Planet of the Apes Page #20

TAYLOR:

Good luck then.

He reaches down, grasps Cornelius' hand, then grins crookedly.

TAYLOR:

Dr. Zira, I'd like to kiss you

good-bye.

ZIRA:

All right, but....

(tears in her eyes)

...you're so damned ugly!

Taylor smiles, leans down, kisses her.

ZIRA:

(softly)

Go with God, Taylor.

(half smile)

That's an old expression. it comes

from both ape and man.

TAYLOR:

God bless you.

He extends his hand to Lucius, who takes it.

TAYLOR:

Lucius.

LUCIUS:

I think you're making a mistake.

TAYLOR:

That's the boy. Keep 'em flying.

LUCIUS:

What?

TAYLOR:

The flags of discontent. It's the only

way anything ever gets changed.

(to Zaius)

Don't try to follow us.

(pats stock of

his rifle)

I'm pretty handy with things like this.

ZAIUS:

Of that I'm sure. All my life I've

awaited your coming and dreaded it.

Like death itself.

Taylor looks piercingly at Zaius, more troubled than offended.

TAYLOR:

Why? From the first, I've terrified you,

Doctor. And in spite of every sign that

I'm an intelligent being who means no

harm, you continue to hate and fear me.

Why?

ZAIUS:

(calmly,

without rancor)

Because you are a man. And you were right

-- I have always known about man. From the

evidence, I believe his wisdom must walk

hand in hand with his idiocy. His emotions

must rule his brain. He must be a warlike

animal who gives battle to everything around

him -- even himself.

TAYLOR:

What evidence? No weapons were found in

the cave.

ZAIUS:

The Forbidden Zone was once a paradise.

Your breed made a desert of it, ages ago.

TAYLOR:

(he waits,

then wearily)

We're back at the beginning. I still don't

know the why. A planet where apes evolved

from men. A world turned wrong side up.

A puzzle with one piece missing.

ZAIUS:

(softly)

Don't look for it, Taylor. You may not

like what you find.

B-389WIDER ANGLE - TAYLOR AND THE GROUP

Taylor shakes his head, still baffled, digs his heels into the horse's

flank. It canters off along the sandy shore.Zira, Cornelius and

Lucius sadly watch the departure.

ZAIUS:

Untie me!

Cornelius moves quickly to remove the rope from Zaius' neck. Behind

them, the five mounted gorillas gallop forward. Zaius gets up, waves

them to a halt.

ZAIUS:

No, no! Let him go!

C-389MOVING SHOT - TAYLOR AND NOVA ON HORSEBACK

Taylor looks back, sees that Zaius has stopped the mounted apes, slows

his horse to a trot, smiles at Nova.

390-OUT

405

406MED. SHOT - THE APES

Zaius watches as Taylor's horse moves farther away along the beach.

Then he turns to an ape called MARCUS.

ZAIUS:

(quietly)

Fetch your explosives. We're going

to seal the cave.

MARCUS:

Yes, sir.

He remounts his horse and rides o.s.

CORNELIUS:

(aghast)

Seal the cave?

ZAIUS:

That's correct. And you will both stand

trial for heresy.

ZIRA:

But the proof? The doll?

ZAIUS:

In a few minutes there will be no doll.

There can't be.

(honest regret)

I'm sorry.

Cornelius throws himself at Zaius.

CORNELIUS:

You mustn't! You gave your 'word!

Zaius looks emptily at one of his apes.

ZAIUS:

What I do, I do with no pleasure. Silence

him.

A hairy hand is clapped over Cornelius' mouth. He is dragged off,

struggling, kicking. Julius, unafraid, glares at Zaius.

LUCIUS:

Dr. Zaius, this is inexcusable! Why must

knowledge stand still? What about the

future?

Zaius looks benevolently at Julius.

ZAIUS:

I may just have saved it for you.

Julius and Zira look at each other, befuddled. Once more their eyes

follow the retreating figures of Taylor and Nova. The beach separating

the water from the canyon becomes narrower as they move downstream.

LUCIUS:

What will he find out there, doctor?

A-406CLOSEUP - ZAIUS

His face is A mask, his tone enigmatic.

ZAIUS:

His destiny.

B-406WIDER ANGLE - TIE APES P.O.V.

A moment later, as they watch, Taylor and Nova vanish around the bend.

407-OUT

408

409EXT. PALISADE AND BEACH - LONG HIGH ANGLE SHOT - DAY

Taylor 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.

410CLOSER ANGLE - PANNING WITH TAYLOR AND NOVA ON HORSEBACK

He is alert, sniffing the salt air, sizing up the situation. Hearing

the CRIES of birds, he reins in and looks' up.

411SKY SHOT - CIRCLING BIRDS

Sea gulls are soaring overhead.

412TWO SHOT - TAYLOR AND NOVA ON HORSEBACK

His expression is expectant, searching. Nova emits a whimper of

anticipation, pointing off.

413LONG 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.

414CLOSE SHOT - NOVA AND TAYLOR

He 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.

415VERY LONG SHOT - A CLOUD OF SMOKE

A column of smoke and dust rises from the exploded cave far upstream.

416BACK TO TAYLOR AND NOVA

Frowning 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

418

419CLOSER 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.

420REACTION SHOT - TAYLOR

He reins in momentarily, baffled by what he sees. Then he rides on.

421THE STRANGE FORMATION - AS SEEN BY TAYLOR

An 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.

422REVERSE ANGLE - FAVORING TAYLOR

Frowning with consternation. His horse proceeds at a slow walk.

423TRACKING 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-423CLOSER - TAYLOR

Dumbfounded, 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.

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