John Chambers

Mark became friends with Boris Karloff's widow, Evelyn, who encouraged him to pursue makeup.

He corresponded with John Chambers, makeup designer for Planet of the Apes, during 1966 and 1977.

Sorry, 76 to 77.

After moving to LA, Chambers, John Chambers, makeup designer for Planet of the Apes, gave him his first contacts in the film business.

I Evelyn Karloff, the widow of Boris Karloff, helping connect you with like you're telling you like you should become a makeup artist and then you wind up working on this nightmare.

Like, come on.

Today, we'll be talking about the 1968 film, The Planet of the Apes, which was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on a book by Pierre Boulle.

The film has a fantastic and unusual score by Jerry Goldsmith and phenomenal makeup by John Chambers, which won an honorary Academy Award.

Be warned, as there are always spoilers ahead, and possibly this time, for the biggest and best twist ending in cinematic history.

And with that, on to my wonderful guests.

Yeah

...

John Chambers.

So he was responsible for the Simian prosthetics, wasn't he? And he also did Spock's ears.

He flew to Los Angeles.

He partnered with John Chambers, a legendary Hollywood makeup artist who had worked on Planet of the Apes.

Together, they didn't just create a cover story, they created an entire functioning fake reality.

They set up a legitimate production office in Los Angeles.

Yeah, he was an actor that got into directing too, but I always remember his face because I believe he did the intros for the One Step Beyond.

And I did find, whether it's true or not, but John Chambers, the makeup guy who did Planet of the Apes, was not credited but did the makeup or created the masks for the walnut-faced creatures.

Obviously, he had very little budget, too.

Well, for a made-for-TV movie, no.

So dialed and cast, I thought Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Alan Arkin, the top four build, they were amazing.

The chemistry between Walt, you know, from Tony Mendez, you know, as the CIA guy who has to go to John Chambers, who in and of itself, he was like a pivotal guy in Hollywood,

special

effects guy.

The film softens some of the deep literary ironies but amplifies the dramatic power through pure visual spectacle.

The groundbreaking prosthetic makeup by John Chambers made the apes expressive and terrifyingly real for audiences at the time.

And of course, the adaptation is anchored by that famous final image.

The statue.