Original artwork, not a still
You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!
— Planet of the Apes ‧ 1968
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
This is the most famous reveal in science fiction film, and Taylor's cry is the bitter heart of it: the man who spent the film disliking humanity learns that humanity finished itself. The Cold War warning is plain, but the line works because Taylor is not shocked at the apes, only at us. It has been quoted, parodied and recreated in other media for decades, and the buried Statue of Liberty has become shorthand for any collapse.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Planet of the ApesShow the scene
The final scene of Planet of the Apes (1968). Taylor, an astronaut stranded on a world ruled by intelligent apes, has been freed with the mute human woman Nova and taken to the Forbidden Zone. After he leaves, the pair ride along the shoreline and come upon the remnants of the Statue of Liberty. Taylor realises that this supposedly alien planet is Earth, long after a nuclear war, falls to his knees in despair and curses humanity for destroying the world. Rod Serling's stylised twist ending was kept through every rewrite.
Sources (2)
- Planet of the Apes (1968 film), Wikipedia: plot and originsPlot (final paragraph); Production, OriginsReference checked
- Planet of the Apes (1968) script transcript, Springfield! Springfield!Closing lines of the scriptReference checked
Context reviewed
