Planet of the Apes has become one of the most beloved franchises in the world, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the original 1963 novel and its first film adaptation from 1968. The original book was titled Planet of the Monkeys and written by French author Pierre Boulle. It tells the story of three human explorers from Earth who visit a planet dominated by intelligent and civilized great apes. This was also true for the film version starring Charlton Heston, although, upon further inspection, there were some striking differences.
While the Planet of the Apes Movie franchise has had its share of sequels, remakes and reboots, Boulle’s novel was a unique experience that told a story that, in many ways, was significantly different from the 1968 film version. With several changes regarding characters, themes and even its iconic ending, when all is said and done, There was never really a faithful adaptation of Bowle’s original novel. Which one is superior is certainly up for debate, but those only familiar with one version will certainly be surprised at the differences between them.
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A different era
Planet of the Apes has two different settings
Although the book and film versions of Planet of the Apes Each set in an imagined sci-fi future, the initial setup for the two stories was completely different. The original novel by Pierre Boulle established its story as an interstellar voyage beginning in the year 2500 without any reference to contemporary times. However, these Planet of the Apes The 1968 movie brought things closer to the actual era in which the movie was made, when the astronauts left Earth in 1972.
This change makes sense, considering the Planet of the Apes The film was produced right in the middle of the American space race and was released just one year before mankind landed on the moon. By changing the initial setting in the film, the scientific anxiety seen in Planet of the Apes Felt much closer to reality as the dark consequences of space travel were explored. The change became less significant as the film progressed, and due to time dilation, The astronauts traveled 701 years into the future, from 1972 to 2673.
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Ulysses Murrow vs. George Taylor
The Planet of the Apes changed its main character
The most obvious change when Planet of the Apes was adapted from the page to the screen starring the main protagonist. In the original novel by Pierre Boulle, the main character was a French journalist named Ulysses Mereau, and the story was told from the perspective of a manuscript he had written. However, for this film, Ulysse was reimagined as George TaylorA 20th century astronaut played by Charlton Heston.
The differences between Ulysses and Taylor were striking, as they boasted very different personalities and motivations. While Ulysses was a sharp and curious intellectual who was very careful in his actions, Taylor was much more bombastic and aggressive as he sought to free himself from the captivity of his hyper-intelligent primate captors. The change in the characterization of the two heroes showed the necessary changes to adapt a story for the screen, because Heston’s characterization had much more appeal for a Hollywood movie as he pushed the story forward through action rather than introspection.
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A more technologically advanced society
The two societies of the planet of the apes looked quite different from one another
The two futuristic societies depict Planet of the Apes Showcase primates use advanced technology far beyond the capabilities of any gorilla, orangutan or chimpanzee. However, when comparing the novel and the 1968 film, it is striking how much more advanced the society in the book is shown to be. The main change made the book and movie quite different from one another, because the two societies are almost incomparable when you look at their technological development.
While The citizens of Ape City in the film live a more primitive existenceComplete with horses and carriages, scrolls and stone buildings more akin to a pre-industrial era human society, the apes in this book have technology equal to modern humans. This is likely more to do with the budget for these Planet of the Apes Movie as an intentional diversion from the novel, because it was much less expensive to depict a more primitive society than a highly advanced one.
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Apes riding horses like men
The Planet of the Apes novel has more advanced hunting methods
One of the best scenes from the original Planet of the Apes The movie was when the apes were first shown riding horses as they hunted humans and imprisoned them. The powerful cinematic depiction showed the superiority of apes in this futuristic society when they rounded up their prey like cattle and captured George Taylor, who was forced into his cell. However, the striking image of apes riding horses is nowhere to be seen in Pierre Boulle’s novel, because the apes have technology far more advanced than simple horse-riding.
Instead of riding horses as a major mode of transportation, The apes in the Planet of the Apes Roman utilized helicopters and trucks How they hunted humans for sport. This was another example of just how much more advanced the apes in the book were to the novel, how they wore the fanciest clothes, drank the finest wine, and lived in cities much larger than what was seen on screen. In the same way that the size of Ape City was reduced for the film version, budgetary concerns likely stood in the way of a more faithful adaptation.
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Dr. Zaius
The film of the planet of the apes gives dr. Zeus a much more prominent role
One important character in both versions of Planet of the Apes was Dr. Zeus, although his role was expanded much more in the 1968 version. In the book, Dr. Zeus is portrayed as the main doubter of the astronaut’s claims To wit, but beyond that, readers don’t see an awful lot of it. In contrast, Dr. Zaius was the main antagonist of the movie, whose main goal was to undermine and control humanity, as he desperately did. Fear that one day they will discover their intelligence and overthrow the ape-led society.
