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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Cavemen

Cavemen is the generalised term given to early humanoids at a point prior to the establishment of civilisation. Anthropology will break these down into nomenclatures like Neanderthal, Australopithecus, Homo Sapiens and others. It is not necessary to concern ourselves with these here as the films discussed rarely make any distinction. (Cavemen equally refers to cavewomen, although the gender neutral Cave People sounds odd on the tongue).

There are assorted depictions of cavemen set during Prehistory. In many of these, we frequently see them anachronistically coexisting with dinosaurs despite the fact that 64 million years separate the two species. There were also several Lost World efforts showing cavemen still existing in forgotten pockets of prehistory amid the present-day.

The 1950s gave us the atomically revived dinosaur with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953). Not long after, we began to get the revived caveman effort where they would variously be unfrozen and forced to bewilderingly confront a modern-day – for which see Prehistoric Revivals.

The 1960s gave us the first of the comic prehistoric works with tv’s The Flintstones (1960-6) and there have been various prehistoric and revived caveman comedies since then, both live-action and animated. The 1980s saw a move towards the depiction of much more anthropologically realistic prehistoric films beginning with Quest for Fire (1981).


10,000 BC (2008)

8 March 20089 April 2022

Rating: ★

Prehistoric Drama

Director: Roland Emmerich
Actors: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Reece Ritchie, …
Category: Science Fiction

The 13th Warrior (1999)

31 August 199921 May 2022

Rating: ★★★

Vikings vs Neanderthals/Michael Crichton Adaptation

Director: John McTiernan
Actors: Antonio Banderas, Omar Sharif, Sven Wollter, Diane Venora
Category: Science Fiction

The 30-Foot Bride of Candy Rock (1959)

28 June 201714 April 2025

Rating: ★★

Giant Woman Comedy

Director: Sidney Miller
Actors: Lou Costello, Dorothy Provine, Gale Gordon, Jimmy Conlin, …
Category: Science Fiction

Alpha (2018)

15 February 20197 August 2020

Rating: ★★★

Prehistoric Adventure

Director: Albert Hughes
Actors: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Johannes Haukur Johanesson, Marcin Kowakczyk, Natassia Malthe, …
Category: Science Fiction

Altered States (1980)

8 December 199927 June 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Drug Trips & The Meaning of Life/Reversion to Caveman

Director: Ken Russell
Actors: William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban, Charles Haid
Category: Science Fiction

At the Earth’s Core (1976)

7 November 200115 August 2022

Rating: ★★

Lost World at the Centre of the Earth/Edgar Rice Burroughs Adaptation

Director: Kevin Connor
Actors: Peter Cushing, Doug McClure, Caroline Munro
Category: Science Fiction

Birdemic 2: The Resurrection (2013)

14 September 20133 February 2023

Rating: 0­

Bird Attacks

Director: James Nguyen
Actors: Alan Bagh, Whitney Moore, Stephen Gustavson, Rick Camp, …
Category: Horror

Cavegirl (1985)

22 November 20087 April 2020

Rating: ½

Nerd Time Travels Back to Prehistory Comedy

Director: David Oliver
Actors: Daniel Roebuck, Cindy Ann Thompson
Category: Science Fiction

Caveman (1981)

6 September 200019 October 2021

Rating: ★★

Prehistoric Spoof

Director: Carl Gottlieb
Actors: Ringo Starr, Shelley Long, Dennis Quaid, Barbara Bach, …
Category: Science Fiction

Clan of the Cave Bear (1986)

14 April 200121 April 2020

Rating: ★★

Prehistoric Feminism

Director: Michael Chapman
Actors: Daryl Hannah, James Remar, Pamela Reed
Category: Science Fiction

Creatures the World Forgot (1971)

3 April 200121 May 2020

Rating: ★★½

Prehistory/Caveman Drama

Director: Don Chaffey
Actors: Julie Ege, Tony Bonner, Robert John, Brian O'Shaughnessy, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Croods (2013)

