Planet of the Apes
One of the major science fiction pictures of its era. J. Lee Thompson was originally to direct, but was busy with McKenna’s Gold. Franklin Schaffner was recommended to replace him by star Charlton Heston. Author Pierre Boulle objected to the famous ending provided by Rod Serling (rewritten by Michael Wilson), but later came to accept it as better than the one in his novel. Followed by four sequels, a short lived network tv series, a Saturday morning cartoon series and a‚ 2001 remake.
About John Landis
John Landis is the director of Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf In London, Trading Places, Schlock, Kentucky Fried Movie, Spies Like Us, Three Amigos!, Into The Night, The Stupids, Innocent Blood, Coming To America, Burke & Hare, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Black Or White among many other films, commercials and extensive work in television. He was the Executive Producer and often director of HBO's celebrated series Dream On, and contributed two movies to the Masters of Horror series, Deer Woman and Family. His feature length documentaries Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project premiered on HBO, and Slasher on IFC.