We all know the film “Planet of the Apes” or should I say the movies and the TV series, plural.
But how many of us know that the movie is an adaptation of a book written in 1963 by the French author Pierre Boulle, titled “La Planète des Singes”?
I remember reading the book as a teenager and being completely captivated. I couldn’t put it down. And then the end took my breath away.
To this day, the last paragraph still is vivid in my memory. What as shocker! Very different from the 1968 original movie ending, but every bit as good, if not better.
Be reassured, I won’t divulge anything in case you decide to read the original novel, which I highly recommend. It’s available in English on Amazon.
Another planetary success
Pierre Boulle was a well-known writer a decade before “Planet of the Apes”.
He became famous for publishing the novel “Le Pont de la rivière Kwaï”, in English “The Bridge over the River Kwai”, in 1952.
The book narrates the plight of British prisoners of war forced by the Imperial Japanese Army to build a bridge over the river Kwai.
The largely fictitious plot is based on the building in 1942 of one of the railway bridges over the Mae Klong river. The ordeal caused the death of 13,000 prisoners of war and an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians.
In 1957, the movie directed by David Lean won countless accolades, including 7 Academy Awards. Pierre Boulle won the best screenplay award.
Pierre Boulle
Pierre Boulle was born on February 20, 1912, in Avignon, France.
He studied at the prestigious École supérieure d'électricité (Supélec) where he received an engineer's degree in 1933.
At 24, Boulle worked as a technician on a British rubber plantation not far from Singapore.
During World War II, he served as a secret agent for the Free French Army under a false identity. He helped the resistance movement in China, Burma, and French Indochina.
In 1942, French soldiers from the Vichy government captured him. He was sentenced to forced labor for life. Two years later, in 1944, he managed to escape from Saigon.
After the war, upon his return to liberated France, he received many medals for his exploits. It is not long before he leaves again for Malaysia, but his job as a planter bores him. This is how he decides to write novels. We know the rest.
Pierre died on January 30, 1994, in Paris.
Pierre Boulle was quite a prolific author. He published some worth reading books. You can find a list here.
Apes or Monkeys?
The initial English version of Pierre Boulle's novel was titled “Monkey Planet”, before being changed to “Planet of the Apes”.
The switch made sense since the creatures living on that planet are an intelligent, human-like, species.
It’s interesting to note that the French language doesn't have a different word for “monkey" and “ape".
The word used for both is “singe”. However, to make the distinction, “apes” are referred to as “grands singes", meaning tall or big apes.
Screen Adaptations
The “Planet of the Apes” has been adapted into various movies and TV series. Here is a list of some of the adaptations:
Planet of the Apes (1968): This movie directed by Franklin J. Schaffner is considered the original adaptation of the book. It starred Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, and Kim Hunter.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973): This is the final movie in the original series.
Planet of the Apes (1974): This live-action TV series was produced by 20th Century Fox and aired for one season.
Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975): This is an animated TV series that aired for one season.
Planet of the Apes (2001): This movie is a reboot of the original film and was directed by Tim Burton. It starred Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter, and Tim Roth.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
I do think that the original 1968 version is by far the best. The TV series was short-lived, but still pretty interesting. The reboot movies released in the 2000 era largely deviate from Pierre Boulle’s original, which makes any comparison irrelevant. I didn’t care much for any of them.
What about you?