Planet Of The Apes - The language issue

[PHArchivist]

Recently watched the film, and likewise was talking about it in general with some buddies the other day...

How do the true, hard-core fans of this film reconcile the language paradox?

Speech is a major plot element in the film.

--Taylor knows the apes can speak, and that is strange
--Taylor should be able to speak too, but cannot due to his injury, hence the apes take him as a typical human
--Once Taylor DOES speak, the plot takes a turn

But...

Taylor feels he is on an alien planet; not Earth.

So...

Why dosn't he wonder how the apes can speak his own language (presumably, English)?

--If the apes speak English how could the planet NOT be Earth?
--If the apes spoke in an alien tongue, how would Taylor be able to understand them?

Unless I'm missing something, it seems to be to be a paradoxical plot hole.

By the way, I was late coming to this film, not having ever seen it until just last year. So perhaps this is an age old debate that has simply been written off long ago to "Its just a movie...!"

 

[DarkHelmet]

Yep, been a geek topic of mine for as long as I can remember along with why did the natives build their door Kong size when they wanted to keep him out?

Some things you just have to let go..

 

[micdavis]

Seeing a bunch of talking apes chasing you around would put you off your game.

He just never got a chance to think about it.

Although he does ponder at the end.

Taylor: "It still doesn't give me the why, a planet where apes evolved from men, there's got to be an answer"

Zaius: "Don't look for it Taylor. You might not like what you find."

Taylor thinks the Apes evolved from men, so naturally they speak english. Apparently all men speak english as well.

 

[Lost in Trek]

Taylor thinks the Apes evolved from men, so naturally they speak english. Apparently all men speak english as well.

They do on Star Trek. :lol

 

[SVTStingRay]

its called the universal translator

 

[Kittlemeier]

Been a while since I've seen it and I've never thought about it.

How long was he injured before he was able to speak? Long enough for a Thirteenth Warrior style crash course in the language?

 

[phase pistol]

It's 1968, of course ALL aliens speak English. :lol

 

[DocTony]

When the astronauts first woke up on the spaceship they saw one of their comrades was dead, the cryo thing failed, so they KNEW they were asleep a while right... so maybe he assumed man had went into space and this race spun off maybe

 

[NakedMoleRat]

They used the Pilsner method!

 

[The Stig]

Oh my god, I was wrong. It was Earth all along. I guess you've finally made a monkey out of me.

 

[Mechamaniac]

It just occurred to me that I have never seen the original POTA all the way through.

 

[The Stig]

Well you can't cry "spoiler," the movie is over 40 years old. THERE'S A LIMIT TO THESE THINGS, baby!

 

[Mechamaniac]

Well you can't cry "spoiler," the moviw ia over 40 years old. THERE'S A LIMIT TO THESE THINGS, baby!

LOL, no, I know the story, but I have only ever seen chunks of the movie on TV from time to time, never all the way through.

 

[CessnaDriver]

How the hell does one NOT have seen POTA? LOL

 

[blewis17]

its called the universal translator

A glaring plot hole, from Trek to Stargate Universe. Eventually, every alien has to speak English in some way, so that you can "Get over it" and move the story along. At least Trek has tried to explain it (inconsistently) with the Universal Translator, and if there was one good thing with the Enterprise TV series is that they routinely spent time with this issue, showing the troubles and inherent problems.

 

[0neiros]

Factoid, POTA was written by Pierre Boule, who also penned Bridge on the River Kwai. He presented a script for "Planet of Men" as a sequel to POTA, but the studio rejected it, I'd love to read it and see what it was about.

 

[SSgt Burton]

LOL, no, I know the story, but I have only ever seen chunks of the movie on TV from time to time, never all the way through.

*Raises hand...*

Me too. I've probably seen the whole movie, in chunks, but never all the way through from start to finish. I don't think I've seen the opening in decades.

Kevin

 

[PHArchivist]

How the hell does one NOT have seen POTA? LOL

I got my balls busted by some venerated RPF vets for not having seen Tron. Never have.

 

[CTF]

I got my balls busted by some venerated RPF vets for not having seen Tron. Never have.

Apes is a classic.

Tron? Not so much...

 

[Larry Young]

Factoid, POTA was written by Pierre Boule, who also penned Bridge on the River Kwai. He presented a script for "Planet of Men" as a sequel to POTA, but the studio rejected it, I'd love to read it and see what it was about.

http://www.simplyscripts.com/planet_of_the_apes.html

Click and save the pdfs PLANET OF THE MEN parts 1 & 2. You may not like what you find.