The ape or the poof, evolutionism, or creationism, this is an argument that has basically set man apart with their own theories and views for decades, and after the constant discovery of the proof of evolutionism and inevitably Darwin’s book the Theory of Evolution published in 1859, there was obviously much discussion to be had, especially pertaining to the theory’s conflicting with the bible which it managed to disprove immensely. Darwin knew immediately that these very logical theories would lead him to hot water, and as the documentary emphasizes, he was afraid to admit his findings in fear of what would happen to him. In the end of “Ape to Man”, whether you be evolutionist or creationist, there’s no doubting the logic of the theories presented during this stunning document of the chronicling of not only the evolution of man, but the evolution of science, and the study of primitive man and its conflicting theories.
Defining these facts placed during this amazing documentary as crackpot would be simply dismissing cold hard fact. Though during the show, there is proof that the theories aren’t solid and that they conflict, there is one true declaration that man simply evolved from primitive being to logical animal, yet evolution is also put under the microscope in sub-textually. While we deem them as primitive man, the beings during that period of ancient times were just right for what entailed in their daily survival. This theorizes that Neanderthal humans had larger brains than we do now and had a better sense of smell thus accounting for their more drooping protruding nasal cavities, and though they’re more or less evolved by our standards, they’re just evolved for their time.
Like many of the docs, it presents logical situations that would adhere to their theory in evolution and primordial survival, while we witness sequences experiencing the accidental almost serendipitous discoveries of skull fragments, the finding of the Toanes child, and the decades old hoax in which scientist altered a monkey skull to look human until Raymond Dart’s magnificent discovery which would grant success decades after his death. There is also study that suggests that the humans evolve among their current settings, so in turn we’re evolved for this time, as the Neanderthal man was evolved for that time, and like many other animals, the Neanderthals hunted in packs, had families, and colonized among then undiscovered lands, and eventually the splitting of packs led to advanced evolution.
We discover, not only the obstinate efforts of exploration, but the natural progression of proof, including Raymond Dart’s discovery of a fossilized brain that was too small to be human and too large to be ape which proved that in many ways humans evolved or were once essentially ape-like in nature. Whether you subscribe to one or the other theory in terms of mankind and its progression, there’s no denying the cold hard proof present during this stunning, fascinating, and utterly engrossing account in to the scientific process and discovery of the evolution of man. This is one of the best scientific documentaries made in years.