The movie was remade in 1967 and this came complete with dinosaurs brought to life through break-through special effects (at least for 1967 standards). But the giant creatures were upstaged by a curvaceous cavewoman played by a newcomer named Raquel Welch. To this day, the sensational image of Raquel, garbed only in a strategically-placed animal fur, remains iconic and still inspires imitations.
The movie '10,000 B.C.' is not a remake of 'One Millon Years, B.C.' Yet it does have its share of beautiful cave people. This one features a relatively unknown cast too. As director Roland Emmerich said, hiring name stars would have been distracting for the audience.
The leading caveman is played by fashion model and rock singer Steven Strait. He plays D'Leh, a member of a hunter-gatherer tribe that rescues people. His latest rescue mission becomes a personal project as the damsel in distress happens to be his girlfriend, Evolet (played by Camilla Belle), who was kidnapped by a warlord.
Coincidentally, Steven Strait was once the frontman of a band called The Tribe. Camilla Belle is noted for her portrayal of Daniel Day Lewis's daughter in 'The Ballad of Jack and Rose.' The Manila Bulletin recently conducted a phone interview with these two hot-looking cave people who were both born in 1986 A.D.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
What makes '10,000 B.C.' different from the other movies being released this season?
Camilla: It presents itself in a unique way with its visual effects. It also shows how difficult it was to live at such a period and hunt for food.
Steven: I think the movie stands on its own. This is not a sequel or a prequel. It's a character-driven movie you will love and enjoy.
Was it difficult doing a movie like this in the middle of nowhere?
Steven: We shot the scenes in sequence. This procedure endears you more to the character you're playing because you get to follow the story. It makes it a lot easier for the actors, I guess.
Camilla: The shoot took about six months and we went to different locations like Namibia and New Zealand. It was fun and exciting finding yourself in the middle of nowhere. I would like to describe the shoot as really physical.
Camilla, how does it feel like to be regarded as beautiful?
Camilla: It's really a big complement hearing that and I can't say anything more.
Steven, you were part of a band but now you seem poised to focus on an acting career. Will music be taking a backseat for a while?
Steven: Yes, my priority right now is acting. Someone replaced me in the band and at this time around, I am not pursuing my career as a band person.
What was it like working with a beauty like Camille, Steven?
Steven: She's pretty and talented. It's always a great experience working with her and the film premise that I'd go out, look for, and rescue her helps in achieving such effect. That even with the fact that we didn't spend much time together during the shoots because there were schedules when I wasn't needed and she's on the set or vice versa."
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