Planet of the Apes (1968): 20 Things You Never Knew!

In this video, we're taking a deep dive into the original Planet of the Apes (1968) and uncovering 20 fascinating facts you probably never knew about the groundbreaking sci-fi classic! From behind-the-scenes secrets to hidden details in the makeup and production process, we reveal how this iconic film came to life and changed the landscape of science fiction forever.
#planetoftheapes #scificlassics #charltonheston #1960s #nostalgia #movietrivia #scifi #scifimovies #apes

[@SnoMoJoe1]

When this movie came out, I was 5 years old. I don't remember much about the move other than the ending. To this day, I remember the Statue of Liberty ending like it was yesterday.

[@patrickquirk-qz8ri]

Me too, about 12 .

[@GermanShepherd1983]

The idea of having astronauts returning to earth but not realizing until much later was used in the Twilight Zone. That episode was written by Rod Serling himself.

[@4002corbe]

Linda Harrison ….pretty lady !

[@rockywatchesmovies]

Yes indeed!

[@RFED2O]

Understatement 💯

[@kratibnoi10310]

The makeup in this film was highly praised for its realism and innovation. Amazing job👏👏👏👏

[@tbarney]

one of the greatest sci franchises

[@damonhall7116]

One of my favourite films yet it’s obvious to even the most stupid out there. Taylor, an astronaut who should be fairly intelligent, has landed on a planet he believes to be orbiting Betelgeuse in the earth constellation of Orion. Yet, when the apes show up they are capable of speaking North American English. Surely he must have figured it out then.

[@TokyoBlades]

Good to see that even after the end of mankind's reign the apes were still able to keep up the water pressure for the fire hose!

[@ronleight9341]

Nice!

[@HailAnts]

Regarding 3:51 and _"...a chimpanzee in a tuxedo"_ that's no way to describe Walter Matthau! 🤣

[@brentvalentine]

I saw this movie in a theater many decades ago. It was quite intense for my young mind at the time.

[@jacktribble5253]

I was never a fan of the movie or any part of the franchise. But I do enjoy your presentation of the history and technical aspects. Your work is quite educational even if the movie in question is in question.

[@rotorheadv8]

To a 9yr old in 1968, it was incredible.

[@rockywatchesmovies]

Thank you so much

[@noelhernandez363]

Groundbreaking movie with one of the most iconic ending in cinematic history!!

[@Oldag75]

The book's author Pierre Boulle also wrote the novel, "The Bridge on the River Kwai" -- which was crafted into another legendary movie. At the end of the "Planet of the Apes" book, Taylor somehow gets on a space flight back to Earth. When he lands at the airport in Paris, he is greeted by a gorilla. An interesting vignette in the book had Taylor in a jail cell, and a group of apes came by to look at him. He caught the eye of the leader, and used a finger to roughly sketch in the sand a diagram of the Pythagorean Theorem, showing a right triangle with squares added to each side. As the group moved on, the leader quickly rubbed out the sand drawing. They should have used that in the film.

[@4002corbe]

They did .

[@andrewthomasfinney752]

It's nice to know that the American studio that put the money up went for the ending they did. I read somewhere, and we see it all the time, U.S. studios generally don't like film endings which are negative and prefer to have them happy and upbeat.

[@danielmitchell6940]

loved all the movies and tv series

[@daytripperhd]

you appear to give the director too much credit for the surprise ending, but it was Rod Serlings idea from HIS original script. They got rid of the high tech and went for low tech, but kept his surprise ending. or so i read.

[@morgandude2]

Still a great film.

[@kar4938]

Loved this movie as a kid. Still like to watch it once in a while. Inspired me to see Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon in person. The scene with the gorilla chomping on a gasser in the jail is so awesome.

[@WarDog793]

Fascinating facts abou this classic movie. 1) I wish they had revealed that Nova was pregnant by Taylor; probably too racy for Fox execs, idk. 2) Raquel Welch playing Nova would have been out-freaking-standing, especially so soon after _One Million Years BC._ I think the box office would have been double if she'd been cast. 3) Minor quibble, but the statue of Liberty would have corroded out of existence after all the time it took to evolve an ape civilization. They could have use some stone monuments in D.C. and would have been just as effective.

[@ffjsb]

The only bad thing about the end scene is the rock cliff on the beach. The geography is wrong for NYC. It should be flatter. That's always bothered me. Still a great movie though.

[@JohnPepp]

That didn't bother me since this event takes place in the future, and geography changes over time. It’s not too far-fetched to think that NYC could have become beachfront property, especially after a nuclear war.

[@ffjsb]

@@JohnPepp I just know too much about geology. it's already waterfront, there just wouldn't be cliffs like that, that would take at least hundreds of thousands of years.

[@ernestdesimone2234]

@@ffjsb The north end of Manhattan Island has some pretty high cliffs.

[@ffjsb]

@@ernestdesimone2234 I don't think Ellis Island does though.

[@EdwardDevin]

I think it describes a nuclear attack, but I agree with you it's odd.

[@laurabailey1054]

I remember seeing this in the tv when I was under 10 years old. My mum and I saw it in tv.

[@rotorheadv8]

I saw this movie in the summer of 1968 when I was 9. It blew my mind.

[@beeman2075]

Excellent deep dive into the film and its production. I enjoyed the 1968 film and (most of) the adaptations since, but can't help but wish the budget had been sufficient for the first film to treat us to the world portrayed in Boulle's novel and Serling's screenplay with simians completely at home with 1950s or thereabouts modern developments including cars, clothing and buildings. A scene in the novel has simians climbing and swinging their way across a huge monkey bars 'walkway' above and across a city road intersection, and this being completely normal for them in their daily transit. Scenes like this in a film with stunt performers or good CGI would help towards bringing that world to life in a really wonderful way.

[@rockywatchesmovies]

Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment! I totally agree that it would have been intriguing to see the world Boulle envisioned in his novel.

[@fabianmckenna8197]

The feeling I got from the film was one of the Apes overriding wish to avoid following the path that humanity had taken thereby retaining a simpler way of life.

[@JohnSwindells-zm4sq]

FANTASTIC movie

[@David-yw2lv]

Many fans of Pierre Boulle's novel were not fans of the movie because it strayed so far from the book

[@jackdorsey4850]

Charlton Heston said during the trial Sean he was nude a female person walked behind him and said nice buns

[@AtheistOrphan]

# ‘Doctor Zaius, Doctor Zaius’

[@hiredgun7996]

Hilarious Simpsons episode!

[@johnfnoone3164]

My theory is they had the most scenes together

[@paulhohn-b1v]

Spaceballs

[@rockywatchesmovies]

Coming soon

[@mraims2plez]

I always wondered how the top half of the Statue of Liberty got from Ellis Island to that beach.

[@willyboyw.5771]

And on the West Coast!

[@AtheistOrphan]

The other way around, the harbour silted up so the land extended out. (Or so I’ve always been told!)

[@ernestdesimone2234]

The Statue of Liberty is on Liberty Island, not Ellis Island, which is next door. It is hollow, a storm could have swept it along.

[@foetwenny]

Grew up in the 70s watching Planet of the Apes movies every Saturday morning on local tv in NY, along with Abbott and Costello, monster movies and Hong Kong cinema. Good times 😊

[@paulhohn-b1v]

Post office has a Charleston Heston stamp out