31 March 201329 October 2024

Rating: ★★★

Animation/Prehistoric Comedy

Director: Kirk De Micco, Chris Sanders
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Cloris Leachman, …
Category: Fantasy

The Croods: A New Age (2020)

13 August 202113 August 2021

Rating: ★★★

Animation/Prehistoric Comedy

Director: Joel Crawford
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Peter Dinklage, …
Category: Fantasy

The Dinosaur and the Missing Link: A Prehistoric Tragedy (1915)

3 January 201919 October 2021

Rating: ★★

Cavemen and Dinosaurs

Director: Willis O'Brien
Category: Science Fiction

Dinosaur Island (1994)

17 February 201630 April 2024

Rating: ★

Prehistoric Lost Island/Softcore Comedy

Director: Fred Olen Ray, Jim Wynorski
Actors: Ross Hagen, Richard Gabai, Antonia Doran, Griffin Drew, …
Category: Science Fiction

Dinosaurus! (1960)

22 February 200531 December 2022

Rating: ★★½

Revived Dinosaurs and Caveman

Director: Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr
Actors: Ward Ramsey, Gregg Martell, Paul Lukather, Jack Younger
Category: Science Fiction

Don’t Go Near the Park (1979)

5 May 200725 August 2020

Rating: ★

Flesh-Eating Immortals

Director: Lawrence D. Foldes
Actors: Tamara Taylor, Aldo Ray, Linnea Quigley, Meeno Peluce
Category: Horror

Early Man (2018)

19 May 201828 December 2023

Rating: ★★

Aardman Animation/Prehistoric Sports Comedy

Director: Nick Park
Actors: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, Timothy Spall, …
Category: Fantasy

Eegah (1962)

4 May 200821 November 2022

Rating: ½

Classic Bad Movie/Caveman Amok

Director: Arch Hall Sr
Actors: Arch Hall Jr, Richard Kiel
Category: Science Fiction

Eliminators (1986)

27 February 200114 July 2022

Rating: ★★★

Action Team vs Mad Scientist

Director: Peter Manoogian
Actors: Denise Crosby, Roy Dotrice, Andrew Prine, Tad Horino
Category: Science Fiction

Encino Man (1992)

30 January 20006 October 2020

Rating: 0­

Revived Caveman/Teen Comedy

Director: Les Mayfield
Actors: Brendan Fraser, Pauly Shore, Sean Astin, Megan Ward, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Flintstones (1994)

1 February 200015 December 2020

Rating: ★★

Prehistoric Comedy/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Brian Levant
Actors: John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Rosie O'Donnell, Elizabeth Perkins, …
Category: Fantasy

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)

23 April 200031 March 2024

Rating: ★

Prehistoric Comedy/Cartoon in Live-Action

Director: Brian Levant
Actors: Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin, Kristen Johnston, Jane Krakowski, …
Category: Fantasy

Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks (1974)

23 October 201923 October 2019

Rating: ★★

Frankenstein Film

Director: Robert H. Oliver [Dick Randall]
Actors: Rosanno Brazzi, Michael Dunn, Christiane Royce, Edmund Purdom, …
Category: Horror

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

6 December 201531 August 2024

Rating: ★★★

Pixar Animation/Dinosaur Befriends Caveboy

Director: Peter Sohn
Actors: Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, …
Category: Fantasy

Horror of the Blood Monsters (1970)

19 February 20132 October 2024

Rating: ½

Space Expedition to a Prehistoric Planet

Director: Al Adamson
Actors: John Carradine, Robert Dix, Joey Benson, Jennifer Bishop
Category: Science Fiction

Iceman (1984)

27 April 20037 September 2022

Rating: ★★★½

Revived Caveman

Director: Fred Schepisi
Actors: Timothy Hutton, John Lone, Lindsay Crouse, James Tolkan, …
Category: Science Fiction

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1999)

