Hunted... haunted... wanted... like beasts of prey!

Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, Linda Harrison, Lou Wagner, Woodrow Parfrey

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #9 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Planet of the Apes

"Man is a nuisance. He eats up his food supply in the forest, then migrates to our green belts and ravages our crops. The sooner he is exterminated, the better." – Doctor Zaius

Why watch this? ... it's compelling through-out, but the last scene makes it a legend.

Plot Summary: An astronaut crew crash-lands on a mysterious planet in the distant future, where they discover a highly evolved society of apes has become the dominant species, enslaving primitive humans. As the lone surviving spaceman navigates this new world and seeks to prove his intelligence to his captors, he uncovers the shocking truth about the planet's identity and past.

Dad's Preview: This is the first science fiction film I remember watching, and what a primer!  It was certainly ahead of its time. I was so intrigued by the role reversal between ape and man. It's humbling to witness a planet where man is the lowest animal - being hunted, killed, enslaved and even domesticated. The film's extensive make-up and eerie, avant-garde soundtrack were nominated for Oscars. Like many of writer Rod Serling's Twilight Zone episodes, this masterwork of his is a real think-piece about humanity and our own pre-conceived, hubris-laden ideals.

APJAC Productions; 20th Century Fox