Planet of the Apes Page #2

(NOTE:
Credits will appear here over a series of shots designed to

convey a sense of loneliness, of separation, and of the passage of

time.)

DISSOLVE TO:

12-A SERIES OF SHOTS - A DISTANT GLOBE (MINIATURE)

16

We see a strange and distant planet. At first the globe occupies but a

small area of the screen; but with each new VIEW it comes closer and

looms larger, as if" observed from a spaceship in a spiraling orbit of

descent.

The topography of the planet bears little resemblance to our own. Much

of it is obscured by cloud cover; even more of-it appears to be

cratered desert of reddish hue. We can, however, make out a few narrow

"green belts" and a patch of blue water.

In the FINAL SHOTS of this SEQUENCE we see the strange planet as it

would be observed from a spacecraft plummeting from twenty thousand

feet to one thousand feet. It appears that the ship will fall into a

vast lake surrounded by soaring sandstone pinnacles. The water is

blue-black, the pinnacles vermillion. (This is the Lake Powell

location, at Lone Rock.)

17INT. SPACESHIP - FULL SHOT - DAY

Four empty pilot seats are seen in f.g., the four glass caskets in

b.g. We HEAR the RHYTHMIC BLEAT of a WARNING SIGNAL, a RUSH OF WIND

as in a rapid descent, and perhaps the ROAR OF RETROJETS. Then, a

great CRASH as the craft hits water. The whole ship shudders on impact.

Loose equipment falls to the cabin floor. CAMERA MOVES DOWN the cabin

aisle as the ship begins to roll in the water and HOLDS on the four

glass caskets. There are THREE LOUD METALLIC CLICKS as the glass

domes of the caskets swing open automatically.

18CLOSE ON TAYLOR

He now has a full beard. His eyes come open. Instantly alert, he

rises to a sitting position, gazing across at:

19DODGE AND LANDON - FROM TAYLOR'S P.O.V.

They, too, awaken and sit up, starring at Taylor. They, too, are

bearded.

TAYLOR'S VOICE

(o.s.)

You all right?

They nod.

20BACK TO TAYLOR - CLOSE SHOT

He glances at the casket beside his own.

TAYLOR:

Stewart?

(struggling to his feet)

Stewart?

21CLOSE-SHOT --THE FOURTH CASKET

Its dome remains unopened. The young woman is a skeleton in a

Churchill suit.

22REACTION SHOT - THE THREE ASTRONAUTS

Dodge and Landon have joined Taylor and-stare at the grinning skull

of their dead comrade. A low, descending HUM of equipment is heard.

Simultaneously the lights begin to FADE. A moment later they brighten,

but not as much as before.

TAYLOR:

There goes our primary power. We're on

auxilliary.

A slight CRACKING sound is heard. Taylor turns quickly away and o.s.:

23REVERSE ANGLE - THE FORWARD CABIN

A trickle of water has begun to seep through a ruptured seam in the

cabin. Taylor darts to a porthole and peers cut.

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