Planet of the Apes (1968)

 


 


Planet of the Apes was released into theaters on April 3rd, 1968. Filming locations include Malibu, Ca. It was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. Two years later, he directed the critically acclaimed Patton. The lead of astronaut George Taylor was played by the late great Charlton Heston. Three years later, Heston would star in The Omega Man. The film also starred Roddy McDowall, who would go on to be in Fright Night, as well as it's sequel. The film spawned four sequels, two television series' and a remake in 2001. That same year, it was also added to the National Film Registry. The score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith. The films first DVD release was on August 21st, 2001.


Ape City - 1925 Las Virgenes Rd. Calabasas, Ca. 91302
(Malibu Creek State Park)

Ape City was a set constructed at Century Lake. There are no traces of the set today and the area where it stood is now mostly overgrown. The easiest way to reach the location is via High Road trail, which is about a 1.3 mile hike one way. About a mile past Century Lake are the M.A.S.H. filming sites. Also, next to the first parking lot of Malibu Creek State Park is the rest room that was seen near the beginning of Halloween H20. Malibu Creek State Park is a great place to visit for outdoor enthusiasts as well as movie location hunters.


2021


Cave beach - 7103 Westward Beach Rd. Malibu, Ca. 90265
(Point Dume State Beach)

These scenes were filmed in Pirates Cove.


2021


Ending - Cliffside Dr. Malibu, Ca. 90265
(Dume Cove)

The Statue of Liberty scene was also filmed at this location, at the eastern edge of the cove. I wasn't able to make it to that spot on this particular day before the sun set though, unfortunately.


2021

4 comments:

  1. In the scene with the two of them on horse back it seems the matte painting, the island in the centre of the screen is just the reversal of the hill on the cliff.

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  2. Question: The shot at Pirates Cove. I hiked in there over very wet and dangerous rocks. I wonder how they got a whole crew with horses in there?

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  3. I understand from online sources that the statue of liberty sequence was actually shot in two locations. A scaffolding representing the statue and it's spires was built on the other (north? west?), public-facing side of Point Dume, and the shots of the spires and the overhead shot of Taylor and Nova approaching the statue on horseback was shot from the top of Point Dune and/or the scaffolding there. The shots of Taylor dismounting and kneeling in the sand while Nova remains on the horse, however, were shot at Pirates Cove (I.e., on the other side of Point Dume. I was there in 2015, which is when I found this info, and from being there in person it makes sense to me. My family members and I didn't get into Pirates Cove perse, but we walked the trails along the top of Point Dume and saw it from above. You can also see while up there that the biggest overhead shot in the final sequence, showing Taylor and Nova when they cross from right to left on horseback along the shoreline when they have not yet encountered the statue, was obviously shot from the top of Point Dume looking into Pirates Cove

    Regarding another question raised here, I believe the horses and much of the crew were kept on Point Dume or on its other, more-facing side while only those necessary crew members and actors were brought into Pirates Cove. Roddy McDowell's home movies show how he was helicoptered in there

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    Replies
    1. Wooden ramps were built over the rocks for the horses and equipment.

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