Released in 1984, starring
Timothy Hutton,
Lindsay Crouse, and
John Lone as "Charlie" the iceman.
Scientists discover the body of a man frozen for over 40,000 years, and thaw it out, miraculously reviving the
Neanderthal. They place him into an artificial habitat for observation, and bring in an
anthropologist, Dr. Stanley Sheppard (aptly played by
Timothy Hutton) to observe him. Who really observes whom? Dr. Sheppard finds himself face-to-face with
history, and unable to decide who is the more civilized - the
caveman, or the man who would cage him....
Ultimately, a
morality play, the question is asked "Should we play
God?" (Referring to "resurrecting" the dead, and bringing life to Charlie). The ultimate answer is one we must find in our own hearts, as Charlie does in his.
Not a bad movie, but probably a bit too cerebral for today's audiences. Any remake would probably miss the point entirely (vis-à-vis Encino Man).
Source: IMDB