Teenage Caveman (2002) (TV)

Director:

Larry Clark

Writer:

Christos N. Gage (written by)

Release Date:

2 July 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller | Horror

Tagline:

The future sucks.

Plot:

Teens encounter people, who, after being used as guinea pigs for the experimental testing of a virus can live forever in a post apocalyptic world.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Future | Human Race | Environmental Catastrophe | Interracial Sex

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Andrew Keegan	...	David
Tara Subkoff	...	Sarah
Richard Hillman	...	Neil
Tiffany Limos	...	Judith
Stephen Jasso	...	Vincent
Crystal Celeste Grant	...	Elizabeth (as Crystal Grant)
Shan Elliot	...	Joshua
Hayley Keenan	...	Heather
Paul Hipp	...	Shaman
David Stifel	...	Tribal Leader
Rob Hill	...	Caveman Guard
David Monzingo	...	Puppeteer (as Dave Monzingo)
Joe Reader	...	Puppeteer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Clark	...	Nathaniel (uncredited)
Jeffrey Pritz	...	Hunter (uncredited)

Directed by
Larry Clark

Writing credits
Christos N. Gage		(written by)

Produced by
Lou Arkoff	....	producer
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	executive producer
Dan J. Birnbaum	....	associate producer
Daniel T. Cahn	....	associate producer (as Daniel Cahn)
Colleen Camp	....	producer
Steve Ecclesine	....	line producer
Buddy Epstein	....	executive producer
Christos N. Gage	....	associate producer
Brian J. Gilbert	....	co-producer
David S. Greathouse	....	co-producer
Shane Mahan	....	co-producer
Robyn Rosenfeld	....	executive producer
Scott Shapiro	....	associate producer
Stan Winston	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Zoë Poledouris		(as Zoe Poledouris)

Cinematography by
Steve Gainer

Film Editing by
Daniel T. Cahn		(as Daniel Cahn)

Production Design by
Jerry Fleming

Art Direction by
Peter Borck

Set Decoration by
Betty Berberian

Costume Design by
Julia Schklair

Makeup Department
Barbara Cantu	....	hair department head
Stephanie Coffey	....	additional makeup artist
Myke Michaels	....	makeup department head
Lori Sanders	....	key hair stylist
Richard Wetzel	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Ted Bell	....	post-production supervisor
Marsha L. Swinton	....	production supervisor
Robert E. Warner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dirk Craft	....	first assistant director (as Dirk Wallace Craft)
Jessica W. Leung	....	second assistant director
Elenie Mansalis	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Denise Anderson	....	assistant property master
Mark Anderson	....	property master
Devin Berkhousen	....	propmaker
John Bucklin	....	propmaker (as John E. Bucklin)
Patrick Butcher	....	propmaker
Orion V. Cox	....	set dresser (as Orion Cox)
Lance DeSpain	....	head scenic painter
Bill Elliott	....	propmaker
Terry Hargis	....	lead man
Rebecca T. Haze	....	painter
Guy Herman	....	propmaker (as Guy A. Herman)
Julia Jecker	....	painter
Roy R. Koerbel	....	propmaker (as Roy Koerbel)
Chad LaClair	....	art department intern
Bill Luckey	....	propmaker (as William R. Luckey)
Lisa Robinson	....	on-set dresser
Christopher Schultz	....	property assistant
Jason Silber	....	laborer
Dave Smyth	....	propmaker
Glenn Springfield	....	construction foreman
Wayne Springfield	....	construction coordinator
Kara Stanford	....	art department coordinator
Richard Stockmon	....	set dresser
Patrick Tonioli	....	painter
Marisa Vargo	....	painter
Carla Weber	....	shopper
Christina Ann Wilson	....	assistant art director (as Christy Wilson)
Chris Wright	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Kami Asgar	....	supervising sound effects editor
Denise Brady	....	dialogue editor
Brad Brock	....	foley mixer
John Carlson	....	sound effects editor
Alan Decker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jiah Gim	....	sound assistant
Devin Golub	....	sound utility
John Garret Gorman	....	sound recordist (as John G. Gorman)
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley walker
Bess Hopper	....	foley walker (as Bess Harper)
Takako Ishikawa	....	sound effects editor
Devin Joseph	....	dialogue editor
Amy Kane	....	foley walker
Mark Larry	....	sound effects editor
Michael Lyle	....	foley walker
George E. Marshall Jr.	....	boom operator (as George Marshall Jr.)
Sean McCormack	....	sound recordist
Joe Michalski	....	boom operator
Sterling Moore	....	sound mixer
Robert Nichols II	....	sound recordist (as Robert 'Bubba' Nichols)
Erin Oakley	....	dialogue editor
Tim Philben	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
Carmine Rubino	....	foley mixer
Mary Ruth Smith	....	dialogue editor (as Mary Smith)
Rich Tavtigian	....	adr supervisor (as Richard V. Tavtigian)
Tim Tuchrello	....	sound assistant

