Script To Screen: “Planet of the Apes” (1968)

The famous ending of the original version of the movie Planet of the Apes (screenplay by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, based on a novel by Pierre Boulle).

Setup: Taylor has escaped on horseback with Nova.

409 EXT. PALISADE AND BEACH - LONG HIGH ANGLE SHOT - DAYTaylor and Nova are already far downstream. There is a striking change
in the terrain. The area is still desolate,but some vegetation can be
seen on the palisade above the narrow beach, and the river has widened
to form a vast tidal basin where it meets the sea.A NOTE ON PRODUCTION: If feasible at new location site, this scene
should be shot at high tide, so that the water laps at the base of the
cliffs, making a passage difficult and risky.410 CLOSER ANGLE - PANNING WITH TAYLOR AND NOVA ON HORSEBACKHe is alert, sniffing the salt air, sizing up the situation. Hearing
the CRIES of birds, he reins in and looks' up.411 SKY SHOT - CIRCLING BIRDSSea gulls are soaring overhead.412 TWO SHOT - TAYLOR AND NOVA ON HORSEBACKHis expression is expectant, searching. Nova emits a whimper of
anticipation, pointing off.413 LONG SHOT - WHAT THEY SEE:A verdant forest atop a distant palisade. Their view of the beach below
the forest, is cut off by a rocky promontory in the middle distance.414 CLOSE SHOT - NOVA AND TAYLORHe smiles at her hopefully.TAYLOR
Yes, Nova -- I see it.
(looks again at
forest)
In my old profession green meant
safe. Green meant go.The horse moves off at a trot, CAMERA PANNING. But they have gone only
a short distance when they hear the distant THUNDER of an EXPLOSION.
Taylor reins in and looks back.415 VERY LONG SHOT - A CLOUD OF SMOKEA column of smoke and dust rises from the exploded cave far upstream.416 BACK TO TAYLOR AND NOVAFrowning with concern, Taylor gazes for a moment at the smoke, then
decides this is no time to linger. He digs his heels into the horse's
flanks and they move off at a canter, riding toward the promontory that
splits the beach. They are nearing the promontory that blocks their
view of the beach beyond.417- OUT
418419 CLOSER ANGLE - TRACKING WITH TAYLOR AND NOVA.As they round the promontory, the tip of a strange rock formation comes
into view. it appears to be jutting from the sea.420 REACTION SHOT - TAYLORHe reins in momentarily, baffled by what he sees. Then he rides on.421 THE STRANGE FORMATION - AS SEEN BY TAYLORAn immense column juts from the beach at a thirty-degree angle. We can
now see that it is not rock, but metal. Green metallic tints show
through its gray salt-stained surface. As we draw closer, the object
takes on the appearance of a massive arm, its top shaped like a hand
holding a torch.422 REVERSE ANGLE - FAVORING TAYLORFrowning with consternation. His horse proceeds at a slow walk.423 TRACKING WITH TAYLOR - WHAT HE SEES:Near the base of the column, where the shore and water meet, are a row
of metal spikes. From this angle they look like tank traps.A-423 CLOSER - TAYLORDumbfounded, he slides from his saddle, approaches the spikes. Nova
dismounts and follows him.TAYLOR
(a cry of agony)
My God!He falls to his knees, buries his head in his hands. CAMERA SLOWLY
DRAWS BACK AND UP to a HIGH ANGLE SHOT disclosing what Taylor has
found. Half-buried in the sand and washed by the waves is the Statue of
Liberty.424- OUT
451FADE OUTTHE END
Here is the scene from the movie:Questions to ask to analyze the scene:* What elements in the movie scene are the same as the script?* What elements in the movie scene are different than the script?* Regarding the differences, put yourself in the mindset of the filmmakers and speculate: Why did they make the changes they did?* How did the changes improve the scene?* Alternatively are there elements in the script, not present in the movie, that are better than the final version of the scene?* Note each camera shot in the movie version. Which of them does the script suggest via sluglines or scene description?* How does the script convey a sense of the scene’s tone, feel, and pace through scene description and dialogue?* What ‘magic’ exists in the movie that is not indicated in the words of the script? How do you suppose that magic emerged?I’ll see you in comments for a discussion of this terrific scene from Planet of the Apes.One of the single best things you can do to learn the craft of screenwriting is to read the script while watching the movie. After all a screenplay is a blueprint to make a movie and it’s that magic of what happens between printed page and final print that can inform how you approach writing scenes. That is the purpose of Script to Screen, a weekly series on GITS where we analyze a memorable movie scene and the script pages that inspired it.

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