Clash of the Cave Men (2008) (TV)

Director:

Christopher Cassel

Writer:

Christopher Cassel (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 May 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Clash of the Cavemen explores the long period in Europe when two human species - Neanderthals and modern humans called Cro-Magnons - co-existed...

Plot Keywords:

Neanderthal | Cro Magnon | Ice Age | Cave | Plunder

Directed by
Christopher Cassel

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Christopher Cassel		screenplay

Produced by
Christopher Cassel	....	producer
Rakesh Nair	....	associate producer
Carmen Pepelea	....	line producer
Jeffrey C. Weber	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Kerry Muzzey

Cinematography by
Tim Metzger

Film Editing by
Jennifer Honn

Casting by
Laura Grosu
Liliana Toma

Art Direction by
Adrian Curelea

Costume Design by
Amalia Misaila

Makeup Department
Hiroe Goto	....	prosthetics
Chelsea Manifold	....	prosthetics
Holli Martinez	....	prosthetics
Paul J. Mason	....	makeup department head
Erica Nese	....	prosthetics
Carl Paolino	....	prosthetics
Jane Rose	....	prosthetics
Tate Steinsiek	....	prosthetics

Production Management
Raul Cosma	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Amalia Morar	....	second assistant director
Gabriela Petre	....	first assistant director

Special Effects by
Adrian Nica	....	special effects technician
Adrian Popescu	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Mihai Diaconu	....	stunts
Marin Petrica	....	stunt performer
Rasvan Puiu	....	stunt coordinator
Daniel Visan	....	stunt actor

Camera and Electrical Department
Iurie Bustiuc	....	first assistant camera
Radu Lopotaru	....	camera operator
Radu Marinescu	....	key grip
Doru Nica	....	gaffer
Toni Salabasev	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Sandy Patch	....	colorist

Transportation Department
Relu Cojanu	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Teo Bostanica	....	key assistant
Marius Florescu	....	location assistant
Elena Neascu	....	production coordinator (as Elena Neacsu)
Razvan Radutiu	....	location manager
Marius Serban	....	production assistant
Daniela Soare	....	extras coordinator
Cosmina Tudor	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• KPI Productions
• KPI

Distributors

• History Channel (2008) (USA) (TV)

Special Effects

• Carl Paolino Studios

Other Companies

• Central Casting Romania  casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

KPI Productions

Bad Science or racism

This documentary was excellent with one glaring exception. There is a shocking lack of understanding about the effects of vitamin D, sunlight, on skin color of the species homo sapiens (including the subspecies Homo Sapiens Neandertalis).

The documentary shows Neandertals as dark haired, brown eyed, swarthy people with dirty hair and faces. It shows the cro magnons as blond haired and blue eyed. One was even shown as a red head. They are clean shaven, their hair is nice and clean, etc. Grooming aside, the facts of the documentary are just wrong.

It has been long understood that when man leaves the equatorial regions less sunlight leads to vitamin D deficiencies. Over many generations the skin of humans living in northern latitudes lightens to compensate for this decreased sunlight. Cro Magnons being recent arrivals would have been very dark skinned.

Showing the Neandertals who had been in Europe for approximately 200,000 years at the time as dark skinned is completely and unexplainably wrong for a supposedly scientific documentary.

Neandertals can be safely assumed to have been fair skinned with blond hair and blue eyes. Conversely, Cro Magnon man having recently (in evolutionary terms) left the equatorial regions would have been much darker in complexion that the Neandertals he met.

Is this error some sort of bizarre racism on the part of the producers, or is it just very bad science. Either way it is amazing to me that such a glaring error could be committed in a documentary.