Special Effects by
Richard Alonzo	....	key artist (as Richie Alonzo)
Joe Andreas	....	special effects (as Joseph Andreas)
David Beneke	....	key artist (as Dave Beneke)
Ken Culver	....	key mold maker
Jeff Edwards	....	key mechanical
Greg Figiel	....	conceptual art designer
David Gallion	....	special effects foreman
Rich Haugen	....	key mechanical
Matt Heimlich	....	key mechanical
Hiroshi Katagiri	....	key artist
Denise Leibee	....	key hair stylist (as Denise Leibee-Baer)
Shane Mahan	....	conceptual art designer (as Shane P. Mahan)
Shane Mahan	....	special effects supervisor (as Shane P. Mahan)
Keith Marbory	....	key mold maker
Tony McCray	....	key mold maker
Mark 'Crash' McCreery	....	conceptual art designer
Paul Mejias	....	key artist: Stan Winston Studio
David Monzingo	....	key artist
Sandro Moro	....	special effects
Michael Ornelaz	....	key hair stylist
Justin Raleigh	....	key artist
Joe Reader	....	key artist
Christopher Swift	....	conceptual art designer
Christopher Towle	....	key mold maker (as Chris Towie)
Annabelle Troukens	....	assistant: Stan Winston
Arjen Tuiten	....	key artist
Jor Van Kline	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Oliver Arnold	....	3D supervisor
Eric Heavens	....	digital compositing supervisor
Dan Schmit	....	visual effects supervisor
Jeffrey Pritz	....	computer consultant (uncredited)
Jeffrey Pritz	....	computer visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Thomas M. Ficke	....	stunt coordinator (as Tom Ficke)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Barr	....	electrician
Billy Beaird	....	camera operator: "b" camera
J.D. Bishop	....	assistant chief lighting technician
David Clayton	....	grip
Bobby Hayes	....	grip (as Bobby Dean Hayes)
Lyle Heffner	....	grip
Paul Janossy	....	first assistant camera
Tino Jimenez	....	electrician
Nate Johnson	....	electrician (as Nathan Johnson)
Mary Kasparian	....	camera loader
Toby LeCheminant	....	electrician (as Toby LeChemfante)
Brett Lood	....	grip
Brian Lowe	....	electrician
W. Ted Mayer	....	grip (as Teddy Mayer)
Donovan Milcoch	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Donovan Micoch)
Jeff Noble	....	grip
Katie Santore	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
C. Shipley	....	best boy grip (as Shipley)
Carter Smith	....	second assistant camera
John Sprague	....	chief lighting technician
Scott Sprague	....	electrician
Christian Franz Staab	....	dolly grip (as Christian F. Staab)
Brian Sweeney	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Bruce Swift	....	key grip
Ron Veto	....	Steadicam operator
Ross Warren	....	electrician
Eric West	....	electrician
Chuck Zlotnick	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Liz Dean	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Sheila Jaffe	....	casting: New York
Ed Mitchell	....	casting: Los Angeles
Bruce H. Newberg	....	casting: Los Angeles
Tom Thacker	....	extras casting
Georgianne Walken	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daniela Kurrle	....	seamstress
Mandi Line	....	assistant costume designer
Jill Lucas	....	set costumer
Susanna Sandke	....	costume supervisor
Hayley Stuppel	....	set costumer
Christina DeMasi	....	costume intern (uncredited)
Daniela Kurrle	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kirk Diedrich	....	post-production assistant
Jonny Jenks	....	assistant editor
Thomas Knickerbocker	....	mastering colorist (as Tom Knickerbocker)
Chad Mochrie	....	assistant editor (as Chad Owen Mochrie)
Pharaba Hacker-Witt	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Dino A. Moriana	....	music editor (as Dino Moriana)
Basil Poledouris	....	score mixer
Angel Roché Jr.	....	composer: additional music
Greg Sill	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Tom Hallowell	....	driver (as Tom Halowell)
John Jordan	....	driver
Michael McDuffee	....	transportation coordinator (as Mike McDuffee)
Chris Mendoza	....	transportation captain
Louis Mendoza	....	driver
Benjamin Rivera	....	driver (as Bennie Rivera)

