GamerTab That was an excellent one.

SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Nonureva Really Surprised!

Supelice Dreadfully Boring

utgard14 Usually it's not a good sign when your favorite part of a movie is the opening five minutes, because that means the movie goes downhill from there. This might be the exception to that because, despite the opening being my favorite part, the rest of the movie is entertaining as well. This movie begins with some travelers seeking shelter from a storm inside a cave. But in the cave is an archaeologist (Conrad Nagel), who is studying paintings on the cave walls left by primitive man. The travelers are interested in the paintings so Nagel tells a story based on his interpretations of them.The story is about caveman Tumak (Victor Mature) of the rock tribe, who is hurt and taken in by the shell tribe. The shell tribe are gentle, peaceful people, unlike the rock tribe which is violent. Tumak gradually becomes one of the shell tribe and falls in love with their ways and the beautiful Loana (Carole Landis). As the story progresses, the cavemen must contend with various monstrous creatures. An almost unrecognizable Lon Chaney, Jr. also appears as a bearded member of the rock tribe.Mature makes for a funny caveman but Chaney seems right at home. Landis plays the sweet innocent Loana well and looks very attractive in the skimpy cavegirl outfit. The special effects are cheap by today's standards but don't seem out of place here. They range from a guy in a dinosaur suit to animals optically enlarged by photographic trickery to a big volcanic eruption. Quaint as these effects may seem today, the film was nominated for a special effects Oscar. Stock footage from this movie would be reused over and over in the next few decades. The musical score is pretty good and was also nominated for an Oscar.It's an enjoyable movie but one that requires patience. The lack of dialogue makes the pace drag some and that's tough for what is essentially a simple adventure story. Still, it's good fun if you see it when you're in the mood for such a movie.

dougdoepke Considering how much worse this movie could have been, I'm a bit surprised, what with old Hollywood taking on prehistoric times with the well-scrubbed likes of hunky Victor Mature and nubile Carol Landis. Frankly, both look like they just stepped off the pages of Photoplay, even if their fashion attire is a bit dated, to say the least. But whatever the expected Hollywood nonsense, the underlying story is a good one, with lessons even for today.Apparently, the Rock people are early ancestors of our modern rugged individualists, even if their table manners leave a lot to be desired. No sir, no one here depends on anyone else. Catch dinnertime among these no-nonsense Rock people where the pecking order is strictly enforced—it's the roughest guy first, then the hunting dogs, then the rest of the guys, and finally the women, all grabbing what they can. Maybe that also accounts for why so few kids are seen among them. Anyway, everyone jealously guards his own hunk of meat since somebody else will grab it if they can. And better not get injured because if you do, you'll have to take care of yourself. No medical insurance here. But one thing about this tribe, they're tough as nails. Then there're the Shell people, probably forerunners of modern day European socialists. They all eat out of a communal vegetable pot, even passing plates of food from one to another. Just as importantly, each eats in peace knowing his neighbor can get more from the pot instead of grabbing someone else's. Then too, there's leisure activities, such as small group singing that's more like synchronized grunting, along with etching on rock walls for later archaeologists to find. So, since they all seem to get along with one another, it's not surprising a ton of kids are running around. The trouble is the tribe's terrorized into group huddles by one of those big lizards Hollywood was so fond of. What the Shell folks need is a dose of the Rock people boldness. And what the Rock folks need is a dose of Shell people civilization.Good thing for both tribes that Hollywood's got a Neolithic version of Romeo and Juliet that eventually brings the two groups together. But then what can you expect when hunky Tumac (Mature) from the Rock people meets up with the winsome Loana (Landis) from the Shell folks. Just goes to show, I guess, that no matter what, biology trumps all else, especially when all you're wearing is a bear skin. Still, I would like to know just how Tumac gets such a smooth shave—and I do mean smooth shave-- when the other Rock guys don't. But then how else could we recognize TCF's newest heart throb if he didn't. At the same time, I'm wishing I was born a lot, lot, sooner so maybe I could meet up with a prehistoric babe like Loana. I mean Las Vegas showgirls in their skimpy costumes have nothing on our great-great-great… (you get the idea) grandmothers.But then, if I were born a lot, lot sooner, I might meet up with one of those scary big lizards that seem always fighting with one another or I might get blasted by a volcano or swallowed up by an earthquake. Thanks to the screenplay, it's just one prehistoric hazard after another, and I'm thinking the special effects crew really deserved their Oscar nominations-- especially since there's no digitalized computer to fill in the blanks. All in all, I guess it's just as well that I'm knocking around in the 21st century where my biggest worry is commuter traffic at rush hour.Anyhow, skeptics have poked a lot of fun at this epic over the years, and truth be told, it's not too difficult. But despite the occasional silliness, the importance of learning from others is still more than just a prehistoric challenge.

