Corrected entry: An essential plot device is that the talking human doll proves humans were productive and creative before the ascent and takeover of the apes. This is absurd. We are shown repeatedly that the apes' entire society is based heavily upon the previous human one - this is a sneaky buildup to the end scene when we find out exactly why that is! So, in human society we have talking mice, ducks, rabbits, pigs, cats, dogs, snakes, elephants, fish, crabs: name the species, we have given them the ability to speak, walk upright, drive cars, in fact to adopt every human characteristic there is. Surely the logical assumption upon finding the talking human doll is that an ape toymaker created a talking human for the same reason humans created talking apes?
BocaDavie
11th May 2010
Correction: This is a question, not a mistake. The talking human doll is not a plot device; just something that Taylor uses to help prove his point. Dr. Zaius already knows that humans once ruled the planet; he was just stuck for an explaination of why the doll talked when he first saw it. Given time he would have postulated that apes created it, but was interrupted by the attack on the cave.
BocaDavie ★