Other crew
Jennifer Bendror	....	assistant: Mr. Clark
Charles Canzoneri	....	key production assistant
Mike Cook	....	chef
Mario Garcia	....	assistant: Mr. S. Arkoff
Heather Heath	....	payroll accountant
Rob Hill	....	production assistant
Stephen Jensen	....	assistant: Mr. Epstein
Samantha C. Kirkeby	....	script supervisor (as Samantha Clair Kirkeby)
Jessica Littlefield	....	office production assistant
Dina Livingston	....	resident healer
Tony Love	....	office production assistant
Jeffrey Pritz	....	personal assistant: Lou Arkoff
Jeffrey Pritz	....	product placement (as Jeffrey S. Pritz)
Mary L. Rand	....	first assistant accountant
Nancy S. Rand	....	second assistant accountant
Austin Rodriguez	....	medic
Carlos Rodríguez	....	assistant cook (as Carlos Rodriquez)
Leah Ross	....	production coordinator
Lauren Swearingen	....	assistant production coordinator
Francisco Trujillo	....	assistant cook
Lynn M. van Kuilenburg	....	location manager
Charles Weaver	....	craft service (as Charles 'Bill' Weaver)
Melissa Engle	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Andrew Harrison	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Jessica Littlefield	....	assistant: Mr. Clark (uncredited)
Scott Pitman	....	office production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	in loving memory
Vahe Berberian	....	thanks
Marc J. Federman	....	thanks: Near North Insurance (as Mark Federman)
John Hegeman	....	thanks: Distant Corners
Robert Kranske	....	thanks
Robert Leveen	....	thanks: Film Finances
Richard McCune	....	thanks: City National Bank
Erick Medina	....	thanks: Near North Insurance
James H. Nicholson	....	dedicated to the memory of
Eric Ortiz	....	thanks: Studio 34
Steve Ransohoff	....	thanks: Film Finances
Ethan Turpin	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Creature Features Productions LLC

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (video)
• RTL Klub Televízió (2007) (Hungary) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (video)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (Spain) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)

Special Effects

• First Unit Inc.
• Stan Winston Studio

Other Companies

• Adidas  thanks
• Arbor Snowboards  thanks
• Bang & Olufsen  thanks
• Blowtorch Flats  music mixing services
• Bob Guccione Publications  thanks
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Compaq  thanks
• Creative Labs Inc.  thanks
• Digital Symphony  AVID editing system
• Dogtown Skateboards  thanks
• Entertainment Partners  payroll services
• Feature This Film Art  thanks
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Freshjive  thanks
• GT Bicycles  thanks
• Haze Clothing  thanks
• Icon Health and Fitness  thanks
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies
• Jeff Koons Inc.  thanks
• Larry Flynt Publications  thanks
• Level 3 Post  post-production services
• Levi Strauss & Co.  thanks
• Michelson Food Services  catering
• Prop A. Ganda  thanks
• Ray-Ban  thanks (as Rayban & Luxottica Group)
• Roadrunner Records  thanks
• Rocky Mountain  camera equipment provided by
• SGI Monitors  thanks
• Sector 9 and Rollin Industries  thanks
• Skateone and Powell Skateboards  thanks
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production sound services
• The Girl Skateboard Company  thanks
• World Industries  thanks
• Xtraz Casting  extras casting
• Zoé Angel Productions  score production and performance

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, substance abuse, language, and violence - all involving teens

Runtime:

USA:90 min | USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | South Korea:18 (DVD rating) | UK:18 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | Australia:R | Portugal:M/18 | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Creature Features Productions LLC

Trivia:

On the special features of the DVD there is a "Making of Teenage Caveman" and when they are talking about the make up for the genetic monsters, they are looking at a sketch of James Marsters as Spike on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997).

