In my humble opinion, "The Neanderthal Man" is missing something bigtime when you compare him with some other primitive heroes, like, let's say, "Eegah!!" Here's the basic problem, he's not a real caveman, he's just a monkey, he's a scientist, Professor Richard Groves, played by Robert Shayne, aka Inspector Henderson in the 1952 TV Superman series, who turned himself into a caveman via chemicals, and that makes a big difference!!! SOUNDCLIP NOT AVAILABLE
He just lacks the savoir-faire that cave dudes should have, and despite the fact that he looks like a real lover on the lobby card, he really doesn't even like women or girls, except to kill, of course!
Game warden George Oakes played by Robert long gets quite a scare when the sabre-tooth tiger jumps on his hood!! It's at this point that composer Albert Glasser, gets to slip in a little swing as music on the radio! It's funny how Albert's scores are usually pretty straight ahead BIG orchestrations like this theme, but he always tries to sneak in a 30 second jive piece somewhere!!
So, really, what was director Ewald André Dupont and everybody else who had anything to do with this movie possibly thinking when they allowed the various pieces of footage of the 'sable-tooth tiger' be viewed? In one scene, it's obviously a normal striped tiger, then when it attacks the game warden in his car, WTF, it's a big cuddly-lookin' stuffed animal. Back then, they could just flash crap on the screen and get away with it, but catch that one frame and it really makes you realize, just exactly how much they did get away with!! Amazing!!
For your holiday treat, in 1947, Doris Merrick seen here as Ruth Marshall, the Professor's fiancé, was in a movie called "The Pilgrim Lady!"
My favorite movies are always when normal women are so blinded by love that they can't see that their fiancé is totally out of this world, and over the top insane!! Here she playfully musses the Professor's hair in an attempt to get some attention!! He doesn't mind or care!!
Feeling like this was what was really on his mind. Testosterone gone mad, but this make-up job was a much better look than that mask!!!
And on top of all that, that mask wouldn't have looked so bad in a low light situation, but, what is it with those eyes? I don't care if it's 1953, they could have done something better than that! 
The old Doc is looking just a little worn out after his latest killin' spree, and transformation back to human. Talk about a hangover!!!
Beverly Garland as Nola Mason, the waitress, is gorgeous in this early role that was her first Monster Movie appearance!!
Here she's being used as a model in a pre-attack photo shoot!!
Trust me, there is no cave there, you just find a place in the shadows and walk away from it!!
One of the more interesting parts of this film is the use of Tandra Quinn, who we know from her role and dance in "The Mesa Of Lost Women" as Tarantella! Here as Celia, the housekeeper she communicates with to co-stars Joyce Perry and Richard Crane!
This is an outstanding makeup job by Dungeon Hero, Harry Thomas! That good ole Professor Groves experimented on Celia before he tried it on himself!! Nice guy cut from the same Whit Bissell School of Dirty S.O.B's! Always in the name of science!!!! The special effects were attributed to Jack Rabin!! What an all-star crew!!!
What a great lookin' posse, 3rd from the left character actor Robert Easton stood a bit taller than his fellow actors and was used quite often as a hick, which is funny, since he has an extra high IQ! In 1956, he played a soldier named Ackerman of all things, in the movie "Hold Back The Night." Robert is still active today and just had his 78th birthday a couple of days ago on November 23, the day before another Ackerman!
1 comment:
You neglected the shot of the doctor filling up his hypodermic needle with a maniacal look on his face -- that scene is a classic!
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