Deliberate no-brainer comedy stars none other than Ringo Starr. Ringo plays Atouk, a caveman in one zillion b.c. who is considered inferior by the bigger and stronger men of his tribe, including the leader Tonda (John Matuszak). Cast out for attempting to get with Tondas' mate Lana (Barbara Bach),whom Atouk lusts after, Atouk forms his own tribe with misfits such as his good buddy Lar (Dennis Quaid),friendly stranger Tala (Shelley Long),and her blind father Gog (Jack Gilford).

The movie is co-written by Rudy De Luca and Carl Gottlieb, the latter recognizable for having contributed to the script for "Jaws" and having played Meadows in that classic. It's often silly and childish, sometimes a little tiresome, but it's not attempting to be anything more than a goofy good time for comedy fans.

The dialect spoken by our heroes and antagonists is most amusing: "aloonda" means love, "macha" means monster, "ool" means food, etc. "Zugzug" means...well, I think you can figure that out. It's not really that necessary to have a translation handy. The gags aren't always that successful, but the ones that work are pretty funny. One has to love the cartoon physics every time that Tonda tries to throw something heavy.

The cast is lively and engaging. Ringos' hangdog looks are perfect for his hard luck character, and Dennis Quaid is a total hoot as another guy who often can't seem to catch a break. Both the stunning Bach and the sexy Long look good in skimpy cavewomen clothes. The real highlight of "Caveman" is the fantastic effects work of Jim Danforth and David Allen: those dopey dinosaurs are just hilarious and endearing. Note that the critters are credited as playing "themselves", with the exception of the Abominable Snowman, who's played by Richard Moll of 'Night Court' fame.

Lalo Schifrin's music score is most amusing - the main theme is insidiously catchy - and there's plenty of fine location shooting in Mexico.

Incidentally, this is where real-life married couple Bach and Ringo met.

If you attempted to play a drinking game for every time a character name is uttered - especially Tonda - you'd be drunk before long.

Seven out of 10.

This film is great for kids and teens, but I doubt if most adults would sit through the film. I saw it as a teen and thought it was great. Then, years later I saw it again and couldn't believe I had liked it so much. But, then, considering my age when I first say it, this really makes sense. There are lots of rude and sophomoric jokes--you know, about poop and sex that only teens and kids would find hilarious.

The film is filmed with all the caveman characters talking a silly caveman language--except for one guy who inexplicably speaks English. The plot involves an evil leader played by John Matuszak (the ex-football star) and his rival, the much smaller and wimpier Ringo Starr, who leads another band of wimpy cavemen.

In the Stone Age, the strong caveman Tonda (John Matuszak) is the leader of a hostile tribe and the outcast Atouk (Ringo Starr) feels unrequited desire for Tonda's mate Lana (Barbara Bach). One day, Atouk is walking with his best friend Lar (Dennis Quaid) and they meet the cavewoman Tala (Shelley Long). They save her blind father Gog (Jack Gilford) from a tar pit and Tala fells unrequited affection for Atouk. Soon the smart Atouk becomes the leader of the misfit tribe and dispute the leadership of the whole clan and Lana with Tonda. But in the end, the leader needs a worthwhile mate.

"Caveman" is a hilarious silliness and is among the silliest movies ever made. But is funny and makes laugh a lot with the gags. The movie has its own language that is very easy to translate and understand the meaning of the words. Shelley Long is very beautiful and this movie introduced Ringo Starr to Barbara Bach that married each other in the end of the release year (1981). In the end, it is worthwhile watching this entertaining comedy. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Caveman – O Homem das Cavernas" ("Caveman – The Caveman")