The top 10 greatest films starring prime apes…

Monkeys are like us in so many ways. In fact they share 93.5% of our genes, star in Tetley commercials and one used to sleep with Michael Jackson.

So In honour of our very own monkey, I’m sharing with you the 10 most awesome apes in movie history. In this list we have covered everything from Chimpan-A to Chimpanzee!

10.  Dunstan – Dunstan Checks In.

In this film Dunston is a specially trained orang-utan who works for a villainous jewel thief called Rutledge. Things get a little lunatic when Dunstan meets a little boy named Kyle and they become best friends. Dunstan gets up to all kinds of mischief as he tries to escape the life of crime and his villainous master.

9. Capuchin – Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Who doesn’t love a good Indy film? (except Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) and this film doesn’t disappoint. Indiana Jones is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazi’s do, leading to some great action scenes! 

In the movie a little devious monkey called Capuchin, who plays a double agent for the Nazi’s, befriends Indy but is waiting for the right time to turn on him.

If it wasn’t for some dodgy dates that poison Capuchin, the Ark of the Covenant might have fallen in the wrong hands.

8. Clyde – Every which way but loose.

Clyde is one of the luckiest monkeys because he gets to work with the legendary Mr Clint Eastwood.

Mr Eastwood who plays a brawler named Philo in the movie, and wins Clyde in a bet and the two became best buds. Philo falls for a country singer who decides to split as she fears they are getting to serious, so Philo and Clyde set off in pursuit and get pestered by a gang of bikers called the Black Widows along the way.

I would say Clyde is probably the coolest primate in the history of cinema, he’s cheeky, lovable, likes to plant big kisses on people, and has a mean right hook.

7. Dr Zaius – Planet of the Apes.

In the film Charlton Heston plays Colonel George Taylor who awakes from deep space hibernation to find his ship has crash landed on a planet where the ‘damn dirty Apes’ are the rulers and humans are the beasts.

Charlton Heston is captured by Dr Zaius who is probably the most intelligent prime ape to appear in cinema. Dr Zaius has got more smarts than your average chimp and certainly more than Charlton Heston, his bemused human subject.

With a posh accent and flowing golden locks I’m surprised Dr Zaius has not been involved in a shampoo advert!

6. Jack – MVP series.

I loved these movies in my youth, who wouldn’t?! A Chimp called Jack, who been taught sign language by a researcher, is accidently sent to Canada. Jack meets a deaf girl Tara and learns how to play ice hockey for her brother.

Once Jack was done with ice hockey he turned his hairy hands to skateboarding in the sequel. With a pedigree like that I think Jack could easily walk into the England Football Team, what do you think should we give Capello a call?

5. Jack II – Pirates of the Caribbean.

The Pirates of the Caribbean – the Curse of the Black Pearl has to be my favourite film of the franchise.

I love the little monkey Jack in the franchise because he gets to sail the high seas with Jack Sparrow (sorry there should be a Captain in there somewhere!). Just like his namesake Jack causes a bit of mischief on the Black Pearl, trying to save himself from the curse that changes him to a skeleton in the moonlight.

4. Crystal – Hangover 2.

The first Hangover film was a massive success, and so how were they going to top that? Well I think Crystal the monkey certainly helped!

Crystal, a smoking, denim jacket wearing capuchin, wakes up alone in a hotel room with 3 guys who can not remember a thing about the night before. The original Wolfpack from the 1st film stole Crystal from her owner as they celebrated a stag do around the city Bangkok.

 All I can say without giving the film away is get to a cinema as soon as you can….The Wolfpack is back! 

3. Joe Young – Mighty Joe Young.

I really enjoyed watching Mighty Joe Young mostly because of the lovely Charlize Theron, but also because it’s a great family action film.

Charlize looks after a baby gorilla named Joe, that is left in her care, which grows up to be a massive 15 feet tall. Joe gets transported to a new safe haven in L.A for his protection, but nothing is simple and poachers are conspiring to get their greedy hands on Joe. Joe escapes and rampages through Hollywood trying to survive.

2. Caesar – Rise of the Apes.

I really can’t wait for this summer’s blockbuster Rise of the Apes. A scientist (James Franco) is experimenting with a drug that can cure cancer; unfortunately (for the humans) we find out that the drug has a side effect which increases brain functionality, when tested on Caesar the Ape.

Caesar with his increased brain functionality decides to teach his fellow Apes and try and take over the world!

1. King Kong – King Kong (2005)

There is no doubt in my mind that the greatest movie monkey is King Kong. He’s big, he’s very hairy and get this owns his own private island. King Kong is so awesome that he even managed to wrestle 3 T-Rex’s and win!

Peter Jackson’s version of King Kong in 2005 is my favourite version. Based in New York 1933 a movie producer needs to finish a movie he is producing and finds a perfect location; Skull Island. Living on this island is a giant gorilla and now this beast has taken a liking to the leading lady Ann Darrow. King Kong takes Ann Darrow deep into the jungle which means the crew must follow Kong into the jungle to bring Ann back.

So there you have it Monkey’s Top 10 films that star monkeys. What do you think of the Monkey’s list? What movie monkeys would you have in your top 10?