MartinHafer I was very surprised to see from the IMDb trivia that this was the highest grossing film released in 1940. I just wouldn't have imagined that a caveman film with dinosaurs consisting of lizards on tiny sets would have brought in that much money. I think it's because such a film would be passé today, but back in 1940 it viewed quite differently.The film begins with some travelers coming into a cave to get out of the storm. Inside was an archaeologist (Conrad Nagel) and he tells them a story about what life would have been like during early human history. Interestingly, the travelers played out the roles as cave people in the tale. You'll probably notice rather quickly that one of the cavemen (Tumak) is Victor Mature--in only his second film role. Carole Landis, a lovely contract actress with Hal Roach Studios and Lon Chaney, Jr. also star in this tale.Having actually seen the 1966 remake of this film in the theater (when it was re-released in 1970), I noticed very quickly that this 1940 version actually had better sets and special effects. While this version was impressive in its day, the 1966 version wasn't so cutting edge. I was particularly impressed by the matte paintings and sets in this 1940 version--it looked very professional, even though the Roach studio was NOT a fancy or rich operation. They generally seemed to make the most of what they had--including putting hairy suits on modern mammals to make them look wild and woolly.Mature is a bit of a wimp in the film--at least at the beginning. Despite his age and size, he's beaten up in a fight with an old man and is tossed from the cave--and has to fend for himself. He eventually floats down stream to another social group where he meets an exceptionally well-coiffed group of people (for cave dudes, most of them looked awfully nice--with nicely trimmed beards and clean skin). Landis, in particular, is quite a dish. Actually, now that I think about it, Mature looked amazingly good also. Despite his slightly unruly long hair, he was clean-shaven--something you wouldn't expect from such a guy.At first, Mature has some difficulty adjusting to life in the new tribe. However, soon he becomes an important member--especially after he saves a young girl's life by killing what appears to be a mini T-Rex. But, because he is a pile of raging hormones, he eventually is forced to leave this group--and Landis goes with him because he's such a hunk. Will the two ever be able to make it on their own? What will become of them? Tune in and see...or not.Generally, it's the sort of movie I could care less about unless it were made really, really poorly (then it's good for a laugh). While some of the animal fighting scenes between alligators and monitor lizards are cheesy, the rest of the film is not. Interestingly, however, the worst parts of the film (these reptile fights) were often re-used in later films--crappy ones such as ROBOT MONSTER and TEENAGE CAVE MAN. In addition to these scenes being poor, they were also amazingly cruel, as the reptiles actually were allowed to tear each other apart and fires were set in which they appeared to be killed or at least badly injured! I can see why censor officials in the UK insisted that these scenes be cut.Overall, if you insist on seeing a caveman movie, this or THE FLINTSTONES (1994) are your best bet. Still, even a good caveman film is something I can't get that excited about--after all, it's all a lot of grunting and modern animals pretending to be ancient. And, I doubt if my not being that impressed by this film is unusual for audiences in 2010. It's the sort of film that once packed 'em in, but now just seems a tad silly.

smokehill retrievers This has to be one of the funniest, most simple-minded morality plays ever put out by the mincing socialist nancy-boys in La-la-Land. With a couple of huge bowls of popcorn and a few alcoholic beverages -- or the recreational substance of your choice -- there is no better way to spend a few hours laughing at the primitive attempts of the early Hollywood leftists to influence political dialogue.Note the evil, crude, warlike Republicans .... er, "Rock People" ... a pack of dirty, hairy, unkempt thugs who live in filthy caves, hate everyone and everything, murder poor innocent animals to eat meat, and generally are just plain nasty, hurting everything they touch. Not a very attractive group. We're never sure why they keep those nasty, vicious-looking Irish Wolfhounds that never help them hunt or do anything else, but it's just the sort of thing those awful conservatives would keep. Think of them as prehistoric Pit Bulls.Then when Victor Mature is cast out and saved by those wonderful Communis ... er, "Shell People," he sees the delight of socialist cooperation where everyone smiles a lot and laugh, eat mostly fruit and vegetables, and are so, so culturally advanced -- their so-called speech is lilting and musical, instead of guttural conservative grunts; they have musical instruments and methods of signalling, and only use their next-generation spears to kill fish ... no doubt with much regret and tenderness. They help each other, are kind, and though we don't see any pets, we're fairly certain they probably have a Persian cat or a Lhasa Apso or a tropical aquarium there somewhere, hidden behind their communal food locker. And of course the village helps with the children playing merrily in this tropical paradise located apparently only a short walk from the craggy active volcanoes of the Republican Tribe.Since this was manufactured by Hollywood leftists, they diddle with the facts and history in order to make things fit in their Communist ...er, socialist .... paradise. We're not sure what those big lizards with rubber prosthetics are supposed to represent -- maybe the Nazis, or Herbert Hoover, or Standard Oil, or the Rockefeller/DuPont/Hearst cabal. As our heroes show, it's best to just keep out of their way and avoid confrontation (worked so well for Neville Chamberlain that year).All in all, this hysterical morality play is almost as silly as the Scientology space fantasy they sell to only their "advanced" students. But unlike Scientology, this one is genuinely funny and can be enjoyed with pizza and beer.I believe I'd give it at least a 7, maybe more for those cow ponies decorated up with plastic ox horns and buffalo hides. Loved it.