Quotes:

Judith:How did the song go? Looking forward to a little "afternoon delight?"
Vincent:I want some delight!
Neil:They don't know what you're talking about, Judith. That's one good thing about the end of the world. No more easy listening.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Teenage Cave Man (1958)

Soundtrack:

Where Eagles Dare

The forgiving will see missed potential; the majority will see an illogical, cheap, exploitative mess that revels in drug use and teenage flesh

In a post-apocalyptic world, the few survivors live in huddled tribes, barely surviving. In one tribe, the ruler refuses to let the people slip into the sin that brought the old world to an end – and sex is banned. He does, however, permit himself the pick of young girls for himself. When he selects his son's girlfriend, David is forced to kill him to protect her and is then left to die in the wilderness as punishment. His friends decide to rescue him and head off into the wilderness, where they find one of the fallen cities of the old world. Walking into it, they get caught in a storm and wake up in a modern (well, old-fashioned) apartment with beautiful young couple Neil and Judith. Quickly the group discover that the restrictions of the caves are gone and the old ways of sex, drink and drugs are the very things of daily life. However it also becomes quickly evident that things are not what they seem.

With all the negative reviews on this site I had to see it for myself because I found it hard to believe that the man that gave me Kids could fail to at least make an interesting film. Watching it, I can see plenty in the plot that could have been interesting, could have been insightful and could have made for a challenging piece of thought within a sci-fi frame; after all, it could have been a cautionary tale about sex, about a sexually transmitted virus that is part of the world ending, of teenagers self-harming with no consequences. The potential was there and I did think I was open to seeing these themes and I did put in work to try and go with it and let the subtexts come through. After the "infamous" twenty minute orgy of drugs and nudity I still had this approach although there was very little in it to encourage me to keep the faith.

First off, those tuning in for sexual titillation will be disappointed as the orgy is pretty cold and lacks anything in terms of excitement. It is a bit annoying because I couldn't shake the feeling that the camera was revelling in the naked teens, drug use and other excesses. With Kids there was enough substance to cover the accusations of exploitative material but here I just didn't think there was. With the focus on excesses, the narrative was not that well developed and the whole "virus" thing didn't engage me at all. The subtexts drift in and out but the writing is not intelligent enough to bring them out; such a shame because at times you could see the parallels between the plight of the characters and the struggles of real teens (specifically in the fear of sex in Sarah and the sexual aggression of Vincent). By the end of the film I was left with a gory, nonsensical film that doesn't do anything well at all.

Of course a cast of rather hapless teenagers and twenty-somethings doesn't help because they might not have been able to work with good plotting and dialogue if it had been given to them. Keegan is a bit of a clot; Hillman overacts like he is trying to save his life; Subkoff shows that she could have done more but her material is too weak to let her prove it. Jasso is obvious but has a nice natural swagger to him that may be useful in the future for small "teen criminal" roles in other things. Limos and Grant are both pretty good looking but they cannot deliver a convincing line or even a convincing slap for all the tea in China. Clark's direction is interesting at least; at points the cinematography is nicely washed out, blending colours into frames to depict changes in emotion and several other nice touches – if only he had been able to draw out value from the material – the odd nice visual touch is not enough.

Overall this is a poor film but I will not be adding my voice to those that simply dismiss it as rubbish with a lazy twenty word review. It had potential and it had subtexts that could have worked but it just does nothing with them. The plot makes little or no sense as the film ends up focusing on the excesses rather than the substance of the film; although I tried to work through it I have to admit defeat and the final 20 minutes was a noisy load of heartless gore that made no sense even within its own logic. Overall a pointless film that will have a cult following for the sex, gore and "different" plot; some will see it as a stupid load of missed opportunities but the vast majority will not care what it could have done and will just give up on the exploitative and nasty mess.