Planet of the Apes (1968) is one of the classics of the science fiction genre. Although the plot of the film is based on the novel of the same name from 1963, the film director found Franklin J. Schaffner the ending too predictable and changed it.
In the novel “The Planet of the Apes” by French author Pierre Boulle, a group of astronauts land on a planet ruled by apes. The apes have built a highly developed civilization while humans are kept as primitive animals on this planet.
Here’s the trailer for the 1968 sci-fi classic:
A Glimpse of Planet of the Apes (1968)
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The book ends with the protagonist managing to escape from the Planet of the Apes and return to Earth. He lands in Paris some 700 years after his original departure. To his surprise he finds that the earth is also ruled by intelligent apes.
Director Franklin J. Schaffner takes up the framework story, but he changed the final scene. It made for a shocking moment, even impressing the author of the original work, Pierre Boulle.
What did the director change? In the 1968 film adaptation, the Statue of Liberty is seen at the end. This offers the protagonist Taylor and the viewers a shocking revelation: Taylor was on earth the whole time.
He realizes that the apocalyptic future he was in is actually his own ruined homeland. He responds by exclaiming, “You lunatics, you blew it up! Go to hell!”
A scene that will stick in your memory and is probably one of the most iconic moments in the history of science fiction cinema.
“More inventive than the original”
Why did the director change the ending? Franklin J. Schaffner found the ending in the novel to be too “predictable” (via Planet of the Apes Wiki). While sitting at lunch with Blake Edwards, who was due to direct at one point, an idea struck him.
Schaffner said to Blake: “What if he [der Protagonist im Film] been on earth all the time and doesn’t know, and the audience doesn’t know either?” Blake thought this was a great idea and suggested contacting the book’s author.
Schaffner then sent the script to the writer.
This is how Boulle reacted: He replied to Schaffner that he found the version of the ending more inventive than his own. He wished he had thought of that while writing the novel.
Without lunch, Schaffner probably wouldn’t have had the idea. After paying, he left the store and noticed the large Statue of Liberty on the wall of the restaurant, which ultimately gave him the idea.
Planet of the Apes (1968) is currently available on Disney+.
Incidentally, in 2011 NASA scientists compiled a list of the most unrealistic sci-fi films. First place goes to a well-known natural disaster film from 2009.