In five cult classics and three subsequent reboot blockbusters, the long running Planet of the Apes franchise tells a shocking story of role reversal in which intelligent apes have won mastery over the human race.
Inspired by French novelist Pierre Boulle’s La Planète des Singes, the original Planet of the Apes was released 50 years ago in 1968. Like all great science fiction, the ground breaking adventure probed controversies, deficiencies and questions relating our own society.
TM and © Fox 2018
When a team of astronauts crash-land on a dystopian Planet in the year 3978, they find that humans have been subjugated by a dominant race of apes who treat them like illiterate vermin to be killed, enslaved or used for experiments. After surviving a brutal attack, astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) becomes a focus of interest for chimpanzee couple Zira, a veterinarian, and Cornelius her archaeologist fiancé, who controversially try to prove that human society pre-dated their simian culture.
Both a critical and commercial success, the highly influential film helped establish sci fi as a mainstream Movie genre. Nominated for three Oscars, it won a prized statuette for outstanding make-up achievement at the 1969 ceremony.
It also laid claim to having one of the best closing lines in movie history. Having escaped Ape City, Taylor discovers the remains of the Statue of Liberty – finally realising that the planet is actually a post-apocalyptic Earth. Lamenting the reckless behaviour of the human race, he yells in despair:
“You finally really did it. You maniacs! You blew it up! God damn you! God damn you all to hell!
50 Years of the Planet of the Apes
2018 1oz Silver Proof Coin
This coin celebrates the 50th anniversary of Planet of the Apes. Struck by The Perth Mint from 1oz of 99.99% pure silver under official licence of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, its reverse portrays an ape from the original movie poster with a depiction of the adobe-like structures of Ape City in the foreground.
A rare and desirable semicentennial memento for movie buffs, the release is subject to a limited mintage of 5,000 coins which come individually housed in presentation packaging.
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