EEGAH: DESERT CAVEMAN

Let’s face it, if you’re a fan of movies then the odds are you’ve at least heard of EEGAH. I heard about it years ago but for one reason or another I never got around to watching it. That includes when it was part of both Elvira’s movie series or the Mystery Science 3000 show. Considered one of the worst movies ever made I can honestly say that it doesn’t quite qualify for number one but that’s not for lack of trying. And yet at the same time there is a certain innocence about the film, the feeling that it was made by people who truly wanted to make a movie rather than just slap something together, that gives it that reason for notoriety.

The story revolves around a young girl named Roxy (Marilyn Manning) driving in the desert on her way to meet her father at a nightclub nearby. As she drives down the road she nearly hits a tall caveman who steps in the road out of nowhere. Passing out he looks her over but before he can do anything, her boyfriend Tom (Arch Hall Jr.) pulls up behind her. They find nothing and head to the nightclub together.

After she tells her father her story, he decides to make a trek to the desert and explore the next day. He’s a noted traveler and author known for expeditions like this. Oddly enough he heads out alone and soon comes across the caveman known as Eegah (Richard Kiel). Knocked unconscious he goes missing for several days until Roxy and Tom go searching for him. Odds are they will find him and Eegah as well.

The movie was definitely made for the drive-in crowd/teen scene. Arch Hall was known for producing movies for that market and for starring his son in them as well. This was the only film he directed but who knows why. There were so many film directors out there who made movies worse than this, he should have continued.

The film features the vocal stylings of young Arch Hall Jr. and while they might not give the Beach Boys competition they are done well enough that you won’t find yourself seeking the fast forward button. The same can be said for Hall Jr.’s acting. I’ve seen much worse but the fact he never made a ton of movies is understandable. And yet you have to give him credit for at least making the attempt.

Perhaps the biggest claim to fame the film has other than appearing on those worst made list is the casting of Kiel as the giant caveman. A truly nice guy, Kiel’s appearance led him to portray villains most of the time. Perhaps the most notable of those was Jaws in the James Bond films that featuring Roger Moore at the time.

This special edition of the film being released through The Film Detective is limited to just 1,500 copies. The extras are limited and include an interview with Arch Hall Jr. but the presentation here is perhaps the best the film has ever had. One of the best extras is the inclusion of the 1993 Mystery Science Theater version of the film.

If you’ve never seen the film you owe it to at least watch it once. And if you have you need to try it again. It’s a lot of laughs even if they aren’t intentional.

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