The Monkey on America's Back: The Fears of 1960s America as Seen in the Film Planet of the Apes

Authors

Grant Reynolds, Brigham Young University

Keywords

Planet of the Apes, Red Scare, Social Message, American History, Movies

Abstract

Few movies with blatant socail messages are both entertaining and profitable, but 1968's Planet of the Apes is an historic exception. The launching point for a franchise that included seven additional films, Planet of the Apes became a box office financial success and a cult classic, perhaps because of its social message. Planet of the Apes was released during one of the most stressful periods of American history and was written to shine a spotlight on the fears of the times, especially fears about the issues of the Red Scare, race relations, Vietnam, and nuclear war.

Recommended Citation

Reynolds, Grant (2014) "The Monkey on America's Back: The Fears of 1960s America as Seen in the Film Planet of the Apes," The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing: Vol. 43: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thetean/vol43/iss1/6