued the world the film was created during and that Taylor left before his space voyage. It is a warning that applies all across space and time to anywhere in which exceptionalism drive demonization of others.

More Planet of the Apes

Looking for some more great RetroZap material on Planet of the Apes? Be sure to check out our podcast, Talking Apes!