Prehistoric Humans in Film and Television: 581 Dramas, Comedies and Documentaries, 1905–2004 [Paperback]

Michael Klossner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2006

From the early days of the movies, "cavemen" have been a popular subject for filmmakers--not surprisingly, since the birth of cinema occurred only a few decades after the earliest scientific studies of prehistoric man. Filmmakers, however, were not constrained by the emerging science; instead they most often took a comedic look at prehistory, a trend that continued throughout the 20th century. Prehistoric humans also populated adventure-fantasy films, with the original One Million B.C. (1940) leading the charge. Documentaries were also made, but it was not until the 1970s that accurate film accounts of prehistoric humans finally emerged. This exhaustive work provides detailed accounts of 581 film and television productions that feature depictions of human prehistory. Included are dramas and comedies set in human prehistory; documentaries; and films and television shows in which prehistoric people somehow exist in historical periods--from the advent of civilization up to the present--or in extraterrestrial settings. Each entry includes full filmographic data, including year of release, running time, production personnel, cast information, and format. A description of each film provides background on the prehistoric elements. Contemporary critical commentary is included for many of the works.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Caveman" movies and shows are part of our film and television heritage. Their documentation is appreciated. -- American Reference Books Annual 2007

A great reference ... fun to read. -- Prehistoric Fiction (Trussel.com)

Definitive survey --Ruddick, Nicholas, The Fire in the Stone : Prehistoric Fiction from Charles Darwin to Jean M. Auel

Delivers the goods ... a useful, well documented, organized and annotated reference tool. -- SF Site, Mid-Sept. 2006

Exhaustive ... detailed ... numerous photos and mountains of information -- Prehistoric Times (April-May 2006)

More fun than a barrel of apemen. -- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Jan. 22, 2008

Seems to have peered into every cave ... Comprehensive -- Counterpoise, Winter 2007

Substantial ... a remarkable achievement and an essential reference for all but the smallest college library ... detailed and frequently entertaining -- SFRA Review (Science Fiction Research Association, April-June 2006)

Wide-ranging, richly annotated guide ... incisive ... physical anthropologists as well as scholars of sf may find this guide useful -- Science Fiction Studies, Nov. 2006

You'll find everything here ... exhaustive ... an excellent companion volume to Mark Berry's Dinosaur Filmography ... buy them both! --Scary Monsters, Jan. 9, 2008

"Definitive." --Nicholas Ruddick, author of The Fire in the Stone

About the Author

A resident of Little Rock, Arkansas, Michael Klossner is a librarian at Arkansas State Library. He is a contributor to Anatomy of Wonder (1995) and Fantasy and Horror (2000).

Product Details

• Paperback: 330 pages
• Publisher: McFarland (January 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786422157
• ISBN-13: 978-0786422159
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,953,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, the "Caveman" genre covered in depth ..., July 31, 2006

By 

Mark Berry "(Kentucky author)" (Glasgow, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prehistoric Humans in Film and Television: 581 Dramas, Comedies and Documentaries, 1905–2004 (Paperback)

It would be wonderful if all genre film references were as well-written and enjoyable as Prehistoric Humans in Film and Television, by Michael Klossner.

Some of the earliest "genre films" ever made dealt with prehistoric people, or "cavemen" as they're often called. Cinema pioneer D. W. Griffith filmed Man's Genesis way back in 1912, with 16-year-old Mae Marsh as the sought-after cavegirl. Special effects legend Willis O'Brien, who would go on to bring King Kong to life, honed his stop-motion skills on a series of one-reel animated caveman comedies that he created for the Edison Company from 1915 to 1917. And many of the biggest comedy stars of the time, including Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and Buster Keaton, played comic cave-dwellers before the silent film era came to a close. So the caveman genre has been with us almost as long as movies themselves, but until recently there has been no single source where one could find information on all of these films. That situation happily changed with the release of Klossner's very thorough book.

Thankfully, Klossner doesn't look down on a film just because it's not "scientifically accurate." This even-handed approach allows him to praise Peter Elliott's nuanced performance as the title character in the stark drama, Missing Link, while applauding with equal gusto Gregg Martell's marvelous turn as the flummoxed Neanderthal in the lighthearted romp, Dinosaurus!. He can discuss a bikinis-and-dinosaurs epic such as When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth with the same fairness as he applies to a gritty, serious tale like Quest for Fire. Comedies or dramas, fantasies or documentaries, aimed at kids or meant for grownups ... everyone and every film is examined in the context of its own aims and ambitions. Klossner is himself open to enjoying and appreciating all types of approaches to this material, and so realizes that we are as well.

The book is logically categorized into three sections: "Fictional Works in Prehistorical Settings," "Documentaries," and "Fictional Works in Historical, Modern, and Extraterrestrial Settings." And besides movies, Klossner also covers -- just as exhaustively -- the medium of television, including such recent big-budget, highly-rated cable programs as Ice World and Walking with Cavemen. Commendably complete and comprehensive, illustrated with over 70 photos, eminently readable, and just plain fun, Prehistoric Humans in Film and Television is a must for anybody who enjoys the venerable "caveman" genre in any or all of its forms. From Mae (Marsh) to Rae (Dawn Chong), they're all here!