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| Figure 1. Film Poster |
A Low Budget - The Teenage Caveman is a black and white science - fiction, adventure film that was released in 1958. It was Roger Corman's 19th Film in which he directed. The majority of his films were made on a really low budget and often made in only a few days! The Budget for this film was only $70,000.
The films title was actually made before the film itself by the AIP Poster Factory.
"Teenage Caveman comes with a perfect exploitation title from the AIP poster factory - they
frequently used to devise the title first and then a film to go with it. That said, it is not a title that has much revelance to the film. Or even aptness for that matter - Robert Vaughn looks to be all of about 30 for the supposed teenager he is supposed to be playing (Vaughn was 26 at the time)"
(Moria, 2017)
Actors - Many of the actors weren't necessarily from Hollywood, most in the film received their "break" from Roger Cormon's Films.
"Corman also had an eye for spotting young talent and gave breaks to many names in the industry
including Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Francis Ford Coppola and Peter Bogdanovich."
(Moria, 2017)
Having "less known" actors would also have lowered the budget.
Drawn Backdrops and Lighting - The opening credits to the film is accompanied by drawn backdrops. The first scene begins with swirly lines and lots of smoke which fades into the next scene. The bright theatrical lighting seems to portray the sun. The audience are then shown moving waters which have been drawn and animated. A sketched boulder appears as the camera pans up to the sky. Stars are represented by what appears to be white, moving blobs. We are then shown plants and drawn, cartoon looking eyes that are hiding in the dark. The eyes are meant to represent the creation of animals. The camera then pans across to a sketched tree that has snapped in half.
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| Figure 2. Film Still |
Theatrical Props and Clothing - The cavemen and women don't really match up to a Prehistoric "look." The clothing they've made for the time isn't really accurate because they seemed to neat and pretty. The reality was that "The cold climate...made clothing essential' and early humans cleaned, prepared, and wrapped animal skins around themselves to keep warm." (DK, 2017)
The men and women in the film looked too clean and tidy to be cave people and due to the lack of clothing, which would not have helped them against the cold.
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| Figure 3. Film Still |
Adapted Animals and People in Costumes - The film enters the forbidden Zone, this is where we see a battle between a giant lizard and a boa constrictor, with an obviously glued on sail fin to its back. The audience also see people dressed up as Dinosaurs with large heads. There was one wearing a very shabby wild, bear suit. "Lizards are substituted for dinosaurs; there are some shoddy monster and bear suits..." (Moria, 2017)
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| Figure 4. Film Still |
5 Redeeming Qualities for the movie:
Good moral to the story - At the end of the movie, the cavemen discover that the monster is carrying a book to what they think is the future. After the cavemen have killed the monster they start to look through the book which displays how man should treat each other. The Cavemen do not realize that they have survived the holocaust and that the monster is actually a person dressed up trying to prevent this from happening again by giving them this book.
Interesting twist to the ending - Its only towards the very end of the movie where things get really interesting when the purpose of the monster is revealed. This was a big twist to the story that couldn't be expected.
"In so doing, the film turns from what one originally perceives to be a routine One Million B.C. (1940) - styled prehistoric drama into a post-holocaust film. It is a unique and ingenious twist."
(Moria, 2017)
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| Figure 5. Film Still |
Charming and Humorous - Whether the humor is intentional or not, there are some hilarious moments. These come from the scenes which involve dinosaur costumes and googly eyed monsters.
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| Figure 6. Film Still |
Special effects and Musical Score - The film had actually been nominated for 2 Academy Awards for its special effects and musical score. Although the special effects maybe "not up to standard" now given the techncial ability available today - it was probably average for its day.
Inventive Script - Rather than sticking to a more familiar movie structure, Campbell delivers a more unique narrative. The twist at the end is evidence of this.
"Screenwriter R. Wright Campbell structures it as a classic conceptual breakthrough story. He uses the familiar theme of championing a breakthrough of knowledge over superstition and tradition."
(Moria, 2017)
Bibliography
Dorling Kindersley (2017) Stone-Age Clothes
https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/history/stone-age/stone-age-clothes/
(Accessed 11.11.17)
(Moria, 2017) Teenage Caveman
http://moria.co.nz/sciencefiction/teenage-caveman-1958.htm
(Accessed 11.11.17)
Illustration List
Figure 1. Film Poster
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=teenage+caveman&tbm=isch&source=iu&pf=m&ictx=1&fir=U4y04J0dhHb_BM%253A%252ChdwdGYR-HKEBGM%252C_&usg=__4BWDm0F2lcAhu5JPd2kRD_u_sRU%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjLwq3HqbfXAhWQDewKHZyHAGQQ_h0IezAM#imgrc=rgQAx3UP3rAEfM:
(Accessed 11.11.17)
Figure 2. Film Still https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjOFu5WfqB8
(Accessed 11.11.17)
Figure 3. Film Still https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjOFu5WfqB8
(Accessed 11.11.17)
Figure 4. Film Still https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjOFu5WfqB8
(Accessed 11.11.17)
Figure 5. Film Still https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjOFu5WfqB8
(Accessed 11.11.17)
Figure 6. Film Still https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjOFu5WfqB8
(Accessed 11.11.17)
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