3 July 201022 December 2021

Rating: ★★½

Underground Adventures/Jules Verne Adaptation

Director: George Miller (ii)
Actors: Treat Williams, Jeremy London, Bryan Brown, Hugh Keays-Byrne
Category: Science Fiction

Justice League: Doom (2012)

7 May 201222 December 2021

Rating: ★★

Animation/Comic-Book Superheroes

Director: Lauren Montgomery
Actors: Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Susan Eisenberg, Phil Morris, …
Category: Science Fiction

Land of the Lost (2009)

11 June 200923 December 2024

Rating: 0­

TV Series Comedy Remake/Prehistoric Lost World

Director: Brad Silberling
Actors: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride, Leonard Nimoy
Category: Science Fiction

The Land That Time Forgot (1974)

6 May 200023 December 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Prehistoric Lost World

Director: Kevin Connor
Actors: Doug McClure, Susan Penhaligon, John McEnery, Anthony Ainley
Category: Science Fiction

The Last Dinosaur (1977)

11 July 201715 August 2022

Rating: ★★

Prehistoric Lost World

Director: Alex Grasshoff, Tom Kotani
Actors: Richard Boone, Joan Van Ark, Steven Keats
Category: Science Fiction

The Lost Future (2010)

6 March 20128 May 2020

Rating: ★★

Post-Holocaust Cavemen

Director: Mikael Salomon
Actors: Sean Bean, Corey Sevier, Sam Claflin, Annabelle Wallis, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Lost World (1925)

3 July 200026 August 2020

Rating: ★★★½

Lost Plateau of Dinosaurs

Director: Harry O. Hoyt
Actors: Wallace Beery
Category: Science Fiction

The Lost World (2001)

4 February 20219 July 2024

Rating: ★★★

Lost Plateau of Dinosaurs

Director: Stuart Orme
Actors: Bob Hoskins, James Fox, Tom Ward, Elaine Cassidy, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Man From Earth (2007)

19 September 201025 March 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Immortal Man

Director: Richard Schenkman
Actors: David Lee Smith, Tony Todd, Richard Riehle, John Billingsley, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Man From Earth: Holocene (2017)

28 January 20184 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Immortal Man

Director: Richard Schenkman
Actors: David Lee Smith, Akemi Look, Brittany Curran, Sterling Knight, …
Category: Science Fiction

Minions (2015)

12 July 201513 August 2024

Rating: ★★

Animation/Cute Mischievous Creatures

Director: Kyle Balda, Pierre Coffin
Actors: Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, …
Category: Science Fiction

My Science Project (1985)

6 January 200615 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Teenagers Activate Time Vortex Device

Director: Jonathan R. Betuel
Actors: John Stockwell, Fisher Stevens, Dennis Hopper, Rafael Sbarge, …
Category: Science Fiction

Night at the Museum 2 (2009)

24 May 200910 August 2023

Rating: ★★

Museum Exhibits Come to Life

Director: Shawn Levy
Actors: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, …
Category: Fantasy

Night at the Museum (2006)

11 February 200710 October 2024

Rating: ★★

Museum Exhibits Come to Life

Director: Shawn Levy
Actors: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, …
Category: Fantasy

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)

24 January 201510 August 2023

Rating: ★

Museum Exhibits Come to Life

Director: Shawn Levy
Actors: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, …
Category: Fantasy

One Million B.C. (1940)

14 November 201929 April 2024

Rating: ★★★

Cavemen vs Dinosaurs/Prehistoric Drama

Director: Hal Roach, hal Roach Jr
Actors: Victor Mature, Carole Landis, Lon Chaney Jr
Category: Science Fiction

One Million Years B.C. (1966)

11 February 200121 November 2023

Rating: ★★★

Cavemen vs Dinosaurs/Prehistoric Drama

Director: Don Chaffey
Actors: Raquel Welch, John Richardson, Martine Beswick, Robert Brown
Category: Science Fiction

The People That Time Forgot (1977)

21 April 20083 February 2025

Rating: ★★★

Prehistoric Lost World

Director: Kevin Connor
Actors: Patrick Wayne, Sarah Douglas, Doug McClure, Thorley Walters, …
Category: Science Fiction

