Horror On The Lens: Teenage Caveman (dir by Roger Corman)


Future serious actor Robert Vaughn made his film debut in 1958’s Teenage Caveman.  Directed by Roger Corman, Teenage Caveman tells the story of a rebellious young man (that’s Robert Vaughn) who chooses to defy his father’s warnings and venture beyond the caves and into “the forbidden zone.”  He’s told that monsters roam in the forbidden zone and indeed, at least one of them does.  However, neither the Teenage Caveman nor his father are prepared for what lies at the heart of the forbidden zone.

(What will he find out there, Dr. Zaius?)

Robert Vaughn later said that, out of all the bad films that he made, this was the worst.  Personally, I think he was being a bit too hard on the film.  It’s not good but it is definitely fun.  Along with watching all of the dinosaur stock footage, you get to wonder how a caveman — especially a teenage caveman! — could possibly have such perfect hair.  Even more importantly, if you stick with it, this film has a twist ending that has to be seen to be believed.

Here is Teenage Caveman:

 

Horror on the Lens: The Amazing Colossal Man (dir by Bert I. Gordon)


For today’s horror on the lens, we present the 1957 film, The Amazing Colossal Man!

Directed by Bert I. Gordon, The Amazing Colossal Man tells the story of what happens when Lt. Col. Glenn Manning (Glen Langan) is exposed to an atomic blast, the force of which not only burns off his clothes but leaves him bald as well!  At first, everyone is convinced that there’s no way Glenn Manning will survive but, to everyone’s surprise, he does survive.

And he starts to get bigger!

That’s right — radiation does the craziest things!

Soon, Glenn’s a giant and he’s not very happy about it.  As the government tries to keep both the accident and the mutation a secret, Glenn grows more and more bitter and angry.  And it certainly doesn’t help matters when the scientists decide they want to inject him with a giant syringe.

Seriously, you’ve got to see this syringe!

Anyway, The Amazing Colossal Man is one of those fun sci-fi films that elitist critics love to criticize.  But you know what?  If you’re watching a movie like this because you want to nitpick every little detail, you’re missing the point.  The Amazing Colossal Man is a 1950s B-movie and, when taken on those terms, it’s a lot of fun.

Add to that, Glen Langan really throws himself into the title role!

Enjoy The Amazing Colossal Man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaCcMVTAKME