Starring
Victor Mature, Carole Landis, Lon Chaney Jr., Conrad Nagal. Directed
by Hal Roach & Hal Roach Jr. (1940, 80 min).
While
science tends to ruin some movies over time, others are put together
well enough that facts don't get in the way of the
fun, no matter how much time passes.
Our
human ancestors showed up long after the dinosaurs were gone, and
when they did, chances are none were as photogenic (with
perfect hair) as Victor Mature and Carole Landis. But One Million
B.C. was never intended as a history lesson, so such a minor
detail is moot. It's all about drama, action, monsters and special
effects, the latter of which won an Oscar in 1940.
Mature
grunts his way through the slight story of Tumak, a dreamy caveman
ostracized from his own primitive tribe by their leader, Akhoba (Lon
Chaney Jr.). He later ends up meeting equally-dreamy Loana (Landis)
from a more intelligent, peace-loving group. Tumak takes her back to
his old tribe and becomes their new leader, while she is a
positive influence on their aggressive ways.
 |
| Eat your heart out, Rachel Welch. |
There's
peril along the way...fights for dominance, rampaging beasties and, of course,
a volcanic eruption that threatens the cast. Much of the drama itself
was probably silly even in 1940, but the film moves fast and is
congenially entertaining throughout. And for a 75 year old movie, the
special effects and production design are impressive enough that a
lot of footage has been reused in countless later films and TV shows.
Sure, those dinos are just magnified lizards or actors in T-Rex
costumes, but it works nonetheless, as does the climactic eruption.
While
One Million B.C. isn't high art, it's certainly a lot of fun,
though its hokey old charm will likely be lost on those raised on a
steady diet of Jurassic Park.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
AUDIO
COMMENTARY - By film historian Toby Roan
GALLERY
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS
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