Originally filmed as Prehistoric World with some 8x10 publicity stills retaining this title, AIP later changed it. Years later, Corman stated in an interview, "I never directed a film called Teenage Caveman."[2] Vaughn stated in an interview that he considered Teenage Caveman to be the worst film ever made.[2] It was later featured on the mocking television series Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Plot
A tribe of primitive humans live in a barren, rocky wasteland and struggle for survival, despite a lush, plant-filled land on the other side of a nearby river. They refuse to cross the river because of a law that evolved from an ancient tale, warning of a god lurking there who brings death with a single touch.
A young man of the tribe challenges the law and is eventually followed by other male members of his tribe, who fearfully cross the river in order to bring him back. They soon encounter the terrible god, a large, horribly burned but strangely human-like creature. Despite the young man's peace overture to the god, another tribal member, out of fear, lays a trap and stones the creature to death with a large rock; the young man then shoots and kills that tribesman with one of his arrows. The others gather around the now-dead god and discover that the creature is actually a much older man with long white hair. He is wearing some kind of strange, unknown outer garment with a fearful hood. They find another strange thing in the old man's possession; they are puzzled by this flat, thick object that opens and contains mysterious markings and vivid black, white and gray images that show an even stranger human world unknown to them.
In a surprising denouement provided by the old man after his death, the truth is revealed in voice-over as the tribesmen leaf through his book. He was actually a survivor of a long-ago nuclear holocaust, forced to live for decades inside his now-ragged, discolored and bulky radiation suit (which is implied to have once been covered with deadly radioactive fallout). The old man has wandered the land for decades, while the primitive remnants of a devastated human race have slowly increased their numbers; his frightening outer appearance caused them to fear and shun him.
A final, cautionary question is asked in voice-over by the old man: will humanity someday repeat its nuclear folly after civilization has once again risen to its former heights?
Filming took place in May 1958 under the title Prehistoric World.[5] It was theatrically released in July 1958.
While a number of scripts were considered to meet American International's directive to produce a historic picture, Corman used Bob Campbell's idea of setting the movie in the future. Corman and Campbell both disliked the title Teenage Caveman selected by American International, preferring their choice of Prehistoric World as the name of the movie.[6]
Reception
Corman thought the film to be pretty good, but felt it could have been "genuinely good" had he had more time and more money. The Hollywood Reporter disliked the film and cited the film's low budget as a reason. Monthly Film Bulletin said the film tried hard, but was ultimately unsuccessful.[7]
Variety found the film to be a good exploitation item aimed at the teen market.[8]
The L.A. Times found it to be a good movie despite its title.[6]
Teenage Caveman was featured in episode 315 of Mystery Science Theater 3000, along with the shorts Aquatic Wizards and Catching Trouble. The episode debuted November 9, 1991, on Comedy Central.[10]MST3K writer Mary Jo Pehl struggled "to find a positive thing to say about Teenage Caveman", in which Vaughn appeared to play "a thirty-something teenage caveman", and called Corman "a horrible director...[who] wasn't trying to make good films, just films that came in under budget".[11]
The MST3K version of Teenage Caveman was included as part of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume XXXV DVD collection, released by Shout! Factory on March 29, 2016.[12]
See also
Survival film, about the film genre, with a list of related films
