Encino Man (1992) on Netflix
Dave Morgan wants to be popular at his Encino high school. He and his friend Stoney Brown thaw a frozen caveman and pass him off as an exchange student named Link.
- Netflix3.2/5
- IMDb5.9/1050,221 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes17%
Trailer
Plot summary
Dave Morgan, an Encino teenager, is set on popularity at his high school; his best and only friend, Stoney Brown, is an unpopular student too. Robyn Sweeney, Dave's friend from grade school, dates Matt Wilson, a jock who humiliates them. While digging a pool in Dave's backyard, Dave uncovers a caveman frozen in a huge block of ice and leaves the block in the garage with space heaters aimed at it. The ice melts, and the boys come home to muddy handprints, a smoke alarm and the caveman trying to light a fire in Dave's bedroom; Stoney calms him with a lighter flame. They wash and trim him, name him Linkovich "Link" Chomovsky, dress him and introduce him to Dave's parents as an Estonian exchange student. At school his strange manners and athletic skill make the boys popular.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Encino Man (1992)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Ben Stiller, Keith Coogan and Jeff Maynard were first cast as the three main characters for a screen test, shot to show that the concept of Encino Man could work and that Les Mayfield could direct such a comedy; Pauly Shore later uploaded that screen test on YouTube.
- At the 95th Academy Awards, Jimmy Kimmel said in his opening monologue that the ceremony was a great night for Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan, both eventual winners, "and a difficult night for Pauly Shore".
- The title turned into military slang: in Evan Wright's book about the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Generation Kill, the U.S. Marine company commander Craig Schwetje is nicknamed Encino Man, supposedly for his incompetence.
- Encino Man made $9.9 million in its opening weekend, coming in fourth at the box office, and went on to earn a total of $40.7 million in North America on a budget of $7.5 million.
- Pauly Shore's performance in Encino Man won him the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star at the 13th Golden Raspberry Awards, the ceremony's prize for the year's worst newcomer.
- Costume designer Marie France decided not to buy clothes and custom made the wardrobe for Stoney and Link instead; with Brendan Fraser standing 6 feet 3 inches, she dressed him in baggy, knee-length shorts and oversized T-shirts because finding his sizes was impractical.