The main change gave the film version a completely different story, because leading apes not only saw humans as the equivalent of an average farmed animal, but as a real threat that could undermine their existence. This feeling stems from other changes the movie made from the original book, as Dr. Zaius had prior knowledge of humans’ previous role as rulers of what was once called Planet Earth. Dr. Zeus knew that humanity existed before the society that was led by the apes. And that their actions caused the forbidden zone to become desolate.
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Thematic differences
The film Planet of the Apes addresses new concerns
The original novel by Pierre Boulle was a satirical look at the workings of society, the inherent qualities that define intelligence, and who gets to decide who is worthy of participating in civilization. The rich thematic resonance of this satire was carried forward in the film as it raised pressing questions about the treatment of humans who were deemed less than their ape counterparts. In both the novel and the book, humans are hunted for sport, and inhumane treatment of them is brought to the fore.
However, one major theme that was explored in the movie but not in the film was the road Planet of the Apes Talking religion and evolution. In the movie, Dr. Zaius is obsessed with the idea that apes are God’s chosen creatures and is afraid of the idea that they evolved from the same source. This point is even more highlighted by Zaius’ job description as Defender of the Faith and Minister of Science.
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The planet Soror
The Planet of the Apes novel has a major planetary difference
Viewers who have yet to catch the 1968 film Planet of the Apes May be shocked to learn the final twist that The planet George Taylor found himself stuck on was actually Earth the whole time. This was because apes had overtaken humanity after a likely nuclear disaster had seen the Forbidden Zone become desolate. The apocalyptic event led humanity to regress into a primitive dumb state as the ape society was formed out of the ashes of what was once a human-made civilization.
This is not at all the case in Pierre Boulle’s novel, because, rather than taking place on a future version of Earth, it is actually set on the planet Soror. This significant difference is actually maintained in the ending of Tim Burton’s 2001 remake of Planet of the ApesIn which it was revealed that everything took place on another planet called Ashlar. Although the 1968 version may be the best-known retelling of this story, it is interesting to note that it was not originally envisioned that way.
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Nova’s role
The love interest of the planet of the apes is not the same in every version
Nova’s mute character is seen in both these Planet of the Apes Book and the novel, although its representation is very different. Although Nova was the main love interest in both depictions, her role in the book was more nuanced as she displayed a greater level of emotional intelligence. While there were glimmers of her connection with Taylor in the movie, it was in the novel that she formed a much more three-dimensional and believable connection with Ulysses.
In the book, Nova and Ulisse have a child who can talk. This development has shown that although humanity has lost its place among the most advanced creatures in the universe, it may be possible for them to regain their once-dominant position. As a partner and a mother, Nova’s role in the Planet of the Apes Roman gave her much more agency Like the scantily clad eye-candy representation portrayed by Linda Harrison in the film.
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Return to Earth
The Planet of the Apes novel takes things back to where it all started
Like Pierre Bull’s Planet of the Apes Novel takes place on the planet Soror rather than the futuristic version of Earth seen in the film, they have two completely different endings. In this book, Ulysses Merrow still meets and falls in love with Man Nova, and from this, they have a son named Sirius, who can walk and talk at three months old. Fearing for their lives, Ulysse and his family take the place of human test subjects on a space program, and manage to leave the planet.
While George Taylor, the film’s character, was doomed to remain on the futuristic Earth seen in Planet of the ApesUlysses reprogrammed his ship to take him back to his version of Earth. However, by the time Ulysses brought it back to earthCenturies passed, and, in an ironic twist of fate, apes became the dominant species on his planet. Ulysses, Nova, and his son then left again in space, and he wrote the manuscript of the novel as a document of all that happened.
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The iconic ending
The iconic twist from Planet of the Apes is just in this film
The litany of changes made in adapting Pierre Boulle’s Planet of the Apes Novel for the screen meant that the ending was completely different. This led to the inclusion of the iconic Statue of Liberty conclusion, which has stood as one of Hollywood’s most perfect movie endings. The famous scene saw the marooned astronaut George Taylor ventures into the Forbidden Zone only to be confronted by the last remnants of human society.Revealing to him that the planet he was on was Earth the whole time, and humanity was being destroyed by a possible nuclear apocalypse.
As George Taylor cried, “You maniacs, you blow it“, it was not the apes he was cursing, but humanity for its foolish endeavors. The iconic ending better represented American anxiety. When Planet of the Apes Released in 1968, the idea of mutually assured nuclear destruction was a pressing concern amid ongoing Cold War tensions. Although it may be shocking for viewers to learn these Planet of the Apes‘ The most iconic scene wasn’t in the book at all, it’s a testament to the movie’s lasting legacy that it carved out its own unique identity as a true sci-fi classic.