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Charlton Heston's Impact On Sci-Fi

Posted by Zonk on from the damn-dirty-apes-wouldn't-keep-their-paws-off dept.

An anonymous reader writes "As you're probably already aware, Charlton Heston passed away yesterday. Wired has a piece looking back at Heston's extremely notable work in the sci-fi genre, with roles in films like "Planet of the Apes" and "Soylent Green". 'Heston also roared out some of sci-fi's greatest and most memorable lines, bringing his macho swagger and over-the-top intensity to the screen in movies like 1973's food freak-out flick Soylent Green and the Planet of the Apes series. In a pivotal scene from 1968's Planet of the Apes (see clip), Heston's character, time-traveling astronaut George Taylor, utters the first words spoken by a human to the simian rulers of a bizarro future Earth: "Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!'"

6 of 531 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Yeah, Heston! by Alan+Partridge · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yep, he was great. Let's not forget the chilling Omega Man, either - one of my all time faves.

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  2. Re:Finally... by ArcherB · · Score: 5, Informative

    Normally I wouldn't comment on such a sad occasion but for Charlton Heston I make an exception. Cold, Dead Hands ??? - Finally. One less extremist in the world. No RIP, I hope he turns in his grave. You call someone who marched with Martin Luther King and stands up for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights an extremist?

    I'm not going to say what I hope happens to your grave!
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  3. Re:Finally... by Martin+Blank · · Score: 5, Informative

    Extremist? Not really. Sure, he was against gun control in most forms, but he was also pro-union and pro-civil rights. He was not the right-wing nut that some people claim him to be.

    One of my favorite stories from him was when, during the Rodney King riots, one or more fellow actors (he would not name them) called and asked if they could borrow one of his guns. He said, no, you can't, but you're welcome to come over to my place until things settle down.

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  4. Not just sci-fi, but nerdy stuff by BRSloth · · Score: 4, Informative

    Let's not forget his acting in "Wayne's World 2" as "Good actor."...

  5. Re:Most famous quote. by GaryPatterson · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here in Australia the previous government banned the sale of guns back in 1997 (I think) after a particularly atrocious massacre in Port Arthur, Tasmania.

    Armed robbery, along with most other forms of violent crime, is down across the nation. That's not likely due to the ban in guns though, as criminals are going to step outside the ban anyway.

    What has decreased are the number of fatal accidents in homes, and we've since had very few instances of some bozo kid picking up a gun and shooting people at school.

    But since you're providing data, can you point out where you got it? It conflicts with everything I've heard here.

  6. Re:Most famous quote. by servognome · · Score: 3, Informative

    Citizens don't need the 'DOOM' equal of the 'BFG' to protect themselves. Those things are only of use to the military and SHOULD be banned from citizen hands.
    Right, so that the people can't defend themselves from the military should it fall under less citizen friendly command.
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