The Primevals

Few films in the history of cinema have stories behind them as good as that of The Primevals, which began production in 1969 and was screened for the first time at the Fantasia International Film Festival in 2023. It’s a labour of love like no other, shot by a director who sadly died before he could see the result and completed using techniques which would take literally days to produce a few seconds of action. it emerges now as a real blast from the past, a relic of a lost world. All the more fitting that its subject matter should deal with the same thing.

The story follows Matt (Richard Joseph Paul), an ambitious young scientist whose frustration at having failed his PhD turns to excitement when he is revealed to have been right all along and invited on an expedition as a result. What he’s right about is the existence of the yeti, a specimen of which has been brought to London. Heading up the academic team who hope to track and study one in the wild is Professor Claire Collier (Juliet Mills), who has brought in seasoned adventurer Rondo Montana (so named before Indiana Jones existed, and played by Leon Russom) to lead the expedition. They are accompanied by fellow student Kathleen (Walker Brandt) and Sherpa guide Siku (Tai Thai), who has had his own run-in with a yeti and understands the dangers of what they’re doing in a way the others don’t.

The yeti (because of course there is one) is brought to life through Ray Harryhausen-style stop motion animation. Given the tremendous labour involved in accomplishing this, and the wealth of other options available to animators today, it is almost certain to be the last of its kind, making this film a must-see for admirers of the art. There are other creatures here created using the same technique, and they’re thrilling to watch. What’s really impressive is the amount of personality which the team have managed to invest them with, whilst piecing together their physical movements. Children who have no conception of the effort involved will also delight in them.

In some ways this feels like a children’s film, because there’s an innocence about it which we rarely see today. It harks back to the matinee series which used to run in cinemas in pre-television days, and to the excitement of living in a world which still held undiscovered lands. David Allen’s framing is beautiful, presenting us with luminous Himalayan landscapes where anything seems possible. Of course some viewers will feel that its real appeal is kitsch, but the craft involved deserves respect and the real joy of it is that it can be appreciated either way.

Though most of the filming was done in the 1990s, the cast perfectly captures that matinee-era style. Claire, of course, is unusual as an accomplished older woman in an adventure film of that sort, and was back in 1969 when development on the picture began. She has an interesting bond with Matt which at times seems to verge on the romantic, though her primary concerns are with being a good scientist and looking after her students. Rondo is also an interesting character in that he makes good leadership decisions and knows his limits, something which we rarely see in macho heroes. Viewers need not worry – this doesn’t keep him from getting into some entertaining scraps. Meanwhile, Siku gets more to do than the conventional native guide character; he is protected a bit because of his youth, but never treated as a mere accessory.

There is a science fiction plot of sorts nested within the adventure narrative, and the sets and props involved in it have the same nostalgic charm as the animation. A real depth of knowledge about the genre has gone into their creation. If you know nothing about this kind of cinema, you’ll find The Primevals a sweet adventure tale with some very amusing moments. If you know it well, however, there are moments when your jaw will hit the floor, and you’ll be smiling from start to finish. This is a film which deserves to be treasured. It’s a fascinating piece of cinematic history and a fine swansong for an art form we shall never see again.