Eegah
About Eegah
Driving through the California desert at night, Roxy Miller nearly hits Eegah, a giant caveman. Her father, adventure writer Robert Miller, goes into the desert to find him and photograph him, and does not return. Roxy and her boyfriend Tom Nelson search in a dune buggy. Eegah carries Roxy to his cave, where her father is already held, and she shaves the giant to keep him busy until Tom arrives. The three escape. Eegah follows them into town, breaks into a party to grab Roxy, and the police shoot him.
Cast & crew
More about Eegah
Arch Hall Sr. produced, wrote the story, and directed under the name Nicholas Merriwether, and he plays Robert Miller. Bob Wehling wrote the screenplay. Vilis Lapenieks photographed. Fairway International, in Burbank, was also Hall's house and stands in for the Millers' apartment. The picture opened on June 8, 1962. Hall put up the $15,000 after The Choppers made money, as a vehicle for his son Arch Hall Jr.
Themes
Making
Hall shot the desert meetings and the cave, then brought Kiel into a suburban party for the last reel. The dune buggy is Tom's transport out to the cave and back to town.
Reviews
Leonard Maltin, in his Classic Movie Guide, gave it a bomb rating and called it a staple of all-time-worst festivals. Harry Medved and Randy Dreyfuss put it in The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (1978). John Wilson's Official Razzie Movie Guide later listed it among enjoyably bad pictures.
Look
Vilis Lapenieks shot the night desert road, the cave, and the party where Eegah is killed. Hall's Burbank house doubles as the Millers' apartment.
Music
André Brummer, billed as Henri Price, is credited for the music, with library tracks and two Arch Hall Sr. songs, "Vicky" and "Valerie." Arch Hall Jr. sings with the band.
Preservation
The film is in the public domain. The Film Detective announced a 4K restoration on November 1, 2019, and released it on DVD and Blu-ray on November 26, 2019, with Shout! Factory, Something Weird Video, and the Cinema Preservation Alliance. The Blu-ray was limited to 1,500 copies and includes the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode.
Notes
- Richard Kiel plays Eegah. Marilyn Manning plays Roxy. Arch Hall Jr. plays Tom Nelson. Lloyd Williams is the helicopter pilot, Mr. Kruger.
- Assistant cameraman Ray Dennis Steckler appears as Mr. Fishman, the man thrown into the pool. He directed Wild Guitar the next year.
- One of the band members is Deke Lussier, later the Motown writer and producer Deke Richards.
- André Brummer is credited for the music as Henri Price. Alan O'Day, uncredited, was music editor. Hall Sr. wrote the songs "Vicky" and "Valerie.
- The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (1978) lists it. Mystery Science Theater 3000 used it in 1993. Elvira's Movie Macabre used it in a 2010 episode.
- In the MST3K episode guide the cast singles out the shaving scene. Hall's line "Watch out for snakes!" became a running joke on the show.
Scenes
- Roxy almost crashes into Eegah on the desert road.
- She shaves the caveman in the cave while her father watches.
- Eegah walks into the party after Roxy, and the police shoot him.
Also available
- Internet Archive (Eegah)
- The Film Detective Blu-ray (November 26, 2019)
Quotes
Watch out for snakes!