Prehistoric Women (1950)

13 November 201813 November 2018

Rating: 0­

Prehistoric Drama

Director: Gregg G. Tallas
Actors: Laurette Luez, Allan Nixon, Joan Shawlee, Judy Landon, …
Category: Science Fiction

Primal: Tales of Savagery (2019)

30 May 202230 May 2022

Rating: ★★★★

Animation/Prehistory

Director: Genndy Tartakovsky
Actors: Aaron LaPlante, Tom Kenny
Category: Science Fiction

The Primevals (2023)

28 June 202428 June 2024

Rating: ★★★

Lost World/Alien Lizard People

Director: David Allen
Actors: Juliet Mills, Richard Joseph Paul, Leon Russom, Walker Brandt, …
Category: Science Fiction

Quest for Fire (1981)

3 May 20047 August 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Prehistory/Caveman Adventure

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Actors: Everett McGill, Rae Dawn Chong, Ron Perlman
Category: Science Fiction

Scoob! (2020)

22 May 202031 March 2024

Rating: ★★

Ghostbusting Team/Hanna-Barbera Crossover

Director: Tony Cervone
Actors: Will Forte, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Isaacs, Gina Rodriguez, …
Category: Fantasy

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)

15 July 200214 March 2025

Rating: ★★

Arabian Nights Adventure

Director: Sam Wanamaker
Actors: Patrick Wayne, Jane Seymour, Taryn Power, Patrick Troughton, …
Category: Fantasy

Slave Girls (1967)

12 March 20139 July 2020

Rating: ★★½

Prehistoric Women-Ruled World/Hammer Film

Director: Michael Carreras
Actors: Martine Beswick, Edina Ronay, Sydney Bromley, Carol White, …
Category: Fantasy

Synchronic (2019)

23 January 202127 January 2023

Rating: ★★★

Drug That Causes People to Travel Through Time

Director: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Actors: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton, Ally Ioannides, …
Category: Science Fiction

Trog (1970)

18 January 200520 April 2021

Rating: ★

Revived Caveman

Director: Freddie Francis
Actors: Joan Crawford, Michael Gough, Joe Cornelius, David Griffin, …
Category: Science Fiction

Turok: Son of Stone (2008)

20 January 202520 January 2025

Rating: ★★★

Animation/Comic-Book Adaptation/Indian Warrior in a Prehistoric Lost Valley

Director: Curt Geda, Dan Riba, Frank Squillace
Actors: Adam Beach, Irene Bedard, Robert Knepper, Cree Summer, …
Category: Science Fiction

Valley of the Dragons (1961)

25 August 20142 December 2024

Rating: ★

Jules Verne Adaptation/Prehistoric Lost World on a Comet

Director: Edward L. Bernds
Actors: Sean McClory, Cesare Danova, Joan Staley, Danielle De Metz, …
Category: Science Fiction

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970)

25 August 200224 December 2023

Rating: ★★½

Cavemen vs Dinosaurs

Director: Val Guest
Actors: Victoria Vetri, Robin Hawdron, Patrick Allen, Imogen Hassall
Category: Science Fiction

Willy McBean and His Magic Machine (1965)

12 May 20049 September 2021

Rating: ★★★

Children’s Time Travel Film

Director: Arthur Rankin Jr
Actors: Billie Richards, Larry Mann, Paul Soles, James Doohan
Category: Science Fiction

The X Files (1998)

29 March 199913 June 2025

Rating: ★★

The X Files Film Spinoff/Alien Invasion Conspiracy

Director: Rob Bowman
Actors: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Martin Landau, John Neville, …
Category: Science Fiction

Year One (2009)

30 January 201017 June 2025

Rating: ★★

Cavemen Stumble Through the Old Testament Comedy

Director: Harold Ramis
Actors: Jack Black, Michael Cera, David Cross, Oliver Platt, …
Category: Fantasy

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Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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