‘Project Nim’: the dawn of Planet of the Apes?
While longtime fans will insist that Franklin J. Schaffner’s original 1968 film Planet of the Apes is still the best representation of the franchise, the reboot series has done its part in introducing younger generations to its unique sci-fi world. The latest instalment of the latter, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, is finally coming to the theatres, leading audiences to ask the question once again: Is such a scenario really possible?
It’s obviously a stretch to think that an organised army of primates might suddenly start an unstoppable rebellion against the human overlords that rule this planet. However, James Marsh’s 2011 documentary Project Nim attempted to investigate the issue at a more fundamental level, trying to figure out whether a chimpanzee could understand the concept of language.
Our ability to articulate our thoughts and communicate complex concepts with other members of our species has always been cited as proof that we are the most evolved group on Earth. Although none of the people involved in the experiment expected the titular chimp to develop such a sophisticated form of communication, they were interested in seeing whether Nim was capable of “limited” linguistic skills.
During a conversation with IndieWire, Marsh explained: “The premise of this story is based on that projection, based on the idea that we’re going to teach a chimpanzee how to speak. We’re not going to try to understand how he communicates. No, we’re going to stick him in a classroom and instil him with signs and words that he can use so we can find out about him.”
Taken from his mother at birth, Nim was placed in a human home and was raised like a human child to explore whether that would facilitate the acquisition of language. Rapidly picking up concepts through ASL (American Sign Language), Nim started garnering attention for his abilities, but he also posed a risk to researchers because of his volatile behaviour.
Despite some of the more sensational hypotheses from the early results, it was eventually concluded that Nim had no proper understanding of grammar as humans do. Instead, he was imitating the researchers to earn rewards. Due to the disappointing results and the failure of the project, he was sold to an animal testing lab run by NYU.
Some viewers can claim that Project Nim‘s focus is on the immorality of such experiments, but Marsh disagrees: “I wouldn’t say it’s an animal rights story at all. It’s a story that exists that may pose questions about our relation with animals, our control of them, and what that means when we control an animal. It’s definitely about that. But you’re right, it’s funny. It’s one of those paradoxes that we can respond more to an animal’s suffering than we can to our own suffering.”
Since Nim was a high-profile chimp who had previously received media coverage, NYU did not hesitate to release him, and he was transferred to a ranch in Texas, where his stay was marked by further violent incidents until his demise at the age of 26. The situation in Rise of the Planet of the Apes might never become a reality, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t respect and care for animals like Nim, who would definitely have been better off if he had been left under the care of his mother.