About Escape From the Planet of the Apes

The third installment in the "Planet of the Apes" series, "Escape From the Planet of the Apes" was released in 1971. This time, the story is flipped around when Zira, Cornelius and Dr. Milo, three chimps from the future, trade places with Taylor. They time-travel in Taylor's spacecraft back to 20th-century Los Angeles, where they face fear and persecution similar to Taylor's experiences in the future.

Making / Production

Directed by Don Taylor, "Escape From the Planet of the Apes" was produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. The script was written by Paul Dehn, adapted from characters created by Pierre Boulle for the original "Planet of the Apes" novel.

Actors

• Roddy McDowall as Cornelius: McDowall brings humanity and depth to his role as a scientific ape.
• Kim Hunter as Zira: As the compassionate and intelligent Zira, Hunter gives an emotionally complex performance.
• Sal Mineo as Dr. Milo: Though his role was brief, Mineo helps set the tone for the rest of the film as the able Dr. Milo.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Despite being the third film in the series, this is the first one in which any character travels back in time.
• Sal Mineo's character, Dr. Milo, is killed off early in the film due to Mineo's dissatisfaction with the role.
• Originally, Roddy McDowall was not available to reprise his role as Cornelius due to scheduling conflicts, but he was eventually able to join the cast.

Quotes

• "If that is called biting, then the female of your species has a very delicate mouth." - Cornelius
• "All knowledge is for good. Only the use to which you put it can be evil." - Zira
• "What will he find out there, doctor?"
  "His destiny." - Exchange between President's Committee Chairman and Dr. Otto Hasslein

Music, Soundtrack

• The memorable soundtrack of the film was the product of legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith.
• In contrast to the avant garde music of the previous installments, much of the score for "Escape" is light-hearted and whimsical, mirroring the more comedic and satirical tone of the film.