If you’re a movie fan then you will know that the primate topic has been touched on quite a few times in the past. Some of them went on to be huge hits, especially when you look at classic cinema as a whole.

King Kong (1933)

Directed by Merian C. Cooper, this movie was a first for the franchise. It starred Robert Armstrong and Fay Wray. It’s considered to be a huge part of cinematic history and has gone on to inspire numerous movies since. It’s even inspired by games like King Kong Cash, which you can play this game under Paddy Power’s daily free spin wheel promotion. This movie tells the story of an ape who was captured from Skull Island, but things take a turn when he’s unleashed upon New York City. King Kong stands as a filmmaking achievement, and it is also considered to be one of the best horror movies to ever be made. It mesmerises audiences to this day, and it’s certainly the pick of the bunch when you look at the great ape movies out there.

Planet of the Apes (1968)

This is one of the longest-standing movie franchises in Hollywood. While a lot of good movies have come out under the same name, and albeit, some awful ones too, this is the film that started a new generation of primate movies. Franklin J. Schaffner released the first movie for the series in 1968, and since then it has served as an inspiration for many. Distributed by 20th Century Studios, this movie stars Roddy McDowell and Charlton Heston and tells the story of a crew who crashed on a strange planet. They then came across a society of apes, who evolved and learnt how to communicate. This was groundbreaking for the science fiction movie sector, and it’s one that’s not to be missed.

The Ape (1940)

The Ape came out in 1940, was produced by Monogram Studios and it stars the one and only Boris Karloff. He’s a top actor in the horror world, and in the film, he plays Dr. Bernard Adrian. He spends his time trying to aid someone who is wheelchair-bound, with the aim of helping them to walk again. He can only do this by taking spinal fluid from a human. When an ape escapes from a local circus, he uses its spinal fluid in the woman but comes to the conclusion that he needs more. He wears the ape’s body as a suit and then proceeds to kill local townspeople, in an attempt to finish his work. This is a classic movie and although it did not achieve the same heights as Planet of the Apes or King Kong, it shocked audiences across the world. Boris Karloff is known for putting on fantastic performances and he has done a lot for the cinematic sector. His work as The Mummy also went down as being one for the history books, cementing his legacy in the acting industry.

So these movies had a profound impact on the world of cinema, and they have also helped to cement the primate theme as being a favourite amongst movie lovers.