This is a story of long, long ago, when the world was just beginning.
A hunting party from the Rock tribe traps a warthog. Akoba's son Tumak (John Richardson) kills it. Tumak is later banished from the tribe because of a fight over a piece of meat with Akoba. Tumak goes out on his own and escapes a giant green iguana, a Brontosaur, and a giant spider.
After going through many hardships Tumak collapses on a beach. He is found by Loana (Raquel Welch) one of the shell people. They are then attacked by an Archelon. Men of the Shell tribe arrive and drive it back into the sea. Tumak is taken to their village, where Loana tends to him.
Tumak causes a conflict with the Shell tribe when he tries to steal a spear. He is banished from the tribe. Loana goes with him. Meanwhile Akoba is injured on a hunt. Akoba’s other son Sakana fights his weakened father and takes over the tribe. The outcasts end up at the Rock tribe. There are more conflicts. Why? Cause they act like cavemen.
The Rock tribe is noted as being harsher and less social than the shell tribe. In his world Tumak is use to just taking whatever he wants and if someone is in his way, there will be a fight. If someone is injured they leave them. They have less of a language. It’s all about the power. The shell people on the other hand are more social. They take care of their sick and injured. They have more language. They paint on the cave walls. They share. The two tribes are polar opposites.
“One Million Years BC” was released in 1966 and was directed by Don Chaffey. It Is a Hammer Film Production and is Hammer’s first foray into the realm of “cave girls”. It is also a Ray Harryhausen special. And his special creatures are; Brontosaur, Archelon, Allosaur, Triceratops, Ceratosaur, Pterodactyl, Rhamphorhynchus, and Pterodactyl Hatchlings. There are three live creatures in the movie; a tarantula, a warthog and a giant green iguana. They were added under Harryhausen’s suggestion. “One Million Years BC” is a remake of the 1940 film “One Million BC” staring Victor Mature.
The film was touted as Hammer’s 100th movie. Two of the creatures were reused for “The Valley of Gwangi”. The Ceratosaur became the Allosaurus “Gwangi” and the Triceratops became the Styracosaurus. Something I learned from the movie: Cave women wear eyeliner and false eyelashes. And apparently they have a really good dental plan. Ya like dinosaurs? Then you have this movie. Ya like Raquel Welch? Then you have this movie. Ya like half naked men and/or half naked women? Then you have this movie.