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Film1970

Beneath the Planet of the Apes

Directed by Ted Post

  • adventure
  • science fiction
  • mystery

The story

The sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission lands on the planet of the apes, and uncovers a horrible secret beneath the surface.

What it’s like

Dusty, sun-bleached desert exteriors give way to dim underground chambers of carved stone, lit by smoky torches and the cold glow of ruined machinery, with a close, claustrophobic feel. Faces are heavy with prosthetic makeup and framed in tight, unsettling close-ups, and the palette leans toward ochre, grey and dried-blood brown. The sound design is often eerie and sparse, with echoing footsteps, chanting and a brooding orchestral score that swells at moments of ritual dread. The pace is brisk on the surface and slower and more oppressive underground, where a sense of slow menace builds. Its vibe is bleak, paranoid and grimly apocalyptic, the kind of sci-fi that suits a late-night viewing or a rainy evening with a sense of foreboding. Intensity is moderate to high: there are gunfights, brutal combat and a harrowing, nihilistic ending, with some blood and visible injury, but no sexual content. The emotional register is heavy and fatalistic, following a struggling man through a hostile world. It is for viewers who enjoy dystopian science fiction, cult-film atmosphere and a downbeat, philosophical edge, and not for anyone seeking something gentle or light.

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