20 Greatest Final Shots In Movies Ever

5. Planet Of The Apes (1968)

planet of the apes ending
20th Century Fox

A half-century after the movie released, Planet of the Apes' tantalising final shot remains one of the smartest and most shocking twists in cinema history.

After astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and primitive human Nova (Linda Harrison) escape from the apes, they reach the Forbidden Zone and discover the remains of the Statue of Liberty, revealing that this seemingly alien planet was actually Earth all along, having been brutalised by a nuclear war.

The brilliant, shocking intelligence of the twist combines with the beautiful matte painting that made it all possible to ensure the image isn't quickly forgotten. The newer Apes movies may well have surpassed the original in many areas, but they've never quite managed to top the jaw-dropping power of this bombastic reveal.

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