The black and white one. The one without Raquel Welch in a Fur Bikini.
One Million BC is a 1940 American film produced by Hal Roach Studios. It follows the story of Tumak (Victor Mature), an exiled member of the savage Rock Tribe who meets and falls in love with Loana (Carole Landis), a member of the more civilized Shell Tribe.
Though not as well-remembered as its remake these days, One Million BC was a commercial success and was nominated for two Academy Awards for its special effects and music score. Its legacy cannot be understated and you may well have seen clips from it if you have watched any other black and white movies with Slurpasaur sightings. Footage from the movie went into a stock footage library and was used by many studios who wanted to save money on dinosaurs.
The film is now in public domain and can be viewed here
. Fair warning that it's basically a reptile snuff film.
Tropes:
- Anachronism Stew: Not just the dinosaurs but the the human material culture as well.
- Akhoba hunts with two dogs on a leash. The close relationship between humans and canines likely didn't begin until closer to 30,000 years ago.
- The Shell Tribe make stone-tipped spears. The oldest known spear dates to 600,000 years ago and stone-tipped spears weren't invented until 500,000 years ago.
- Both tribes wear jewellery which wasn't invented until around 115,000 years ago.
- Both tribes also wear extensive clothing which likely developed around 107,000 years ago, based on the speciation of human body lice which are adapted for clinging to clothing.
- There is no evidence of cave painting prior to 40,000 years ago.
- No Animals Were Harmed: Horrifically averted. The amount of onscreen animal bloodshed could give Cannibal Holocaust a run for its money.
- Nubile Savage: Loana is a classic example but she predates the invention of the bikini swimsuit so she wears more clothing than her cinematic successors.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: The opening narration makes brief mention of sabre-toothed tigers hunting giant deer but neither animal appears onscreen, sadly.
- Slurpasaur: Not only of the giant lizard variety but also a pig in a Triceratops costume, an elephant in a mammoth costume, Brahman cattle dressed up like muskoxen, a six-banded armadillo with fake horns and a giant coati.
