6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Prehistoric life is tough for poor, lovesick Atouk (Starr). As the smallest and weakest caveman of his tribe, he is unable to win the heart of the beautiful Lana (Bach) and is banished from the cave by Lana's mate, Tonda (NFL star John Matuszak), the hulking chief of the tribe. Forced to wander the ancient wilderness, Atouk meets a variety of unlikely allies who, after hearing his story, want to help him get back in with his clan. And before Atouk knows it, he's the chief of his own tribe...of misfits! Leading his rag-tag band of oddballs into battle, Atouk has one mission in mind: to knock Tonda off his throne and carry Lana away...by her hair!
Starring: Ringo Starr, Dennis Quaid, Shelley Long, Barbara Bach, Jack GilfordComedy | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Ringo Starr was kind of the “and the rest” (in a Gilligan’s Island sort of way) of The Beatles, seemingly relegated to a second tier well below his bandmates. If an ongoing reassessment of his contributions to the Fab Four’s output has at least partially rehabilitated his image, he often seems prone, to quote one Rodney Dangerfield, to not “getting no respect” (in that comedian’s typical misuse of a double negative). Starr’s musical accomplishments may be up for debate (at least by some), but Ringo’s film work offers a typically unabashedly appealing presence, even when there’s not much material to support the actors. Ringo has had probably the most diverse filmography of any of The Beatles, having appeared in a rather wide array of outings, including everything from The Beatles own films of course (including Help!, which revolved around the drummer) to oddities like The Magic Christian, Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels (a bizarre “trip” that really needs to be out on Blu-ray, in my not so humble opinion) and Ken Russell’s Lizstomania (ditto). Ringo has an inherently sweet quality which translates very well to the screen, and that proclivity is part of what helps to carry Caveman past some of its clunkier, schtick ridden, elements. Notable for containing virtually no “understandable” dialogue, along with some fanciful stop motion animation that brings the tribulations of co-existing with dinosaurs whimsically to life, Caveman was rather improbably the (partial) brainchild of Carl Gottlieb, who had grabbed the brass ring rather vigorously by adapting Peter Benchley’s iconic Jaws for the screen some five or six years before he both co-wrote and directed Caveman.
Caveman is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Elements are in surprisingly good condition, with only a minimum of age related wear and tear on display. There has been some noticeable fade here, however, with reds tipping toward orange and flesh tones a bit on the brown side. Blues are still quite strong, making the outdoor photography look nice. A bit of variability attends the color space throughout this presentation, with some scenes looking warm and nicely suffused, and others assuming a much paler, cooler look. There's a heavy grain field throughout this presentation, one that can in fact occasionally dominate those blue skies. The grain also spikes considerably in the optical sequences, including the stop motion mixed with live sequences. As with most Olive releases, this has a pleasingly organic look within an understanding that no restorative efforts have been made.
Caveman's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono honestly doesn't have that much to exploit, other than the grunts, groans and occasional roars (from both humans and beasties), something it accomplishes with a minimum of fuss or bother. Rather incredibly Lalo Schifrin did the score for this film, and it percolates quite nicely, especially in the lower midrange where Lalo offers some playful percussion.
There's an undeniable sweetness about Caveman that makes it a lot of fun. Ringo is, well, kind of adorable as the determined Atouk, and the supporting cast is equally fun and funny. This was another great showcase for Gilford's patented brand of humor. Notable for its almost sheer lack of traditional dialogue and for its really sweet stop motion animation from Ray Harryhausen collaborator Jim Danforth. Technical merits are very good if not perfect, and Caveman comes Recommended.
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