CAVEMAN

US, 1981, 87 minutes, Colour.
Ringo Starr, Dennis Quaid, Shelley Long, Barbara Bach.
Directed by Carl Gottlieb.

Shades of the Flintstones. This is a fairly basic prehistoric comedy which relies on the appeal of Ringo Starr. He appears with his wife Barbara Bach. It is an early film for Dennis Quaid who had appeared in Breaking Away, The Long Riders and Bill.

Prehistoric comedies are parodies of present day society. This one shows how prehistoric some of present behaviour can be. Echoes of One Million Years BC. Quest for Fire was to appear four years later.

Carl Gottlieb was a co-writer of Jaws.

1. The popularity of prehistoric film adventures? The caveman society, prehistory, monsters and adventures? The serious adventures in the genre of the past? Comic versions and parodies? The popularity of the film for addicts of the genre and science fantasy films? Satire on present society? To whom was the film directed? At what level does it work?

2. The Mexican locations and their use? Caveman costumes and decor? The emphasis on sex - for fun? The social effects for the prehistoric monsters and their confrontation of the humans? The Ice Age? The stunt work? The quality of the production values?

3. The special language and its easy communication to the audience? The satire e.g. Artouk discarding the wheel, the discovery of fire? The music and the use of the light classics? The references to other films like One Million B.C., 2001? The them music and its jaunty atmosphere?

4. The caveman way of life - the emphasis on basic functions and survival? Getting on together, misfits, war? The lampoon aspects of the presentation of society - with reference to the present?

5. Artouk and his place in the tribe, his lust for Lana and his being ousted? His friendship with Lar? The friendship with Tala and her old blind father? Their making up their own special group? Their various adventures and exploits, encounters with the monsters? Lar's accident and his going into the nearby Ice Age? Their getting him back to life? The Abominable Snowman? Lana and her capture? The various actors and actresses and their sending up caveman types?

6. The character of Lar - friendship for Artouk, his support, adventures and fighting? His being frozen in the Ice Age? Rescue?

7. Lana and the vamp type? Her relationship with Tonda, her being captured, Artouk taking her at the end and throwing her away?

8. Gog and his wandering the countryside, friendship with Artouk? Tala and her love for Artouk? Her betrayal to the main group? The final help of Artouk and his shooting her?

9. Tonda and his size, the tribe, their hostility?

10. The various routines - e.g. the group standing up straight, wars, discoveries? How much on the level of corny humour? How much point?