Prehistoric Women (1967 film)

Hammer Film Productions
Industry	Film production
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Products	Films

Prehistoric Women is a British fantasy adventure motion picture directed by Michael Carreras featuring performances by Martine Beswick and Michael Latimer. Initially released in the United States in 1967, the film reached UK audiences a year and a half later under the title Slave Girls. This version was shortened by 17 minutes and shown as a secondary feature alongside The Devil Rides Out (1968).

Plot

During an African expedition, British explorer David Marchant is captured by a primitive tribe after killing an injured leopard. At their temple, he activates a statue of a white rhino that serves as a portal, transporting him to a verdant valley governed by the dark-haired Queen Kari. In this realm, blonde women are subjugated by the brunettes, who maintain dominance through fear and superstition linked to the white rhino myth.

David learns that Kari enslaves both blondes and men, enforcing control through fabricated idols and so-called "Devil" guardians. Teaming up with Saria, one of the blonde captives, he seeks to overthrow Kari’s oppressive rule. After interrupting a ritual and exposing the "Devils" as mere humans, a conflict breaks out. The arrival of an actual white rhino precipitates Kari’s demise and the downfall of her authority.

Upon returning through the portal, David discovers that the tribe has been liberated from their superstitions. Back at his camp, he encounters Sarah, who bears a striking resemblance to Saria, suggesting a mysterious connection across time.

Cast

Martine Beswick as Queen Kari
Michael Latimer as David Marchent
Carol White as Gido
Steven Berkoff as John
Edina Ronay as Saria/Sarah
Stephanie Randall as Amyak
Alexandra Stevenson as Luri
Yvonne Horner as first Amazon
Sydney Bromley as Ullo
Frank Hayden as Arja
Robert Raglan as Colonel Hammond
Mary Hignett as Mrs. Hammond
Louis Mahoney as head boy
Bari Jonson as the High Priest
Danny Daniels as Jakara

Production

To minimize expenses, Hammer repurposed sets and costumes originally created for One Million Years B.C. (1966), which were designed by Carl Toms. Filming took place at Elstree Studios between January and February 1966 during the post-production phase of One Million Years B.C., employing DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope technologies.

Box office

According to Fox records, the combined release of this film with The Devil Rides Out required $1,450,000 in rental income to break even but only generated $1,265,000, resulting in financial losses.

Critical response

Reviewers pointed out the film’s campy style and superficial plot despite tackling serious issues like slavery and power struggles. The Monthly Film Bulletin labeled it among Hammer’s weakest productions and noted its delayed release was due to its quality. Leonard Maltin criticized it as nonsensical but acknowledged Beswick’s commanding portrayal that helped establish its cult following.

Tom Lisanti regarded Beswick’s performance as Queen Kari among her most notable roles despite limited budget and direction. Marcus Hearn described it as an unusual and underappreciated Hammer film focused on a blondes versus brunettes theme.

Legacy

Hammer considered Prehistoric Women one of its less successful projects, postponing its UK debut and renaming it Slave Girls. Beswick valued the role for its strong anti-male dialogue and credited Carreras for encouraging her to blend cruelty with humor during filming.

External links