Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Childhood obsession: Planet of the Apes

According to the American Film Institute, the classic 1968 film Planet of the Apes contains the 66th best movie line:

Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!

Starring Charlton Heston as George Taylor, the pessimistic cigar-chomping and scenery-chewing ANSA astronaut, Planet of the Apes did very well at the box office, enough to spawn 4 sequels, a TV series in 1974, a remake in 2001, and a "re-imagining" in 2011. It was nominated for an Oscar in the categories of Best Costume Design and Best Music/Original Score, and an honourary award was later presented to John Chambers for his outstanding make-up achievement in the movie. 

Although I was only in my first year of life when this film was released, the series would soon have a profound affect on me as a child. It never matched that of Star Wars, mind you, but it still a profound affect nevertheless.