John Landis grew up on the schlocky monster movies of the 1950s and paid loving tribute to them in this, his first-ever directorial effort, aged just 21. A scrappy sweetly artless horror-comedy, it was made for $60,000 in just 12 days.
Landis also stars as the titular prehistoric banana-loving apeman who wakes up after 20 million years to roam the streets of Southern California. Beyond that setup, however, there’s barely a shred of plot, as Schlock drifts from unfunny set-piece to unfunny set-piece.
It’s difficult to work out whether the stiff line readings (there’s only one professional actor in the entire film – actress Harriet Medin, credited here as Enrica Blankey) and flatly shot stunts are satirising the Z-movie inspirations or simply the result of a rookie director making do with a pocket-money budget.
As first efforts go, this is about as amateur hour as they come.
Schlock
John Landis
Detective Sgt. Wino
Saul Kahan
Ivan
Joseph Piantadosi
Officer Gillis
Richard Gillis
Torn Cop
Tom Alvich
Police Thief
Walter Levine
Joe Putzman
Eric Allison
Dying Man
Ralph Baker
Billy
Gene Fox
Betty
Susan Weiser-Finley
Bobby
Jonathan Flint
Barbara
Amy Schireson
Gloria
Belinda Folsey
Professor Shlibovitz
Emile Hamaty
Mrs Binerman
Harriet Medin (as Enrica Blankey)
Little Boy
Phillip Levine
Woman Onlooker
Shirley Levine
Housewife
Mary Cortiz
Hippie
Carl Stone
Mindy Binerman
Eliza Garrett
Nurse
Tonda Marton
Doctor
Neil Forn
Cal
Charles Villiers
Duck Girl
Dana Collins
Eye Doctor
Harry Goins
Ice Cream Man
Gorden Brettelle
Night Driver
Norman Crawford
Bartender
Robert E. Collins
Piano Player
Ian Kranitz
Joyce
Jackie Bonnhein
Arnie
Stuart Weiss
Patty
Patty Holcomb
George
George O’Hanlon Jr.
National Guard Captain
John Chambers
Director
John Landis
